Welcome to BridgingApps!
If you have an app or a product that you feel would be appropriate for our users in the special needs community, we invite you to submit your app for review or send us information about your product.
App Developers
All of the app reviews on our website have been conducted by therapists or special education teachers, and they have been trialed with someone who has a disability. We approach reviews from a therapeutic perspective and assess the content of an app using nationally recognized assessment tools as well as common core standards, if it is educational in nature. Key factors we look for include outstanding quality, ease of use, high quality graphics and sound, multi-level adjustments, data tracking, and customization options.
Please understand that the review process takes time, and we appreciate your patience. If you have promotional codes to share for trial purposes, we gratefully accept them, as we are a non-profit and operate on a lean budget. We ask that you do not use our Facebook page for advertising your products, but use the Add an App form.
Free Mobile App Accessibility Evaluation Tool
If you need an easy to use accessibility toolkit, check out Bility. Bility provides a simple, but informative interface for testing. If you are a developer, you can access the tool here: https://github.com/vontell/bility.
Suggested Features
There are many different features that make an app beneficial for users with disabilities. We have compiled a list of suggested features for developers to include and or consider when creating your apps.
- Entertaining, high-quality animation/graphics (attention-keeping)
- Align the app with the Common Core Standards
- Provide an activity log to caregiver/professional
- Reward student progress
- Option for a variety of rewards
- Assessment of student skills
- Options for exporting/sharing data and user’s work
- Customizable
- Self-paced
- Supports multiple students on one device
- Supports curriculum/skill development model
- Supports multiple mobile devices
- Switch accessible
- For books, has read-aloud and auto page turn option
- Support for as many of Apples Accessibility Features
Hardware Developers
We have several Assistive Technology Labs where users are able to come in and trial devices, software, hardware, and accessories. Therapists and developers are also welcome to come in to use hardware and accessories with people who need them. If you donate products to the lab, we will make them available to visitors to the lab, including parents, therapists, AT Professionals, teachers, medical personnel, and social workers. We trial each product with someone who has a disability and post an article on our website, including how it could benefit people with disabilities. We ask that you do not use our Facebook page for advertising your products, but use the contact us form.