A Validated Design Guideline for Mobile Applications Grounded in the Participation of Deaf Users for Accessible Development

Mobile devices are widely used, yet accessibility for people with disabilities remains a critical challenge. Deaf users who rely primarily on sign language (SL) frequently encounter barriers when interacting with applications not designed for their communication needs. This study proposes a design guide for developing mobile applications tailored to sign language users. The guide was developed through the active participation of three groups: Deaf individuals, usability and user experience (UX) experts, and mobile application developers. Based on their contributions, thirteen design guidelines were defined, addressing sign language integration, visual feedback, navigation, content presentation, and interface design. The guidelines were validated through usability and UX evaluations conducted with the three participant groups. A mobile application was subsequently developed following the proposed guidelines to assess their practical applicability. The evaluation results indicate that the guide effectively supports the development of more accessible and usable mobile applications for Deaf users. Incorporating sign language-centered design principles significantly improves usability and user experience for individuals with hearing disabilities, contributing to more inclusive mobile application development.