BridgingApps Review System

BridgingApps’ goal is to explore practical, useful, and educationally sound ways to use smartphones and tablets with people of all ages and ability levels.

BridgingApps helps users choose apps for children and adults that are appropriate, useful and life-enhancing. With the overwhelming number of apps emerging on a daily basis, this seemingly simple task becomes challenging with children and adults who are developmentally or physically delayed and many parents and well-intentioned professionals are at a loss as to how to get started.

BridgingApps is comprised of people with disabilities, parents, therapists, teachers, doctors and assistive technology professionals who trial and review these apps and wish to share their findings and experience to help others. Our goal is to help shortcut the searching process. With the special needs user in mind, we intend to provide supplementary information along with the developer’s app description.

For example, for most children with disabilities, age categories provided by the developer may not be particularly helpful in selecting apps because of the scattered skill sets these children possess. Such a wide range of skills can be related to particular disabilities as well as to a whole host of variables, such as individual differences, environment, rate of development, and others.

An app reviewed by BridgingApps includes purpose of the app, short overview, key features, user feedback, benefits, suggested users, and where possible, short video clips.

Our Approach to Content

While there are many educational websites featuring mobile technology, BridgingApps aims to provide more detailed information about apps as it pertains to people with disabilities. Please keep in mind that we understand there are a wide range of skill levels, and there is no one size fits all in terms of technology solutions.

For apps that can be used with school aged children K-12, BridgingApps strives to include information that relates to state standards.

Assessment

When BridgingApps began in 2010, we found that most people in our group had or worked with those who have four broad categories of disability: Autism, Global Developmental Delay, Cerebral Palsy and Down syndrome. We soon found that choosing apps by focusing solely on age or diagnosis was not a good way to search for apps. Many people have multiple diagnoses that can further complicate this process. We also considered evaluating apps based on developmental levels, but this rating was too broad. However, what we did find useful was focusing on a particular skill that has little to do with chronological age. Skill levels are fairly clearly defined and can be identified in a particular app.

Categories

The BridgingApps custom built App Search Tool database is organized around six major app categories: Tools For, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Learning, Independent Living, Health & Safety, and Leisure and Recreation. Within the main categories are more specific filter options. Users can sort and filter by platform, age and price.

Our Approach to Financial Tech

THRIVE Financial Technology Vetting Framework:
United Way THRIVE convenes a group of its non-profit partners that work to identify and evaluate financial technology or FinTech that will safely and effectively move a family on a pathway towards financial stability. The group recognizes there are two major distinctions within FinTech platforms:

  • Financial Products. e. credit building, small dollar loans. An example of this is Fig Loans.
  • Financial Apps and Financial Tools: financial apps (i.e. NerdWallet) may be only educational in nature while a financial tool is actionable (i.e. CreditWise or CreditKarma).

THRIVE’s evaluation framework focuses on five key areas:

  • Mission aligned: the partner must be aligned with THRIVE’s mission to move families on a pathway towards financial stability. They adhere to a code of ethics and consider first the needs of lower income families.
  • Transparency: responsive to non-profit partners and client questions or concerns. They clearly communicate all FinTech features such as any costs associated with the product and termination methods to their constituents.
  • Longevity/Sustainability: FinTech partner has a sound business model that will ensure sustainability of their product.
  • Security: Protecting client/customer information is of highest priority. FinTech partner articulates how they utilize this client information/data. When a bank account is linked within a FinTech product, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is considered to be a best practice.
  • Reputation: they may have an established reputation within the financial capability field and have been vetted by national partners. If they are new to our market, they are working on establishing a favorable reputation within lower income families or service providers.

BridgingApps Disclaimer: Readers and viewers are reminded that the views expressed at BridgingApps are opinions only. We acknowledge that others may disagree with our information as they relate to apps. We reiterate that our intentions are motivated solely by the desire to assist families, friends, and professionals who help support children and adults with a variety of abilities use app technology appropriately. Reviews of apps are of the app as it existed at the time of the review and may not account for any changes in the app when and if a new version or update is released. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site. Any information provided herein is not intended as medical advice. BridgingApps urges users to seek additional professional advice regarding concerns about an individual’s health or development.

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