An interface to support independent use of Facebook by people with intellectual disability.

Researchers tested a new, simpler Facebook screen called Endeavor Connect.

Six young adults with intellectual disability joined the study.

Each person tried both the new screen and regular Facebook in short, rotating sessions.

Staff counted how many tasks each person finished alone and how many errors they made.

With Endeavor Connect, users finished almost every task by themselves.

They made three times fewer mistakes than on regular Facebook.

They also needed almost no prompts from staff.

Tanis et al. (2012) showed that adults with ID still use technology less than the general public. Au-Yeung et al. (2015) gives one clear fix: simplify the screen.

Shpigelman (2017) asked families and staff about Facebook use. They liked the social benefits but wanted safety rules. The new interface answers both wishes—easier access plus built-in safeguards.

Baker et al. (2025) later found that technology feels useful only when people already have services and support. The 2015 study shows that good design can jump-start that process, even for users with fewer resources.

You can’t teach social media skills if the app itself blocks the learner. Endeavor Connect proves that a cleaner layout—bigger buttons, plain words, fewer menus—lets clients with ID post, like, and chat with almost no help. Try stripping clutter from any tech you hand out: remove extra icons, use color coding, and turn on picture prompts. One quick redesign can turn prompt-heavy teaching into independent, real-life social time.