Pocket Email: Development and Evaluation of an Accessible PDA-Based Email Program to Facilitate Remote Communication for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

This project evaluates the technical merit and feasibility of Pocket Email, a PDA-basedaccessible email program which is universally designed to meet the unique needs of individuals withintellectual disabilities for communicating via email with family members and other caregivers while incommunity settings. Recent PDA and wireless technology developments, such as Blackberry orPocket Outlook, have potential to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities with new remotecommunication supports. PDA-based wireless email technology provides access to the benefits ofremote communication for individuals with intellectual disabilities who do not have literacy skills orcognitive/physical capacities to use similar mainstream communication. Project objectives include: (1)developing preliminary requirements for the system; (2) designing and building a software prototype;and (3) evaluating the independent usability for individuals with intellectual disabilities to send andreceive email messages using this technology through a pilot study. The increased ability to communicateprovides an important level of assurance to caregivers and assists in alleviating some concerns that increased independence can raise.