Participatory design approach with children with autism

International Journal of Research & Method in Education

Cobb

2014

Self Cite

Parsons, Sarah and Cobb, Sue (2014) Reflections on the role of the 'users': challenges in a multi-disciplinary context of learner-centred design for children on the autism spectrum. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 37 (4 A note on versions:The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the repository url above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription.For more information, please contact eprints@nottingham.ac.uk AbstractTechnology design in the field of human-computer interaction (HCI) has developed a continuum of participatory research methods, closely mirroring methodological approaches and epistemological discussions in other fields. This paper positions such approaches as examples of inclusive research (to varying degrees) within education, and illustrates the complexity of navigating and involving different user groups in the context of multidisciplinary research projects. We illustrate this complexity with examples from our recent work involving children on the autism spectrum and their teachers. Both groups were involved in learner-centred design processes to develop technologies to support social conversation and collaboration. We conceptualise this complexity as a triple-decker 'sandwich' representing Theory, Technologies and Thoughts and argue that all three layers need to be appropriately aligned for a good quality 'product' or outcome. However, the challenge lies in navigating and negotiating all three layers at the same time, including the views and experiences of the learners. We question the extent to which it may be possible to combine co-operative, empowering approaches to participatory design with an outcome focused agenda that seeks to develop a robust learning technology for use in real classrooms.

Section: The Bottom Slice Of the Sandwich: Thoughts And Territory Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reflections on the role of the ‘users’: challenges in a multi-disciplinary context of learner-centred design for children on the autism spectrum

International Journal of Research & Method in Education

Cobb

2014

Self Cite

“…There are also important discussions and recommendations about how methodologies and activities can be planned and structured more effectively to support the communication and interaction needs of children and adults with autism (e.g. [2,13]). …”

Section: State-of-the-artmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Technology for Autism Needs to be Invented? Idea Generation from the Autism Community via the ASCmeI.T. App

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

Yuill

Good

et al. 2016

Abstract. In autism and technology research, technologies are often developed by researchers targeting specific social and communication difficulties experienced by individuals with autism. In some technologybased projects, children and adults with autism as well as parents, carers, teachers, and other professionals, are involved as users, informers, and (more rarely) as co-designers. However, much less is known about the views of the autism community about the needs they identify as areas that could be addressed through innovative technological solutions. This paper describes the ASCmeI.T. project which encourages members of the autism community to download a free app to answer the question: If there was one new technology to help people with autism, what would it be? This project provides a model of e-participation in which people from the autism community are involved from the start so that new developments in digital technologies can be better matched to support the needs of users.

“…Previous projects involving youth with autism in a PD process organized their sessions based on specific models, such as TEACCH or SCERTS [4,14,26]. Although we did not incorporate these models in their entirety, we drew upon the good practices identified in this research to plan our sessions, for example through using digital prototypes and visual questionnaires within sessions, and clearly communicating the objectives of each session.…”

Section: Organizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is because particular communication needs and preferences of children may make it difficult for children to participate in standard methods such as the use of personas or usability questionnaires [30]. For example, when involving children with autism, researchers have successfully used more visual and structured methods and materials, and provided concrete examples to initiate and prompt ideas rather than relying on abstract concepts for discussion [4,12,26]. Given the need for sensitivity and different methods, research processes should be rigorously reported [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

"This is how I want to learn"

Bossavit

Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems

2016

This paper presents a project that developed a Serious Game with a Natural User Interface, via a Participatory Design approach with two adolescents with HighFunctioning Autism (HFA). The project took place in a highly specialized school for young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN). The teenagers were empowered by assigning them specific roles across several sessions. They could express their voice as user, informant, designer and tester. As a result, teachers and young people developed a digital educational game based on their experience as video gamers to improve academic skills in Geography. This paper contributes by describing the sensitive and flexible approach to the design process which promoted stakeholders' participation.