Digital tools are revolutionizing many lives, in many ways. But to do this well we need to be sure that we continue to think about how we can best use the technology.
An iPad does not replace the need for children with autism to engage in a wide range of therapies that will support their development. If you are a parent of a child with autism who is worried that you can't afford an iPad, don't — the device will come. The prices will come down. Governments will get on board. You will, as you always do, find a way.
But, when you find that way, respect the tool and respect the amount of knowledge you have about your child's development. Use the iPad in a way that means it is a useful tool and not a device that takes over.
It is your child, your family and the network that surrounds you that is the miracle. Don't forget that. To investigate the cues that influence word learning in children with ASD, and whether this is influenced by medium of presentation e.
All children were recipients of picture-based interventions such as PECS and were frequently exposed to iPads in educational settings. Participants were taught the names of unfamiliar objects presented in photographs across four within-subjects conditions: 1 via an iPad, repeatedly presenting a single representation of the target object, 2 via a picture book, repeatedly presenting a single exemplar, 3 via an iPad, presenting multiple differently colored representations of the target object, and 4 via a picture book, presenting multiple differently colored representations.
Children were then tested on their ability to extend the newly-learned names to three-dimensional 3-D referents matching on shape and color, and to generalize names to novel category members matching on shape but not color. Crucially, our results revealed that medium of presentation—iPad or book—did not impact on children's extension of names from pictures to real objects. Rather, children with ASD only extended labels to depicted objects at above-chance rates when presented with multiple differently-colored pictures of the target referent, and tended to map narrow associative word-picture relations when presented with a single exemplar.
By demonstrating that a single label does not refer to a unique referent i. By contrast, the process of repeatedly pairing a verbal label with one target picture in single exemplar trials may have narrowed the relation to the extent that the picture itself rather than the depicted object was more frequently considered the referent of the word Plaisted, ; Preissler, ; Hartley and Allen, a.
Thus, the nature of the pictures being presented may be a more important influence on symbolic learning in ASD than whether they are presented on an iPad or in a book. Although our small scale study on word learning did not reveal any advantages in the use of an iPad vs.
Lorah et al. Furthermore, they identify several papers that report learning and preference advantages for iPad-based SGDs in comparison to other augmentative and alternative communication AAC interventions, such as manual sign language and picture exchange protocols Flores et al.
For example, Lorah et al. Another recent study by Xin and Leonard found that three minimally-verbal children with ASD successfully learned how to initiate requests, respond to questions, and made more frequent social comments after 6 weeks' training on an SGD iPad app however their study did not include a comparison AAC. Examples include gestural systems, picture based systems or communication devices with voice output.
However, other studies report that iPad-based interventions are no more effective and in some respects less effective than alternative interventions. Although children achieved similar proportions of independent requesting with both AACs post-intervention, they required fewer prompted responses when learning via PECS making it more efficient and follow-up data suggested that maintenance of iPad-supported requesting was reduced.
El Zein et al. While both interventions improved reading comprehension and reduced task refusal, the teacher-directed intervention was relatively more effective at promoting target behaviors. In a randomized control trial, Fletcher-Watson et al. The app consisted of two parts. In Part 1, a human character was depicted on the screen and children were required to touch it. In Part 2, the human character was presented in a shop and pointed toward a desired item at one of six locations around the screen.
Children were required to touch the desired item, and the more difficult levels involved the character just looking rather than pointing. The app's efficacy was evaluated by comparing standardized measurements of children's social-communication e. Crucially, there were no significant differences between children's pre- and post-intervention scores on any assessment, and time spent playing the app did not correlate with any measured ability.
However, the app was highly engaging for children and regarded favorably by parents. However, they do highlight the potential for an intervention administered on a tablet such as the iPad to directly increase levels of engagement, which could be explored in terms of how it might impact upon later learning.
Taken together, these findings suggest that iPad-based interventions can effectively promote certain target skills e. There are also potential differences in the learning mechanisms supporting the two types of skills we reviewed: instrumental requesting relies upon associative learning, whereas spontaneous social communication requires broader social-pragmatic awareness and social motivation which may be more fundamentally impaired in ASD.
The balance of evidence suggests that iPads do not readily improve learning and communication for children with ASD, but it is important to note that there is no strong evidence indicating that tablets and educational apps are detrimental to learning.
ASD presents a unique challenge given the heterogeneity of the condition Folstein and Rosen-Sheidley, , resulting from multifaceted interactions between genes, behavior, and the brain across development Pelphrey et al. In addition to differences in language ability, individuals with ASD vary in terms of their cognitive skills Volkmar et al.
Due to this variation, learning styles of individuals across the spectrum are not uniform in nature Tsatsanis, Tsatsanis advocates the need for individualized educational programming to directly combat the heterogeneity of learning style and blanket materials often issued within therapeutic intervention for those with ASD. For instance, individuals with and without co-morbid intellectual impairment have differences in memory and attention that affect learning processes. In the following sections we consider how educational apps used on tablets and iPads have the potential to maximize learning for this heterogeneous population.
It is important to consider the vast heterogeneity in diagnosis, research, and treatment, as a singular approach is not sufficient. This preference may increase the likelihood of children using the app and, through this, elicit greater communication, thereby demonstrating greater learning.
In addition to children with ASD showing a preference to use an iPad rather than more traditional AACs, iPads may result in greater engagement and time on task. Research to date supports this: interventions delivered with an iPad result in greater engagement and reduced challenging behavior during the intervention period compared with interventions delivered by teachers and therapists Fletcher-Watson et al.
These studies did not all demonstrate better learning when the intervention was delivered by the iPad. However, children's motivation to engage with learning material should not be overlooked, because motivation processes directly impact knowledge acquisition and transfer Dweck, Thus, the attractiveness of these new technologies may be usefully exploited to support better learning outcomes and future research needs to identify how best to achieve this.
Parents can also be enthusiastic about iPads and, in particular, their therapeutic potential due to engagement, which may result in greater use and learning. Clark et al. However, a recent study by Allen and colleagues Allen A. Parents of children who owned, and did not own, an iPad answered questions concerning the potential usefulness of the technology for enhancing their children's communication.
Notably, the expectations of parents with children who did not own an iPad were significantly more positive than those of parents with children who had used an iPad-based AAC. The iPad advantage found for engagement and time on task may arise because of the game-like interface of many apps, which successfully promotes these processes, as noted above. However, we must not assume that all apps are equal: specific features may influence the quality of engagement Kucirkova et al.
It is important to inform the design of any app with expert advice from practitioners and, when possible, to seek input from the children themselves to ensure the content is appropriate for users with ASD Fletcher-Watson et al. One reason for the absence of clear advantages for interventions delivered by apps vs. Digital technology affords a unique advantage and opportunity for customization that traditional paper material cannot provide. For children with ASD, personalization of content to support communication may be critical.
Communication apps that use picture based systems such as PECS; Bondy and Frost, historically required an individual to print out pre-drawn icons, which were not perceptually similar to real world referents and thus often opaque and difficult to learn. The functionality of tablets with inbuilt cameras can be exploited by apps; actual items can be instantly photographed and included in an individual's picture repertoire in a communication app, so that a child's own objects can now be easily accessed.
We have not found any studies that directly compare different functionalities or levels of customization for the same basic app, although some degree of customization currently exists, at least for communication programs such as Proloquo2Go see Sennott and Bowker, Furthermore, in a naturalistic study of TD children's use of different educational apps, Kucirkova et al.
Thus, personalization could be usefully exploited to facilitate engagement. Apps for word learning at least could also be developed to exploit children's word-learning biases.
As noted earlier, TD infants show a shape bias when generalizing new labels for objects, whereas children with ASD do not. Apps can be developed to allow fine-grained customization of pictorial features, which could usefully support learning in ASD.
For example, it is easier to program an app than to print a book to present multiple differently-colored examples of a target referent rather than a single exemplar. Such features could be used when teaching a new name to highlight the similarity of shape, and foster shape-based generalizations in this population. Using the time-honoured strategies of occasional conference attendance, as funds are available, or listserve participation or surfing the net is simply no longer enough. However the collection of freely available resources and valuable time-sensitive advice for special education teachers and those supporting struggling students has grown exponentially on social media channels — supporting building of powerful Professional Learning Networks PLNs without geographic boundaries.
A comprehensive overview of these online resources and networks, including Facebook Groups, Twitter hashtags, blogs and key influencers in the field around special education and learning is available via this link bit. Charlene has worked as a speech pathologist, supporting people with complex communication needs and learning disabilities for the past 15 years. Charlene has developed strong skills in and a passion for, the area of AAC and assistive technologies.
She enjoys presenting workshops and providing consultancy services to support and educate parents, teachers and therapists in the use and application of inclusive technologies. Charlene has been a full time member of the Professional and Consultancy Services Team at Spectronics. Your email address will not be published. Environmental Controls - Appliance Controls. Other Inclusive Learning Support Technologies.
Literacy Instruction for Young Learners November Northern Territory Tour Supporting diverse learners. Local T: 07 F: 07 E: mail spectronicsinoz.
So what?! A range of links for these can be found on our Accessories Page Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder Students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder have a wide variety of strengths and abilities that make their communication and learning skills complex, diverse and sometimes challenging.
Communication on iPads Establish communication systems for students with little or no speech. Social Stories Social stories were developed by Carol Gray , and are used often with students with ASD to help them learn how to understand, and what to do and say in particular social situations.
Functions of Behaviour Children with autism can exhibit a range of challenging, and to their families and others confusing, behaviours that limit their chances of success in the teaching and learning process. Two small studies found that social stories presented via iPad increased the play skills and on-task behavior of preschoolers with autism. Collaborative iPad games used by students with ASD alongside neurotypical peers were found to facilitate positive social skills like turn-taking, empathy, and shared joy.
The app can be used to create social stories and directions for social activities like ordering food at a restaurant. Every child with autism is different, and will have their own preferences and needs related to apps.
Apps for Children with Special Needs is a website dedicated to compiling apps used by teachers, therapists and parents and currently lists over professionally chosen apps. For finding additional apps for children with autism please see this article in Autism Parenting Magazine.
Boyd, L. ACM Trans. Lorah, E. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 45 12 , — Murdock, L.
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