Gesundheit – digital und inklusiv: eine Lernsoftware barrierearm gestalten

BACKGROUND: Acquiring occupational health and saftety competencies is difficult for peole with learning difficulties due to a variety of barriers. Software-based teaching of health-related topics is a possibility to reduce barriers to health empowerment for people with learning disabilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This article aims to determine practical recommendations for action from these aspects. These were derived from a qualitative and participative research project that was carried out in the form of three focus groups. Participants were employees with and without disabilities of a workshop for handicapped people, the WfbM Recklinghäuser Werkstätten GmbH. Discussions with focus groups were conducted. The participants were shown accessible drafts for the learning software sam® (secova GmbH & Co. KG, Rheine, Germany) on the subject of occupational safety. Those drafts were then discussed and evaluated jointly. The knowledge gained was then included into the revision of the software design and was edited into a manual for practitioners. RESULTS: The research found that fundamental aspects like a high-contrast and clear design, the use of simple language or the support of symbol icons need to be taken into account. Furthermore, the focus has to be both on the individual needs of people with disabilities and the local circumstances of the institutions. CONCLUSION: The use of the manual is also conceivable in other contexts. Prospectively the results should be evaluated in practice.