A Multi-Sensor System for Enhancing Situational Awareness and Stress Management for People with ASD in the Workplace and in Everyday Life

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present challenges for affected people at work and in everyday life. The barrier increases further with changing environmental situations. Deviations in factors like lighting or sound may lead to increased stress. The intervention plans to instil positive behaviour support (PBS) suggest that a customised environment can minimise the impacts due to these variations. This work proposes a novel framework which leverages the information from multi-sensor channels in a combined manner to customise the environment so that situational awareness (SA) can be improved. The proposed framework allows for monitoring the environment by combining the information from different sensor channels including both personal sensors (i.e. on board of a mobile device) as well as environmental sensors/actuators (i.e. embedded in smart-buildings). In this preliminary work, the system architecture is introduced. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed system, a case study is also considered through the development of a prototype for a mobile application and by reporting results on a scale model of a smart workplace with customisable environment

Sensory-Based Interventions in Schools

Dr. Jamie Palmer, DrOT/L of Central Kitsap school district requested that University of Puget Sound occupational therapy (OT) students research the impact of sensory-based interventions (SBIs) on attention, behavior, and academic performance for children in preschool to high school with or without diagnoses. Based on a systematic review of 33 studies, the evidence for the use of SBIs in the classroom to improve academic performance, behavior and attention is preliminary and ranges from limited to moderate depending on the specific type of SBI. The use of those specific SBIs with limited to moderate evidence is recommended for students whose demographic profiles match those of the study participants. The knowledge translation process consisted of two primary components: developing and delivering an in-service to share findings of the present study with Dr. Palmer and other professionals in her school district, and developing and disseminating an evidence-based movement program called Break 5. School district professionals reported being highly satisfied with the in-service and reported that the program was moderately effective for regulating student behaviors. The principal and occupational therapy team expressed interest in expanding the movement program throughout the school. Given that Break 5 has only been trialed on an informal basis, research is needed to determine its efficacy. Break 5 and those SBIs with the strongest evidence should only be implemented by OTs with strong rationale, systematic outcome monitoring, and adjustment to meet individual needs

Students with autism: A light/sound technology intervention

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of light/sound technology to promote sensory integration which facilitates the learning capacity of children with autism by reducing their high state of arousal, increasing time on task and decreasing acting-out behaviors. This research extended the work of A. Jean Ayres and Lorna King who theorized that the autistic individual\u27s brain does not register, modulate or integrate sensations that most people notice; auditory and visual inputs are ignored more than other types of sensory stimuli. This study utilized light/sound technology to stimulate and desensitize these sensory channels to facilitate processing of incoming stimuli. The technology was furnished by Dr. Harold Russell and was programmed with a microchip to control the frequency patterns. Twelve subjects were selected to participate in this eight week study; only five subjects completed. They represented schools in the Tidewater region of Virginia and Illinois. Inattention, Impulsivity, and Hyperactivity were assessed with The Attention Deficit Disorder Evaluation Scale-Home and School Versions. Comparison of the results of these measures and qualitative data were incorporated into case studies. There was improvement noted in social skills, attention and on-task behavior. The results are supportive of research conducted with learning disabled and AH/HD students conducted by Drs. Carter and Russell

Diverse approaches to learning with immersive Virtual Reality identified from a systematic review

To investigate how learning in immersive Virtual Reality was designed in contemporary educational studies, this systematic literature review identified nine design features and analysed 219 empirical studies on the designs of learning activities with immersive Virtual Reality. Overall, the technological features for physical presence were more readily implemented and investigated than pedagogical features for learning engagement. Further analysis with k-means clustering revealed five approaches with varying levels of interactivity and openness in learning tasks, from watching virtual worlds passively to responding to personalised prompts. Such differences in the design appeared to stem from different practical and educational priorities, such as accessibility, interactivity, and engagement. This review highlights the diversity in the learning task designs in immersive Virtual Reality and illustrates how researchers are navigating practical and educational concerns. We recommend future empirical studies recognise the different approaches and priorities when designing and evaluating learning with immersive Virtual Reality. We also recommend that future systematic reviews investigate immersive Virtual Reality-based learning not only by learning topics or learner demographics, but also by task designs and learning experiences

Interventions to decrease the occurrence of scatolia in children with developmental disabilities

Children who participate in the undesirable behavior of scatolia can become alienated from participating in the daily occupations that are meaningful to them. Interventions to Decrease the Occurrence of Scatolia in Children with Developmental Disabilities has been created to address the need of stopping scatolia from happening immediately with use of restrictive garments, and to create a long-term treatment plan with a licensed occupational therapy practitioner in order to decrease the occurrence of scatolia on a long-term basis. “Scatolia” is the medical term that refers to physically touching, smearing, and handling feces. There are different reasons why a child with a developmental disability would engage in the behavior, including medical issues, behavioral issues, and sensory issues. When any child performs the act of fecal smearing, the stress falls to the caregivers to be vigilant about immediately stopping the behavior to decrease the spread of germs in society. Parents, grandparents, teachers, and caregivers can become overcome with guilt, shame, and anger over their child’s behavior. The general problems related to scatolia can make it very challenging for caregivers to bring their children out into public and to invite visitors over to their homes for fear that the child will engage in the behavior and the risk of spreading illness or disease. With the use of evidence-based research, this program has been created for pediatricians, parents, and children to assist with the rehabilitation of stopping and preventing scatolia from happening in the future

Perceptions of mothering, early intervention, and family-centered care

Family-centered care has been expected practice in early intervention for more than two decades; however, there continue to be difficulties with its implementation. One way to learn more about how early intervention practitioners can build effective partnerships with families is to listen to the mothers who care for the children receiving services. The purpose of this feminist, phenomenological study was to investigate the experiences of the mothers of young children in the early intervention system. A series of three in-depth interviews were conducted with each of the study’s three participants, all of whom were mothers of children who were being served or had recently been served through this system. The participants were interviewed about their experience of mothering, early intervention, and family-centered care. The qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed four major themes—the work of mothers, the emotions of mothers, the constraints on mothers, and the supports for mothers—as well as 30 subthemes. These findings suggested that the primary work of mothers—facilitating the healthy growth and development of their children—produces strong, varied, and sometimes conflicting emotions. This occupation was constrained by many factors, including the early intervention system itself. These emotions and constraints, however, could be mitigated by therapists who provide skilled services including family-centered care. These findings were similar to those found in previous research; however, some of the findings appear novel to this study, including the ideas that (1) mothers find pride and joy in their mothering work, and (2) mothers may not feel a need to participate formally in setting goals or directly in treatment sessions. As a result, implications for practice include providing support for co-occupations that are valuable to mothers and providing flexible, responsive services to mothers as well as children