I directed much of my early PhD education towards learning about people with autism. Additionally, to deepen my understanding of the audience, I volunteered at the Experimental Education Unit (EEU) at the University of Washington for two quarters working directly with children with autism.
The projects presented here are a small sample of multiple investigations that increased my understanding about people with autism.
Publications
The projects presented here are a small sample of multiple investigations that increased my understanding about people with autism.
Publications
ASSETS 2008 conference
Abstract: Software developers, designers and researchers have been looking to technology for solutions to help and educate people with autism for over two decades. There are many examples of seemingly successful technology-based products and prototypes, yet very little is known about how well these solutions are currently integrated into lives of children and adults with autism and their families. This paper reports on results from an anonymous on-line survey intended as a first step to elucidate information about software and technology use. Additionally, data was analyzed to aid creation of future technology-based products for people with autism that are not just effective, but that also meet important user goals and aligns to their interests and strengths. Major findings included:(1) very few respondents (25%) had any experience with software or technology designed for people with cognitive disabilities; (2) when asked an open-ended question about what they desire in technology design, respondents reported three major goals (social skills, academic skills, and organization skills), and many suggestions for improvements to software and hardware design; and (3) technology was reported as both a major strength and interest for people with autism.
Reference: Software and technologies designed for people with autism. In Proceedings of the 10th Annual ACM Conference on Conference on Computers and Accessibility, ASSETS '08, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 13 - 15, 2008, ACM Press, New York, NY.
Posters
Autism and Software
Poster describes the study and findings from the ASSETS 2008 conference paper.
Full-size poster
Poster describes the study and findings from the ASSETS 2008 conference paper.
Full-size poster
Other Projects:
Activity Schedule for Playtimes: ChoiceCube
Activity Schedule for Playtimes: ChoiceCube
Abstract: Activity schedules are commonly used by educators to encourage children to independently manage their work and playtimes. While many studies have supported the efficacy of activity schedules for children with autism, they present two challenges for educators during play-times; (1) they typically require prompting by the instructor to encourage adherence to the schedule and (2) they require an instructor to create the schedule in advanced so the instructor, not the child, is making choices on what to play. If created in a linear display, the instructor is also implying an order in which to engage in the play activities.
This paper will introduce an experimental activity schedule, “ChoiceCube” that is designed to facilitate fun choice making for children with autism.
This paper will introduce an experimental activity schedule, “ChoiceCube” that is designed to facilitate fun choice making for children with autism.
Status: This idea, while not a technology solution, was rooted in human-centered methods. As a volunteer at the Experimental Education Unit at the University of Washington, I observed many children with autism struggling during times when they were expected to make new choices. This project has not been completed to date.