Paul Lynch CRITE Centre for Research in IT in Education MSc IT in Education Trinity College, Dublin

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Paul LynchCRITECentre for Research in IT in
EducationMSc IT in EducationTrinity College,
Dublin
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ThemeAn investigation into how ICT (Information
Communication Technologies) can structure
learning and enhance communication for children
with autism
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Contents

• An International view
• Suitability and therapeutic benefits
• Thinking beyond the self
• Case Study
• Recommendations
• Demonstration of software

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A Visual Thinker

• I THINK IN PICTURES. Words are like a second
  language to me. I translate both spoken and
  written words into full-colour
• movies, complete with sound, which run like a VCR
  tape in my head. When somebody speaks to me, his
  words are instantly translated into pictures.
• Temple Grandin

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Lets think visually

• I found that when I surf the Internet it works
  exactly like my mind.. Each memory that I have
  comes up like a website. And I sort of click
  through the websites of my mind and they come up
  like snapshot pictures.
• One of the most profound mysteries of autism has
  been the remarkable ability of most autistic
  people to excel at visual spatial skills while
  performing so poorly at verbal skills.
• Temple Grandin Animal Science Professor at
  Colorado State University and leading authority
  on autism in USA.

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Where? There are no limits
Can the mind of an autistic person be compared
with the limitless boundaries of communication?
http//www.cybergeography.org/atlas/geographic.htm
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Breaking down the boundaries between people

• The internet (e.g. e-mails, chat rooms, on-line
  learning and virtual worlds) does not depend on
  the physical/mental appearance of the other
  person. It is the quality of their thought that
  takes precedence.

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The Computer acts as temporary scaffolding

• Like the support that construction workers use on
  buildings, scaffolding is intended to be
  temporary. It is there to aid the completion of a
  task and it is eventually removed.

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Caution

• No matter how good the software, children often
  need direction -scaffolding to use it
  effectively.
• Jane Healy 1998

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Why do computers suit people with Autism so well

• Contained, very clear cut boundary conditions
• Safe to explore, be creative in a highly
  controllable environment
• Possibilities of non-verbal or verbal
  communication
• Restricted stimuli in all sensory modalities
• Accepted medium for non-autistic peers

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What are the therapeutic benefits of interacting
with computers?

• A computer can behave very much like the ideal
  human companion
• The child learns to take turns with the computer
• Certain obsessions can be highly creative and
  recognisably worthwhile
• It can be satisfying and generate an easeful
  environment
• It can provide a fruitful basis for mutual
  communication and the motivation to pursue it.

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Moving beyond the self

• Software can help autistic children deal with
  their social skills development
• E.g. software Zoombinis Maths Journey
  (Broderbund)
• One boy chose the kinds of toppings of a pizza
  that he himself preferred, not the troll
  threatening them.
• Uncover a deeper social issue the boy was
  struggling to see beyond himself.
• This is a maths program but also presents topics
  for social skills development.

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Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
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Case Study Joshua

• Aged 6
• Shares class with 5 other boys
• Mildly autistic
• Problems in fine motor and visual motor skills
• Good verbal memory

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Joshuas Learning Program

• TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and
  related Communication Handicapped Children)

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When?

• Daily computer slot

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Observations

• No keyboard used
• Development of fine motor skills
• Requests program he wishes to learn
• Fidgeting less, but chews the headset wire
• Interaction with screen, pointing, counting and
  singing
• Student -centred activity

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Teachers perspective

• PC has added depth to Joshuas learning- builds
  imagination
• Changes his perspective on the outside world,
  developing his meta-cognition
• Able to cope with the stimulation of maths
  program
• Enabling him to explore and learn

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The computer appears to excite attempts at
communication which is then universalised to
paper and social structures.Gino Lerario

• Many autistic children have strengths that
  cannot show through speech and writing.
• Children can teach the tutor what they can
  handle. A two way process.

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How language can be developed

• Damian has significant delay in speech and
  writing.
• Able to type out p-a-t and shouted Postman Pat.
• revealing letter, sound and word awareness and
  spurring spoken language.

• Joshua initiates writing on blackboard by taking
  a sentence from the Talking Storiesfrom the
  Oxford Reading Tree and transfers it one letter
  at a time running between the chalkboard and
  the PC.

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Start where the child is

• Joshua is building a certain amount of receptive
  skills through a learning program which can be
  developed later in a one-to-one or small group
  work.

• Provides Joshua the unique opportunity to
  demonstrate an ability or intelligence that may
  otherwise go unnoticed.
• Able to perform non-computer based tasks apply
  problem-solving techniques.

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Recommendations
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Appropriate provision of computer hardware and
software for both teachers and learners can be a
significant factor in meeting the needs of
children and young people with special
needs.European Commission 1996
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Greater Access for all

• Trackerballs
• Joysticks
• Touchscreens
• Voice recognition software
• Buddy-buttons (switches)
• Suitable software and videos

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Accessible Interfaces
Free us from restricted interfaces, allow them to
hold, wear and even eat bits.
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Training

• Teachers and parents need time to explore and
  become more at ease with ICT. A need for greater
  access to training.

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Further Research

• Formal research on how computers can help support
  language development.
• e.g. speech therapists could employ speech
  synthesis software (Stephen Hawking).

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Financial Support

• We need more funding for units and special
  schools to purchase up-to-date equipment

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Collaborative Environments

• Chatrooms
• Mail groups
• Discussion Boards
• Allow people to interact on an social basis in a
  non-threatening way.

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Some software used in classroom

• Broderbund
• Gregory and the Hot Air Balloon Comprehension
  development and socialisation
• Kid Pix Studio Art General PC skills
• The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis Maths and
  logic
• Davidson
• Maths Blaster Maths and logic
• Reading Blaster phonemic awareness, literacy
  activities

• Sherston
• Oxford Reading Tree
• Talking Stories Literacy, phonics, language
  enrichment
• Soft Keys
• Dr Suesss ABC Letter identificaton,
  comprehension

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References

• Publications
• Rinaldi W. Language Difficulties in an
  Educational Context, Whurr Publishers, 2000
• C Lee et al. Vygotskian Perspectives on Literacy
  Research Cambridge University Press 2000
• Healy, J. Failure to connect How Computers
  Affect Our Childrens Minds, New York Simon
  Schuster, 1989
• Bruner, J Towards a Theory of Instruction,
  Cambridge, Mass. University Press, 1996
• Sites Visited
• Interview with Dr Temple Grandin My mind is like
  a computer http//www.zdnet.com/zdtv/thesite
• The National Autistic Society
  http//www.oneworld.org/autism_uk

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Acknowledgements

• Special thanks to
• Joshua
• His Parents
• Gino Lerario, MA
• Damian Gordon, TCD
• Dr Bryn Holmes, TCD