L’APP Mind Inclusion: la tecnologia assistiva per promuovere l’inclusione sociale delle persone con disabilità intelletive nella loro comunità

Information and Communication Technologies have been widely used to enhance evidencebased interventions in the education and training of individuals with intellectual disabilities. The use of Information and Communication Technologies for these purposes is called Assistive Technology. Assistive technology is able to support persons with intellectual disabilities to live fuller and richer lives in their communities, supporting more successful functioning across multiple domains: independent living and inclusion in community.This study has the aim to present and explain the development of an assistive technology tool for persons with intellectual disabilities, the Mind Inclusion APP which can allow persons with intellectual disabilities to search and reach for a location or an activity in their community. The APP was co-created through the support of a participatory design and a person centred approach.A sample of 48 people, including persons with disabilities, caregivers, educators and business owners, was involved at all stages of the project. This study has shown that persons with disabilities can interact better, be part of their society more easily, and learn new skills reducing the impact of disability on daily functioning by using the Mind Inclusion APP

Accesible co-creation tools for people with intellectual disabilities: working for and with end-users

[EN] In a world defined by rapid change, the search for solutions to societal challenges has become more complex calling for new paradigms of innovation focused on collaborations with the community and users. Cocreation approaches in the design and production of a service or product can bring low-cost innovation and unique and personalized customer experiences leading to user acceptance of a product or service. Under a co-creation perspective, the participatory approach developed in the MINDInclusion project aims to improve the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities into public places and society by using a co-created online tool based on personal experiences of people with disabilities. Paying special attention to the Design thinking method, the main goal of this experience was to co-create cognitive accessible design tools that guide the collection of users and other stakeholders experiences in the process of defining problems and solutions. To this end, 14 researchers and educators worked defining together a set of guiding exercises and design thinking methods for the 4 co-design cycles. As a result two tools were developed to gather information to recreate as a final output “personas scenarios”, an “empathy map” and expected “use scenarios”. The former was an adapted game board about public places based on the traditional monopoly game and the latter a diary with a set of activities that will facilitate the collection of contextual information. Previous experiences have shown that co-design process can promote greater social cohesion, acceptance and empowerment. Working with people with intellectual disability presents several challenges since the co-creation process needs to be cognitive accessible. However, the tools created under this experience can be extrapolated to other contextsAlmeida, R.; Losada Durán, R.; Cid Bartolomé, T.; Giaretta, A.; Segalina, A.; Bessegato, A.; Visentin, S.... (2020). Accesible co-creation tools for people with intellectual disabilities: working for and with end-users. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 53-61. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2019.2019.10086OCS536

Computer Cognitive Rehabilitation in Older People: gradior Program

In the process of aging, there is a cognitive decline due to age. Cognitive impairment is one of the most common symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Throughout decades, different types of cognitive interventions and approaches have been developed with the main objective of improving or maintaining the cognitive capacities of the elderly. Such is the case of computer cognitive rehabilitation that has been shown to be an effective form of stimulation capable of improving cognitive functioning in the older people. This document describes the computerized cognitive rehabilitation program gradior 4.5 (latest version), specifying its different components, application methodology and its most relevant aspects. The experience developed during the more than 20 years of existence of the program with thousands of patients coming from different devices and the different studies of efficacy and usability developed, in order to satisfy the needs, capacities, limitations and preferences of the users, have given place to this new improved version that makes it a flexible, dynamic, simple, useful and easy to use tool

Computer Cognitive Rehabilitation in Older People: gradior Program

In the process of aging, there is a cognitive decline due to age. Cognitive impairment is one of the most common symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Throughout decades, different types of cognitive interventions and approaches have been developed with the main objective of improving or maintaining the cognitive capacities of the elderly. Such is the case of computer cognitive rehabilitation that has been shown to be an effective form of stimulation capable of improving cognitive functioning in the older people. This document describes the computerized cognitive rehabilitation program gradior 4.5 (latest version), specifying its different components, application methodology and its most relevant aspects. The experience developed during the more than 20 years of existence of the program with thousands of patients coming from different devices and the different studies of efficacy and usability developed, in order to satisfy the needs, capacities, limitations and preferences of the users, have given place to this new improved version that makes it a flexible, dynamic, simple, useful and easy to use tool.En el proceso de envejecimiento, se produce un declive cognitivo debido a la edad. El deterioro cognitivo es uno de los síntomas más comunes de enfermedades neurodegenerativas como la demencia. A lo largo de décadas se han desarrollado diferentes tipos de intervenciones cognitivas y enfoques con el objetivo principal de mejorar o mantener las capacidades cognitivas de las personas mayores. Tal es el caso de la rehabilitación cognitiva por ordenador, que se ha mostrado como una forma eficaz de estimulación capaz de mejorar el funcionamiento cognitivo en personas mayores. El presente documento describe el programa de rehabilitación cognitiva por ordenador gradior 4.5 (última versión), especificando sus diferentes componentes, metodología de aplicación y sus aspectos más relevantes. La experiencia desarrollada durante los más de 20 años de existencia del programa con miles de pacientes provenientes de diferentes dispositivos y los diferentes estudios de eficacia y usabilidad desarrollados, con el fin de satisfacer las necesidades, capacidades, limitaciones y preferencias de los usuarios, han dado lugar a esta nueva versión mejorada que la convierte en una herramienta flexible, dinámica, sencilla, útil y fácil de usar

Estudio de usabilidad y Validación piloto de un test del reconocimiento de emociones por ordenador para adultos mayores con enfermedad de Alzheimer y deterioro cognitivo leve de tipo amnésico

[EN] This study aimed to carry out a pilot validation of Affect-GRADIOR, a computer-based emotion recognition test, with older adults. The study evaluated its usability, reliability and validity for the screening of people with Alzheimer´s disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). The test was administered to 212 participants (76.37 ± 6.20 years) classified into three groups (healthy controls, n = 69; AD, n = 84; and aMCI, n = 59) on the basis of detailed neurological, neuropsychological, laboratory and neuro-imaging evidence. Data on usability were collected by means of a questionnaire and automated evaluation. The validated test comprised 53 stimuli and 7 practice items (one per emotion). Participants reported that Affect-GRADIOR was accessible and user-friendly. It had high internal consistency (ordinal Cronbach's α = 0.96). Test-retest reliability correlations were significant and robust (r = 0.840, p < 0.001). Exploratory factor analysis supported a seven-factor model of the emotions assessed (neutral expression, happiness, surprise, disgust, sadness, anger and fear). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses suggested that the test discriminated healthy older adults from AD and aMCI cases. Correct answer score improved MMSE predictive power from 0.547 to 0.560 (Cox & Snell R2, p = 0.012), and Affect-GRADIOR speed of processing score improved MMSE predictive power from 0.547 to 0.563 (Cox & Snell R2, p = 0.010). Affect-GRADIOR is a valid instrument for the assessment of the facial recognition of emotions in older adults with and without cognitive impairment