Technology Tools for Students with Autism

Innovations that Enhance Independence and Learning

edited by

Katharina I. Boser, Ph.D.,

Glenelg Country School Individual Differences in Learning Association Clarksville, Maryland

Matthew S. Goodwin, Ph.D.,

Bouvé College of Health Science and College of Computer and Information Science Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts

and

Sarah C. Wayland, Ph.D.

Center for Advanced Study of Language University of Maryland College Park

Contents

About the Editors ... ix
Contributors ... xi
Foreword John Elder Robison. ... xxiii
Foreword Geraldine Dawson. ... xxvii
Preface ... xxix
Acknowledgments ... xxxiii
Perspectives from an Adult with
Autism Spectrum Disorder Stephen Shore. ... xxxvii

I Overview: Policy, Research, and Implementation Support

Katharina I. Boser ... 1

1 What Is Driving Innovative and Assistive Technology Solutions in Autism Services?
Tracy Gray and Alise Brann ... 3

2 Universal Design for Learning: Meeting the Needs of Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Yvonne Domings, Yvel Cornel Crevecoeur, and
Patricia Kelly Ralabate ... 21

II Classroom Tools

Katharina I. Boser ... 43

3 Classroom-Based Technology Tools
Christopher R. Bugaj, Melissa A. Hartman, and
Mark E. Nichols ... 47

4 Using Virtual Reality Technology to Support the Learning of Children on the Autism Spectrum
Sarah Parsons, Nigel Newbutt, and Simon Wallace ... 63

5 Using Therapeutic Robots to Teach Students with Autism in the Classroom: Exploring Research and Innovation
Katharina I. Boser, Corinna E. Lathan, Charlotte Safos, Rita
Shewbridge, Carole Samango-Sprouse, and Marek Michalowski ... 85

III Language Tools

Sarah C. Wayland ... 105

6 Language Software for Teaching Semantics, Grammar, and Pragmatics to Students with Autism
Katharine P. Beals and Felicia Hurewitz ... 107

7 Mobile Media Devices: A Paradigm Shift in Communication Technology for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Jessica Gosnell Caron and Howard C. Shane ... 125

8 Technology to Support Literacy in Autism
Sarah C. Wayland, Katharina I. Boser, and Joan L. Green ... 141

IV Social Skills and Emotion-Regulation Management Tools

Matthew S. Goodwin ... 169

9 Using New Technology to Teach Emotion Recognition to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Simon Baron-Cohen, Ofer Golan, and Emma Ashwin ... 171

10 Incorporating Technology into Peer Social Group Programs
Andrea Tartaro and Corina Ratz ... 185

11 Technologies to Support Interventions for Social-Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness, Personal Style, and Self-Regulation
Dorothy Lucci, Minna Levine, Kelley Challen-Wittmer,
and Donald Scott McLeod ... 201

V Data-Collection Tools

Matthew S. Goodwin ... 227

12 No More Clipboards! Mobile Electronic Solutions for Data Collection, Behavior Analysis, and Self-Management Interventions
Minna Levine ... 229

13 Tools to Support Simplified Capture of Activities in Natural Environments
Gregory D. Abowd, Julie A. Kientz,
Gillian R. Hayes, Rosa I. Arriaga, and Nazneen ... 247

VI Teacher Training and Practical Implementation

Sarah C. Wayland ... 265

14 Racing Through the Professional-Development Obstacle Course
Christopher R. Bugaj, Melissa A. Hartman, and Mark E. Nichols ... 267

15 Using Distance Learning Technology to Increase Dissemination of Evidence-Based Practice in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Brooke Ingersoll and Allison Wainer ... 279

16 Bringing a School up to Speed: Experiences and Recommendations for Technology Implementation
Monica Adler Werner, Kathryn Nagle, Chris Bendel, and Bonnie Beers ... 295

VII Adult Transition to the Workplace

Katharina I. Boser ... 307

17 Using Mobile Technologies to Support Students in Work-Transition Programs
Gillian R. Hayes, Michael T. Yeganyan, Jed R. Brubaker, Linda J. O’Neal, and Stephen W. Hosaflook ... 309

About the Editors

Katharina I. Boser, Ph.D.

Katharina I. Boser, Ph.D., received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Cornell University in developmental psychology and cognitive science. She completed postdoctoral work at the University of Maryland studying language rehabilitation using computing technologies for patients with aphasia. Dr. Boser has conducted research on social robots and is involved in usability research with technology companies.

Matthew S. Goodwin, Ph.D.

Matthew S. Goodwin, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Northeastern University with joint appointments in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences and College of Computer & Information Science. He has over 15 years of clinical experience working with children and adults on the autism spectrum.

Sarah C. Wayland, Ph.D.

Sarah C. Wayland, Ph.D., is a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Study of Language and has worked on issues pertaining to language for over 25 years. She is active in the local disability community, helping parents and professionals learn more about ways to help their children with disabilities.

Classroom-Based Technology Tools

Christopher R. Bugaj, Melissa A. Hartman, and Mark E. Nichols
A vast array of low- to high-tech tools may be utilized to reduce and even eliminate educational barriers for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). This chapter describes a sampling of the tools available to support students in accessing the general education curriculum.

Tools for Routines and Self-Management

Routines are integral parts of daily life for students with ASDs and foster successful engagement and increased independence. Technology tools can readily support a student in reaching full academic potential. Visual schedules provide clear direction and can be used to help students learn how to follow the schedule.

Tools for Structuring the Classroom Environment

Students with ASDs require a structured day and predictable environment. Classrooms serving students with ASDs should be flexible and contain both academic and sensory spaces designed to meet individual needs.

Tools for Delivering Instruction

Teachers should utilize multiple means to deliver instruction. Interactive whiteboards and multimedia resources engage students who are visually oriented, allowing for tactile learning experiences.

Tools for Expression of Knowledge and Productivity

Successful communication happens in a variety of ways. Tools can be grouped into categories including augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). These tools are essential for students to express themselves and demonstrate knowledge in diverse ways.