EFFECTS OF SCHEMA-BASED INSTRUCTION DELIVERED THROUGH COMPUTER-BASED VIDEO INSTRUCTION ON MATHEMATICAL WORD PROBLEM SOLVING OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND MODERATE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

The Common Core State Standards initiative calls for all students to be college and career ready with 21st century skills by high school graduation, yet the question remains how to prepare students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and moderate intellectual disability (ID) with higher order mathematical concepts. Mathematical problem solving is a critical, higher order skill that students need to have in order to solve real-world problems, but there is currently limited research on teaching problem solving to students with ASD and moderate ID. This study investigated the effects of schema- based instruction (SBI) delivered through computer-based video instruction (CBVI) on the acquisition of mathematical problem solving skills, as well as the ability to discriminate problem type, to three elementary-aged students with ASD and moderate ID using a single-case multiple probe across participants design. The study also examined participant’s ability to generalize skills to a paper-and-pencil format. Results showed a functional relation between SBI delivered through CBVI and the participants’ mathematical word problem solving skills, ability to discriminate problem type, and generalization to novel problems in paper-and-pencil format. The findings of this study provide several implications for practice for using CBVI to teach higher order mathematical content to students with ASD and moderate ID, and offers suggestions for future research in this area

Using a serious game to assess spatial memory in children and adults

Short-term spatial memory has traditionally been assessed using visual stimuli, but not auditory stimuli. In this paper, we design and test a serious game with auditory stimuli for assessing short-term spatial memory. The interaction is achieved by gestures (by raising your arms). The auditory stimuli are emitted by smart devices placed at different locations. A total of 70 participants (32 children and 38 adults) took part in the study. The outcomes obtained with our game were compared with traditional methods. The results indicated that the outcomes in the game for the adults were significantly greater than those obtained by the children. This result is consistent with the assumption that the ability of humans increases continuously during maturation. Correlations were found between our game and traditional methods, suggesting its validity for assessing spatial memory. The results indicate that both groups easily learn how to perform the task and are good at recalling the locations of sounds emitted from different positions. With regard to satisfaction with our game, the mean scores of the children were higher for nearly all of the questions. The mean scores for all of the questions, except one, were greater than 4 on a scale from 1 to 5. These results show the satisfaction of the participants with our game. The results suggest that our game promotes engagement and allows the assessment of spatial memory in an ecological way

Upset or Collapse Detection System for ASD Children Using Smart Watch with Machine Learning Algorithm

ASD is characterised by severe and violent behavioural issues that are referred to as "meltdowns (upset) or tantrums (collapse)" and can include aggression, hyperactivity, intolerance, unpredictability and self-injury. This research work intends to develop and implement a non-invasive real-time Upset or Collapse Detection System (UCDS) for people with ASD. With a certain model of smart watch, the non-invasive biological indications such as Pulse Rate (PR), Skin Temperature (ST), and Galvanic Skin Reaction (GSR) can be artificially captured.  In order to create the UCDS, deep learning algorithms like CNN, LSTM, and the hybrid of CNN-LSTM are given the physiological signals that are captured to a server. The deep learning algorithm could recognise aberrant upset or collapse states from real-time physiological signs after being trained.  Deep learning algorithms including CNN, LSTM, and CNN-LSTM are used to train and test the proposed UCDS system, and it is discovered that hybrid CNN-LSTM beat them all with an average training and testing accuracy of 96% and a low mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.10 for training and 0.04 for testing.  Furthermore, the suggested UCDS system is supported by 93% of the ASD caretakers

The Design And Evaluation Of A Video Game To Help Train Perspective-taking And Empathy In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

This paper discusses the design, implementation, and evaluation of a serious game intended to reinforce applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by providing a low cost and easily accessible supplement to traditional methods. Past and recent research strongly supports the use of computer assisted instruction in the education of individuals with ASD (Moore & Calvert, 2000; Noor, Shahbodin, & Pee, 2012). Computer games have been shown to boost confidence and provide calming mechanisms (Griffiths, 2003) while being a safe environment for social exploration and learning (Moore, Cheng, McGrath, & Powell, 2005). Games increase children\u27s motivation and thus increase the rate of learning in computer mediated environments (Moore & Calvert, 2000). Furthermore, children with ASD are able to understand basic emotions and facial expressions in avatars more easily than in real-world interactions (Moore, Cheng, McGrath, & Powell, 2005). Perspective-taking (also known as role-taking) has been shown to be a crucial component and antecedent to empathy (Gomez-Becerra, Martin, Chavez-Brown, & Greer, 2007; Peng, Lee, & Heeter, 2010). Though symptoms vary across children with ASD, perspective-taking and empathy are abilities that have been shown to be limited across a wide spectrum of individuals with ASD and Asperger\u27s disorder (Gomez-Becerra, Martin, Chavez-Brown, & Greer, 2007). A game called WUBeeS was developed to aid young children with ASD in perspective taking and empathy by placing the player in the role of a caregiver to a virtual avatar. It is hypothesized that through the playing of this game over a series of trials, children with ASD will show an iv increase in the ability to discriminate emotions, provide appropriate responses to basic needs (e.g. feeding the avatar when it is hungry), and be able to communicate more clearly about emotions

The Effect of Augmented Reality on the Development of Social Skills of Children with Autism

The use of new technologies in the process of educational intervention is undoubtedly a basic and valuable tool for teachers Specifically using new forms of representation of educational content and providing a teaching practice that enhances the user s visual perception of the real environment is a key factor favoring the educational inclusion of students with special educational needs In the present study we will investigate whether teachers believe that the use of augmented reality AR in children with autism affects their social skills as well as the possibilities of augmented reality in enhancing the communication skills of children with ASD in areas speech social interaction pretend play reading enhancing visual perception imitative ability attention management and perception of the physical worl

The Autism Toolbox : An Autism Resource for Scottish Schools

The Autism Toolbox will draw upon a range of practice experience, literature and research to offer guidance for authorities and schools providing for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

AAC Device Use in School-Aged Special Education Students

This investigation analyzes how often AAC users typically utilize their devices throughout their day in their school setting. A survey method was implemented where elementary school educators were asked to report on their special education students use of their device during their school day. To identify special education educators\u27 perceptions regarding the use of AAC devices in the public-school system, special education educators in the public-school system were contacted via email to conduct a survey in regard to current practice in their school setting regarding AAC use. A letter of consent was obtained from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Communication and Sciences Disorders program to access email from special education educators. Competency is a vital key in providing effective service delivery. A majority of participants indicated that they felt moderately competent in supporting learners who use communication devices (47.83% n=11), followed by 26.09% (n=6) of participants who said they feel slightly competent in supporting learners who use communication devices. A return rate of 5% which is a glimpse of what is taking place in the world of AAC and AAC educators. Many special education educators have tried AAC but don\u27t follow through with it because there\u27s a lack of education/training and a lack of support from administration, teachers, and parents. A high percentage of participants (39.13%) indicated that the device was very useful in allowing the student to socialize with peers