Accessibility in mobile applications for elderly users: a systematic mapping

Abstract

This Research Full Paper presents a systematic mapping that aims to characterize the current scenario of mobile application development considering accessibility issues for elderly people. Currently, the use of mobile devices has been growing exponentially, giving way to new ways of relating, working, performing daily tasks and learning. In this context, mobile learning has emerged seeking to democratize access to knowledge for different audiences. To achieve this democratization, it is necessary to develop mobile learning applications considering accessibility issues, in order to reduce barriers that might exist. Due to the increase of the life expectancy, such applications must also be accessible for elderly users. In this context, we conducted a systematic mapping that aims to characterize the current scenario of mobile application development considering accessibility issues for older people. The idea is that the results help us to establish a set of accessibility guidelines to assist in the process of developing and evaluating mobile learning applications for senior users. To achieve the main objective, 32 studies were considered to extract the data. The results obtained are relevant to highlight the current panorama of the area, as well as to present discussions about the need for studies related to the development of accessible mobile applications.