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Resumo O raciocínio e a construção do sentido espacial são capacidades essenciais em todos os processos de aprendizagem e compreensão matemática de crianças com desenvolvimento típico. Em crianças com Perturbação do Espectro do Autismo (PEA), estas capacidades se tornam ainda muito mais significativas, considerando o papel relevante que desempenham para uma vida independente bem-sucedida. O uso da tecnologia é referido como uma forma eficaz de trabalhar o conteúdo acadêmico com crianças com PEA, possibilitando a criação de ambientes criativos e construtivos onde se podem desenvolver atividades diferenciadas, significativas e de qualidade. No entanto, o desenvolvimento de aplicações tecnológicas para crianças e jovens com PEA continua a merecer pouca atenção, nomeadamente as que dizem respeito ao desenvolvimento do pensamento geométrico. O objetivo deste artigo é relatar os principais resultados obtidos com crianças com PEA utilizando o ambiente digital Learning Environment on Mathematics for Autistic Children desenvolvido, particularmente, no que se refere à promoção das suas capacidades matemáticas fundamentais em geometria. O “PISA 2015 Mathematics Framework” foi a base teórica utilizada para a recolha dos dados, cuja análise, para além de situar o pensamento geométrico dos alunos participantes entre parcialmente estruturado e estruturado, apontou, também, para o redesenho de algumas das atividades implementadas no ambiente digital, tendo em vista a promoção do pensamento geométrico.

There is clear evidence that in typically developing children reasoning and sense-making are essential in all mathematical learning and understanding processes. In children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), however, these become much more significant, considering their importance to successful independent living. This paper presents a preliminary proposal of a digital environment, specifically targeted to promote the development of mathematical reasoning in students with ASD. Given the diversity of ASD, the prototyping of this environment requires the study of dynamic adaptation processes and the development of activities adjusted to each user's profile. We present the results obtained during the first phase of this ongoing research, describing a conceptual model of the proposed digital environment. Guidelines for future research are also discussed.

Aim: The present study (PTDC/SAU-SAP/110799/2009) funded by the Portuguese Government (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia -FCT) aimed to test the effectiveness of a behaviour based intervention combined with a cognitive based one, designed to increase physical activity levels in older adults at Primary Health Care Centres. Method: A total of 108 participants aged over 65 years participated in the study. Participants were referred by their General Practitioner (GP) and randomized by gender and marital status at the moment they started the program (single vs. couple), and allocated into one of three conditions: goal intention, action planning, action planning and coping planning. All participants received a pedometer and a logbook and were asked to register their daily number of steps for a period of 24 weeks. Study follows a longitudinal design with five assessments over a 6-month after baseline. Results:The test between subjects' effects revealed an interaction between condition and participating in the study as single vs. couple. Older adults participating as singles walked more steps on average in the condition goal intention plus action planning and coping planning, whereas participants that entered in the study with their spouse, goal intention without any other planning intervention was the most effective intervention. Conclusion:The 24-week physical activity program based on the recent developments of behavioural-cognitive framework, has proven useful increasing older adults daily walking behaviour.

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The Learning Environment on Mathematics for Autistic Children (LEMA) is a digital mathematical learning environment with modalities of dynamic adaptations of the proposed activities having in consideration the user's profile. Training Sessions with special teachers highlighted the need to add new technologies to LEMA. Following this line of thought it would be of great educational value the incorporation of a tabletop technology in LEMA. Among several major tabletop hardware, we have opted by the use of Kinects with a multi-touch tabletop system which can detect all the movements of the user making the human body as a remote control to assist the human computer interaction allowing the manipulation of simple objects connected with the scope of the embodied learning activities. In this paper, we will explain the several phases to the integration of this new technology in LEMA, giving special emphasis to the pedagogical framework underlying the adaptations of the incorporated math activities.