BACKGROUND Food insecurity continues to be a risk for college students in the United States. It is associated with numerous problems, such as chronic health conditions, increased stress and anxiety, and lower grade point average. After COVID-19, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were extended to college-age students, however there were some barriers to participation which persisted such as lack of perceived food insecurity risk, lack of knowledge regarding the SNAP application process, the complexity of determining eligibility, and stigma associated with needing social assistance. A technology-enhanced tool was developed to address these barriers to SNAP enrollment and encourage at-risk college students to apply for SNAP. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to test the usability and acceptability of a web-based SNAP screening tool designed for college-aged students. METHODS College students ages 18-25 years were recruited to participate in two rounds of usability testing during Fall 2022. Participants tested the prototype of a web-based SNAP screener tool using a standardized think-aloud method. Usability and acceptability of the tool was assessed using a semi-structured interview and a 10-item validated System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. Audio recordings and field notes were systematically reviewed by extracting and sorting feedback as positive or negative comments. SUS questionnaire data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and sign test. RESULTS A total of 12 students (mean age 21.8 (SD 2.8) years; 50% undergraduate; 92% female; 58% Hispanic or Black/African American; 78% low/very low food security) participated in both rounds of user testing. Round 1 (R1) testing highlighted overall positive experiences with the tool, with most participants (10/12) stating that the website fulfills its primary objective as a support tool to encourage college students to apply for SNAP. However, issues related to user interface design, navigation and wording of some questions in the screening tool were noted. Key changes after R1 reflected these concerns, including improved design of response buttons and tool logo, and improved clarity of screening questions. Overall system usability tended to improve between R1 and R2 (91.25 vs 92.50; P=0.10, respectively). A trend towards increased learnability was also observed between both rounds (87.50 vs 100; P=0.06, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Overall usability findings suggest this web-based tool was highly usable and acceptable to urban college students, and could be an effective and appealing approach as a support tool to introduce college students to the SNAP application process. Findings from this study will inform further development of the tool, which could eventually be disseminated publicly among various college campuses.

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Participation in outdoor adventure education has been linked to many positive benefits including, but not limited to, improved self-efficacy, self-concept, self-confidence, and locus of control, as well as stress reduction, development of trust and social networks, and a sense of empowerment (McKenzie, 2003;Neill & Richards, 1998;Paxton & McAvoy, 2000). Additionally, leadership development has been identified as a prominent outcome of adventure education in the literature (Hattie et al., 1997). The broad concept of leadership development can include multiple aspects of leadership including self-confidence, compassion, effective communication, problem solving, and empowerment (Luo, 2011;Shellman & Ewert, 2010).The literature has extended beyond a focus on outcomes and attempted to better understand course components that directly influence these outcomes (McKenzie, 2003). McKenzie (2003) explored the means through which participants learn on Outward Bound courses varying in length from 7 to 36 days. McKenzie's study identified achieving individual success, learning new skills, and problem solving as a group as course components that influenced course outcomes. Despite these findings, McKenzie called for further research to examine through empirical research which components influence the different aspects of leadership development. Additionally, Bobilya et al. (2015) echoed this need for further study of the benefits and outcomes of adventure education programs as a whole and for further examination of which course components influence which course outcomes for participants of outdoor adventure education programs.An additional aspect to course outcomes includes course length. Jostad et al. ( 2012) explored perceived outcomes associated with courses over 30 days, finding the extended course length influenced expedition behavior the most. Expedition behavior subthemes included conflict resolution, group dynamics, relationship building, living with others, and communication (Jostad et al., 2012). Jostad et al. mentioned a need for further research on the effects of course length on course outcomes. Accordingly, therefore, the purpose of this study was to better understand which course components of a wilderness-based semester-long program lead to which course outcomes in adventure education.