Engagement with Electronic Screen Media Among Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

This study investigated the relative engagement potential of four types of electronic screen media (ESM): animated video, video of self, video of a familiar person engaged with an immersive virtual reality (VR) game, and immersion of self in the VR game. Forty-two students with autism, varying in age and expressive communication ability, were randomly assigned to the experimental conditions. Gaze duration and vocalization served as dependent measures of engagement. The results reveal differential responding across ESM, with some variation related to the engagement metric employed. Preferences for seeing themselves on the screen, as well as for viewing the VR scenarios, emerged from the data. While the study did not yield definitive data about the relative engagement potential of ESM alternatives, it does provide a foundation for future research, including guidance related to participant profiles, stimulus characteristics, and data coding challenges.

Brief Report: Examining the Link Between Autistic Traits and Compulsive Internet Use in a Non-Clinical Sample

“…In line with earlier research in populations with a clinical diagnosis of ASD (Mineo et al 2009), we show that certain media can become too attractive. Although the Internet facilitates certain forms of social contact in that it provides a safe and structured environment, there is a risk that people with autistic traits will use the Internet compulsively, which may be harmful to their 'offline' social relationships.…”

“…For children with ASD, positive effects have been reported on problem solving, vocabulary acquisition, and emotion recognition (Mineo et al 2009;Ramdoss et al 2011). Adults with ASD report the additional time to think of a response and the reduced pressure for eye-contact as important advantages of computer-mediated communications (Burke et al 2010).…”

Cognitive training as a resolution for early executive function difficulties in children with intellectual disabilities

“…Importantly new technologies are likely to appeal to those with ID by providing immediate rewards which satisfy the children's need for rapid reinforcement (Durkin, 2010). Current evidence provides support for the potential of these platforms in children with ID, as individuals with autism have shown a preference for using technology during leisure activities (Mineo, Ziegler, Gill, & Salkin, 2009;Orsmond & Kuo, 2011) and learning activities within the classroom (Moore & Calvert, 2000;Williams, Wright, Callaghan, & Coughlan, 2002;see Van Herwegen & Riby, 2014, for a discussion on the use of technology in IDs). One of the most crucial advantages of touchscreen technology is the ability to apply these computerised interventions to very young children, this is of particular importance as early intervention has been stressed as crucial in assisting the cognitive development of young children with ID (Dawson, Rogers, Munson et al, 2010;Remington, Hastings, Kovshoff et al, 2007).…”

Interactive White Boards’ Added Value in Special Education

“…The results reveal differential engagement of ESM alternatives and conclude that generalization of new skills is related to the focus on the instructional value of the scenarios, despite students' utter fascination while using new technologies [21].…”