Frequency of educational computer use as a longitudinal predictor of educational outcomes in young people with specific language impairment

Computer use draws on linguistic abilities. Using this medium thus presents challenges for young people with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and raises questions of whether computer-based tasks are appropriate for them. We consider theoretical arguments predicting impaired performance and negative outcomes relative to peers without SLI versus the possibility of positive gains. We examine the relationship between frequency of computer use (for leisure and educational purposes) and educational achievement; in particular examination performance at the end of compulsory education and level of educational progress two years later. Participants were 49 young people with SLI and 56 typically developing (TD) young people. At around age 17, the two groups did not differ in frequency of educational computer use or leisure computer use. There were no associations between computer use and educational outcomes in the TD group. In the SLI group, after PIQ was controlled for, educational computer use at around 17 years of age contributed substantially to the prediction of educational progress at 19 years. The findings suggest that educational uses of computers are conducive to educational progress in young people with SLI

A Review of Current Technology-Based Intervention for School Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

For individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the use of Computer technology to provide intervention in learning is promising. This review focuses on research that has used technology to improve the performance for school aged (10-16) children with ASD. This paper reviews technologies that enhanced intervention, which target three cognitive domains: (1) languages and literacy, (2) social skills, and (3) emotion recognition. A review of the literature from 2005 to the end of 2015 identified 19 studies that documented efficacy in order to determine whether empirical findings support technology as an evidence-based practice. The conclusion reports that it is important to support development, evaluation, and clinical usage of technology-based intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Future directions for research and practice with each technology are discussed