Using Digital Storytelling to Improve Knowledge Acquisition of Circumscribed Interests of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder face difficulties in many areas, such as academic performance and social integration. However, suppose the circumscribed interest of the children with Autism Spectrum Disorder could be adequately taken advantage of. In that case, more career opportunities could be open to them, which may facilitate their social integration. Hence, exploring how to better shape the knowledge acquisition process of the circumscribed interest areas is meaningful. Digital storytelling is considered to be an excellent pedagogical method for teaching children with autism. Therefore, this study aims to test whether digital storytelling positively influences knowledge acquisition in the CI area. Two websites with similar content but different design structures (one with digital storytelling and one without digital storytelling) are given to two children with autism between nine to twelve years old. It was predicted that a website with a digital storytelling design has a higher attraction level and thus leads to a better learning outcome. The result demonstrates that children with ASD prefer the design structure of digital storytelling and could correctly answer more questions on the website with digital storytelling. Future studies may use digital storytelling to smooth the knowledge acquisition in the CI areas.