Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are becoming more prevalent, both in the US and the world. As the Internet becomes necessary to fully participate in today\u27s society, it is critical for people with ASD to be able to access and use online content and services. While there is a plethora of anecdotal evidence to indicate successful outcomes, there is currently little scientific research that examines Internet usage of people with ASD.
This pilot study compared students\u27 cognitive traits associated with ASD, as reported in a survey, to their performance in a lab study that asked them to scan and evaluate web content. By observing eye-tracking data and differences in responses between participants, this study aimed to quantify differences of website evaluation between individuals with or without autism. The findings suggest that people with High Functioning Autism or Asperger\u27s have equal opportunity to successfully evaluate websites as their neurotypical peers
