Validating the Usability Evaluation Model for Hearing Impaired Mobile Application

Abstract

—Usability is an important element that enables the identification of the efficiency for application or product. However, many applications have been developed for general users’ needs and are unable to provide adequate applications usage for disabled people. This study focuses on the development of usability evaluation model and the validation process on the proposed model through experts. The developed model later evaluated by group of experts through focus group method. Focus group method enables to identify the 13 variables derived to develop the model are appropriately placed and useful in the evaluation process. The results shows that the selected variables are appropriate to identify usability of mobile application for the hearing impairment through three variables tested namely, gain satisfaction with the model, satisfaction with the model presentation, and support for tasks. Conclusively, the developed model can identify usability of mobile applications for hearing impairment and enable in identifying useful criteria to be included during application development process in real life process. As future study, the model can be tested among the hearing impairment people and practitioner to establish the results obtained which contributes to usability practitioners and application developers for the disabled.