1. Role of technologies for supporting
people with Autism Spectrum
Disorder and Intellectual Disability
Gerardo Herrera
IRTIC-Universitat de València
2. Contents
Number of apps and other
technologies available
Number of research papers
on IT and ASD
Where to start?
Developmental Domains
where IT is useful
Conclusions
ITASD 2017 / SMART-ASD 2nd
Multiplier Event
3. Searches on Appstore/
Google Play:
“autism” (specific)
“learning”, “communication…”,
“children”, “timer”, “agenda”… (no
specific)
4. Number of research papers per year with the
words(autism OR Asperger) AND (virtual OR
computer OR robot) AND (learning OR
rehabilitation OR education OR remediation)
between(Grynzspan et al., 2014)
5. Number of papers with the
word ‘autism’ at ACM digital
library (Keintz et al., 2014)
7. Where to start?
Which device and operating system?
Which App?
Starting by the deep knowledge about
the person with ASD/DI and his/her
context, together with knowledge about
the possibilities of the technologies
available at any given time.
8. Dimensions to consider when trying to
find an appropriate matching between
person-activity-technology (Odom, 2014)
9. 1st: Protect the device of
the individual with ASD/ID
Specially if
he/she has fine motor difficulties
he/she is not aware of the risk of
the device being broken
he/she is not aware about the value
and price of the device
10.
11. Developmental Domains
and Activities where IT
helps
Expressive Communication
(Communicator Apps)
Receptive communication
(Agendas, Choice boards,
Prompting, Video-modeling,
Timers, Routines,…)
Self-regulation (Apps and devices)
Leisure (Digital audio and video,
games,…)
Emotional and social
understanding
Accessing the curriculum
12. Expressive
communication
Communicator apps: Arasaac, CPA,
Niki-Talk, Proloquo2Go
Issues regarding the use of
communicators in people with ASD
and ID
Highest level of evidence-based
support.
Autor pictogramas: Sergio Palao Procedencia: ARASAAC (http://arasaac.org) Licencia: CC (BY-NC-SA) Propiedad: Gobierno de Aragon
13. Receptive
communication
Daily Agendas (Niki Agenda, Día a día)
Choice boards (Choiceworks)
Prompting and Video-modeling (Video
TOTE)
Timers (In Time)
Routines (My Routines)
Autor pictogramas: Sergio Palao Procedencia: ARASAAC (http://arasaac.org) Licencia: CC (BY-NC-SA) Propiedad: Gobierno de Aragon
14. (receptive
communication)
Issues regarding the use of receptive
communication apps
Medium-low level of evidence-based
support, although practice supported.
Autor pictogramas: Sergio Palao Procedencia: ARASAAC (http://arasaac.org) Licencia: CC (BY-NC-SA) Propiedad: Gobierno de Aragon
16. Leisure
Digital audio and video (Niki Music
and Niki Play)
Games (HappyGuesse)
No evidence-based support, but very
practical
Autor pictogramas: Sergio Palao Procedencia: ARASAAC (http://arasaac.org) Licencia: CC (BY-NC-SA) Propiedad: Gobierno de Aragon
17. Emotional and
social understanding
Tools for facial expression
identification (¿Qué tal estás?,
Autimo)
Tools for creating social stories
(Lensoo Create, Show Me)
Autor pictogramas: Sergio Palao Procedencia: ARASAAC (http://arasaac.org) Licencia: CC (BY-NC-SA) Propiedad: Gobierno de Aragon
18. Accessing the
curriculum
Picaa 2
Teacher Packs
Autor pictogramas: Sergio Palao Procedencia: ARASAAC (http://arasaac.org) Licencia: CC (BY-NC-SA) Propiedad: Gobierno de Aragon
19. Autism apps
searchers
z
• http://www.Appyautism.com (allow
filtering by platform, developmental
domain and other variables)
• http://www.dart.ed.ac.uk (include
detailed analysis)
• https://www.autismspeaks.org/
autism-apps
20. Conclusions
There are as many forms of autism as
individuals with autism.
Technologies can support people with ASD/
DI in a variety of developmental domains
and activities.
There is no “best technology for autism” in
general, but there is “best technology for
each person with autism”.
22. More information:
SMART-ASD MOOC (Massive Open Online
Course), to facilitate learning on IT and
ASD.
SMART-ASD App, to facilitate person-
technology matching.
SMART-ASD Multiplier Events (Konya and
Valencia ITASD 2017)
26. References
Grynszpan, O., Weiss, P. L., Perez-Diaz, F., & Gal, E. (2014). Innovative
technology-based interventions for autism spectrum disorders: A meta-
analysis. Autism, 18(4), 346-361.
Keintz, J., Goodwin, M. S., Hayes, G., & Abowd, G. (2014). Interactive
Technologies for Autism. Synthesis Lectures on Assistive, Rehabilitative, and
Health-Preserving Technologies. San Rafael, CA: Morgan & Claypool.
Herrera, G. (2015) App móviles para personas con Trastorno del Espectro del
Autismo. Smart Health. 2:24-26
Odom, S. L., Thompson, J. L., Hedges, S., Boyd, B. A., Dykstra, J. R., Duda, M. A.,
. . .Bord, A. (2014). Technology-aided interventions and instruction for
adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders, 1-15
Cook, A. M., & Hussey, S. M. (2008). Assistive technology principles and
practice (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby
