Leveraging the transversal rehabilitative potential of Apps for the young

Scope of work Employment of digital resources like mobile apps can often prove effective in responding to the rehabilitative needs of children with visual and/or cognitive disabilities, even when these resources have not been expressly designed for that purpose. This contribution illustrates a method for selecting such resources on the basis of rehabilitation objectives rather than disability types. Materials and Methods The research team first defined fundamental elements rendering any mobile app suitable for children with low vision. We then analysed numerous apps according to their rehabilitative potential for addressing visual impairment, and selected a core set for testing. In actual rehabilitation activities, these apps showed potential for responding to basic rehabilitative needs of children who (also) have cognitive disability. Results The Sharehab online platform (https://www.sharehab.it/) catalogues apps selected in accordance with the above approach. Therapists can search through these descriptions to locate solutions suitable for different rehabilitation contexts. Conclusions Sharehab's needs-based approach gives therapists (and others) a much broader and richer range of apps to choose from for addressing rehabilitation needs. At the same time, new opportunities have emerged allowing ALL children to play together and share experiences with their peers, in the true spirit of inclusion.