Head-mounted augmented reality to support reassurance and social interaction for autistic children with severe learning disabilities

Augmented Reality (AR) is promising to complement autism approaches, but so far has mainly focused on training socio-emotional abilities for autistic children with mild learning disabilities. To better consider autistic children with severe learning disabilities and complex needs (SLN), stakeholders advise using collaborative AR sensory-based mediation approaches. Magic Bubbles is a multisensory AR environment created based on stakeholders’ interviews, then adapted for a day hospital setting in collaboration with practitioners, and finally validated in terms of acceptability and usability for autistic children with SLN. In this paper, we report on our latest study that explores three main research questions: 1) To what extent can Magic Bubbles secure autistic children with SLN? 2) To what extent can Magic Bubbles prompt the dyadic relationship between an autistic child with SLN and a practitioner? 3) What is the overall quality of experience for autistic children with SLN when using Magic Bubbles? To answer these questions, seven autistic children with SLN participated in at least six weekly sessions over three months in a day hospital setting. Data collection and analysis used qualitative and quantitative methods, mainly drawing upon grounded theory to evaluate their experiences. Findings validate the three research questions, offer a detailed account of children’s experiences with AR, and outline future directions

Evaluating the Acceptability and Usability of a Head-Mounted Augmented Reality Approach for Autistic Children With High Support Needs

International audienceVirtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR) are promising to complement practitioners' interventions with autistic children, but they mainly target the socio-emotional abilities of children with low support needs. For autistic children with high support needs, sensory-based and mediation approaches are advised with AR headsets, to keep contact with their familiar environment and their real practitioner, while VR presents risks of isolation. Yet, the acceptability and usability of AR headsets for these children remains unknown. Thus, this paper investigates the possibility to use AR headsets with Magic Bubbles, a multisensory environment designed for autistic children with high support needs, to reassure them while reinforcing the dyadic relationship with their practitioner. Drawing upon a previous design validation with 11 practitioners, acceptability and usability testings were conducted at a day hospital with 10 children with neurodevelopmental disorders and associated intellectual disability. Findings confirm a positive acceptability and usability for these children, thus validating the possibility to use Magic Bubbles with autistic children with high support needs. At last, future directions regarding the use of AR in clinical settings are outlined

Head-mounted augmented reality to support reassurance and social interaction for autistic children with severe learning disabilities

International audienceAugmented Reality (AR) is promising to complement autism approaches, but so far has mainly focused on training socio-emotional abilities for autistic children with mild learning disabilities. To better consider autistic children with severe learning disabilities and complex needs (SLN), stakeholders advise using collaborative AR sensory-based mediation approaches. Magic Bubbles is a multisensory AR environment created based on stakeholders' interviews, then adapted for a day hospital setting in collaboration with practitioners, and finally validated in terms of acceptability and usability for autistic children with SLN. In this paper, we report on our latest study that explores three main research questions: 1) To what extent can Magic Bubbles secure autistic children with SLN? 2) To what extent can Magic Bubbles prompt the dyadic relationship between an autistic child with SLN and a practitioner? 3) What is the overall quality of experience for autistic children with SLN when using Magic Bubbles? To answer these questions, seven autistic children with SLN participated in at least six weekly sessions over three months in a day hospital setting. Data collection and analysis used qualitative and quantitative methods, mainly drawing upon grounded theory to evaluate their experiences. Findings validate the three research questions, offer a detailed account of children's experiences with AR, and outline future directions