Inspiration
Speech and communication disabilities affect millions of children and adults all around the world. Unfortunately, accessible technology that individuals can use to communicate their needs in a quick and destigmatized way is not universally available. We were inspired to develop a tool that can help these individuals communicate and express themselves in the way they want to be heard and seen.
What it does
BeHeard allows users to input their disabilities and the ways others can best support them into a form. It then creates a profile card with this information which can be shown to those around them. This allows other to quickly see the ways they can adapt their behaviour to include and support the user, mitigating the challenges and frustrations of repetition and communication.
How we built it
We built the app in JS using Expo in React Native. Separate from the technical aspects, we spent time researching into common non-verbal challenges and how individuals who experience those would want to be supported.
Challenges we ran into
We had experience in front-end development, but not in React Native. This proved to be a challenge when we began styling. Our team of 4 members also had many commitments throughout this weekend, thus there was less contribution from each member than expected when we set our goals for the project.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We successfully built the frame of the app, implementing the required logic and information to serve as a usable tool! (Joel is proud of his wireframes)
What we learned
We learned how to use new technologies including React Native and how to work effectively on a development team. We also learned so much about the community that lives with disabilities and how they have been historically misrepresented and excluded. This project gave us an incredible opportunity to learn more about the need for accessible tools, recognizing and appreciating the perspectives that are often overlooked in society.
What's next for BeHeard
We think it's vital that upcoming developments for our product begin to include the perspective and input of an individual living with communication disabilities. In these developments, we hope to implement further options for users to include in their profile, and potentially offer a social aspect for users to connect with each other within their community!
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