Perancangan UI/UX Aplikasi Media Belajar Terapi PECS Anak ASD Level 1 menggunakan User Centered Design

Abstract

The development of mobile technology offers significant opportunities to support learning for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), yet adaptive technology based learning media remain scarce in Indonesian therapy institutions. Children with ASD Level 1 possess relatively intact cognitive abilities but face difficulties in communication and social interaction, and are more responsive to concise, structured visual instructions. This study aims to design a UI/UX for a learning application based on an adaptation of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) for children with ASD Level 1 using the User Centered Design (UCD) approach, and to evaluate the usability of the resulting design using the System Usability Scale (SUS). This applied research involved three therapists and two children with ASD Level 1 at Rumah Belajar Four Stars Jember as research subjects. The UCD process encompassed understanding the context of use through interviews and observation, specifying user requirements, producing design solutions in the form of wireframes through to a high-fidelity prototype developed in Figma, and evaluating the design. User needs identification revealed that children with ASD Level 1 require a minimalist interface, brief visual instructions, image-based interactive activities, and positive feedback. These needs were realized in an application named Pictora, which adapts the six phases of PECS into learning activities covering mathematics and Indonesian language subjects for Grade 1 elementary school students. Usability evaluation using SUS yielded a mean score of 81.5 for the child-facing interface and 85.83 for the therapist interface. Both scores fall within the Acceptable category with an excellent level of usability. These findings indicate that the Pictora application design effectively meets user needs, is easy to use, and is capable of supporting therapy-based learning for children with ASD Level 1.