Writer Biography

Forsyth is a senior (in 2014) at Utah State University, studying Family, Consumer, and Human Development. She enjoys singing with her husband, camping, and spending time with her family. Forsyth is from Farmington, Utah, and is the oldest of three girls. She decided to do her research paper on autism and technology because of her mom’s work as a one-on-one aid for children with disabilities. Having heard stories about how basic technology was used in the classroom, Kristina decided to do more in-depth research to find out how technology can help children and adults with autism lead normal lives in today’s society.

This essay was first published in the 2014 edition of Voices.

YOU ARE SIX YEARS OLD, playing in a room with other children, but you don’t notice them much. They try to move closer to you, to play with you, and you move away, content to play alone. The other children are unpredictable. That makes you nervous. The grown-ups are talking to you, and you turn your head, not wanting to look them in the eye because it makes you feel awkward. You don’t know how to communicate with them so they will understand. You hear an unexpectedly loud noise and jump a little, startled. You are easily startled, and you don’t like that. Some people call you stupid because you are different, but you know they are wrong. You just do things differently. You have autism.

Autism

Every parent wants the best for their offspring. So, to a parent, having a child diagnosed with autism can be a fearful and stressful time, especially if they are unfamiliar with the disorder and how it will affect their child’s life and their own. Becoming well-informed about autism and the research done can help make the situation more accessible and less stressful and help life be as normal as possible. Many parents and researchers alike have found that there are multiple ways to use technology to help autistic children learn to communicate better and adapt to social situations. Learning how to integrate technology in the home is very beneficial to the parents of these children. To understand why technology is a positive influence to bring into the home, it is important to understand what autism is.

Autism Spectrum Disorders, or ASD, are “five complex, brain-based disorders that affect a person’s behavior as well as social and communication skills” (Autism Science Foundation, 2013). The Center for Disease Control says this about ASD: “Many people with ASDs also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, and reacting to different sensations. The thinking and learning abilities of people with ASDs can vary—from gifted to severely challenged” (Autism Science Foundation, 2013). Classic autism is the most common of the ASDs, and many people do not understand how to interact with people with autism because of their challenges with social skills (Autism Science Foundation, 2013). The Autism Science Foundation describes some of the other behaviors that are common with autism, listing a “resistance to change” as well as an “insistence on sameness” (Autism Science Foundation, 2013). In other words, autistic children like predictability. And nothing is more unpredictable than other humans.

Autism and Technology

Because humans are so unpredictable, Autistic children are naturally drawn to technology. Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the University of Cambridge’s Autism Research Center, describes the draw to technology like this, “[Y]ou can pretty much guess what a computer is going to do next about 90 percent of the time, but human interactions obey very few predictable laws” (Mone, 2010). Simon Baron-Cohen and his team conducted an experiment using a child-sized robot named Bandit to try and engage an autistic child in play. They programmed Bandit to do simple movements, doing “come-here” gestures and trying to encourage the child to interact with the robot. The robot succeeded, with the child coming up to explore Bandit and showing curiosity. They hope that through more research and experiments, they can use Bandit to be a “catalyst” for “social interaction eventually,” leading the children to be more engaging with other humans (Mone, 2010).

Autism, Technology, and Research

Bandit’s creators aren’t the only ones interested in the autism and technology combination; Autism Speaks has reported on other experiments to help understand autism using technology. One technology is “a sensory wristband that collects information on responses” (Ownes, 2013). Matthew Goodwin from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his team are using the information to understand what makes Autistic children act out and to predict and hopefully prevent meltdowns. They acknowledge the difficulties researchers face because every autistic child has unique circumstances, but they try to find ways to use technology to help everyone (Ownes, 2013). Another study being done uses a “candid camera in the home . . . [capturing] a panorama of home activity that allows the MIT team to track how nonverbal children with autism communicate their desires in their home environment” (Ownes, 2013). Their goal is to learn what interactions encourage them to speak, so they can learn to help a more widespread population of autistic children learn communication skills.

Some researchers have theorized that combining old therapy tricks and technology can produce new results. One technique that has been used in therapy for many years is equine psychotherapy. “Equine therapy is the discipline of using horses as a means to provide metaphoric experiences in order to promote emotional growth” (Equine Psychotherapy, 2008). Therapist Tina Caswell took it one step further to address the issue of communication skills by using the traditional technique of equine therapy and also giving the children iPads with a program that generates speech. (Ithaca College, 2013). Caswell, pleased with the outcome, says, “What I’m seeing in our Strides sessions is a lot of firsts, it’s the first time the children have been on horseback, the first time many of them are using iPads with speech software, and more important, then the first time they’ve had any kind of access to self-expression. Parents also tell me it’s the first time they’ve been able to have a two-way conversation with their kids. It’s wonderful when the children can express basic wants, but what we’re seeing through this therapy goes beyond that. Children are doing more than requesting food and toys. For the first time, they are telling narratives and sharing feelings” (Ithaca College, 2013). Caswell’s success shows that combining different therapy types can be a promising way to find new results.

This concept of two-way conversation and self-expression is not limited to Caswell’s research; Rhonda McEwen works at the Institute of Communication Culture and Information Technology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. She and her team observed classrooms using technology for autistic children. They found that “using the touch devices, the study participants [autistic children] demonstrated knowledge gathered throughout their education that could not be elicited via traditional assessment means that rely on verbal communication. We can surmise that the receptive communication skills are more advanced than first thought” (Mozes, 2013). They found that the students were learning and retaining much more than anyone realized. McEwen’s team has observed 32 children using iPads and iPods in their classroom and has seen a 75% boost in motivation, attention spans, and social interactions. So much research has been done showing promising outcomes, and as a parent of an autistic child, this research is crucial (Mozes, 2013). By using technology, parents can help their children learn to communicate successfully.

Autism, Technology, and the Home

Parents reading this research may question, “How am I supposed to do that on my own?” Though parents do not easily implement these studies in their own homes, there are ways for parents of autistic children to use technology to help encourage communication and interaction. Studies done in classrooms are some of the easiest to implement in the home because they are already being done in an adult-to-child setting; there is no need for a therapist, researcher, or psychologist. Parents may be even more successful because they can spend more one-on-one time with the child, whereas in a classroom, many other children are claiming the teacher’s attention. Working parents and parents with many children may say that they do not have the time to spend one-on-one with their children, making it difficult to use technology successfully. However, parents of all types still have the advantage over teachers because they know their children on a personal level and can connect with them, making the time they spend quality rather than quantity time. Parents get to see the progress over a longer time span and can experience growth and success, being able to interact with their children in a way they have never been able to before. Though it may be more difficult for parents, as many of them are trying to do these things by themselves, there are several programs to help make it possible for parents to find the same success that researchers and therapists have found.

Another concern might be a lack of training; how can a parent know how to best help their autistic child? This is not an uncommon concern, and because of that, many programs are committed to teaching parents and children how to use technology effectively. The Autism Cares Foundation has an iPad Enrichment Program “dedicated to using technology to assist people with autism” (Autism Cares Foundation, 2013). They offer “an opportunity for parents to work directly with their child utilizing iPad educational apps” (Autism Cares Foundation, 2013). They claim that using technology to help autistic children makes learning “functional and relevant,” “fun,” and “creative” (Autism Cares Foundation, 2013). Their website gives a list of places a parent can get apps for an iPad and offers tutorials on how to use them effectively.

Autism Speaks also has a program for ASD-diagnosed people. The iTaalk Autism Foundation’s goal is “to train and educate families, educators, and service providers on the basic uses of the interactive technological products (e.g., iPad, iPod, Android) for individuals with developmental disabilities; and, to supply/provide interactive technological products to individuals with a Medical ASD diagnosis” (Autism Speaks, 2013).  In other words, these people are trying to train parents and provide their children with the technology. On their website, itaalk.org, they list their top 50 apps made specifically for children with autism, some free, some with low prices. Their website is an excellent source for parents to find information and assistance to enrich their child’s life.

Parents concerned with price argue that, even though these programs help some, they cannot provide iPads to every autistic person worldwide. While that is true, there are other ways to find affordable products. Using an older generation product is one way, and using sites like eBay and Amazon to find cheaper but still good quality items. Also available are generic brand products. Instead of buying an iPad, parents can try Google’s Nexus, Amazon’s Kindle, and Samsung’s Galaxy tablet, along with many others (Spoonauer, 2013). Simple internet research can yield many selections for every preference and budget. Almost every product you buy will also come with some way to learn how to use it; some products have manuals that come with them, and some have interactive tutorials as you first turn on the device. Parents should not be worried about having “name-brand” products that are out of their price range. Like with food and clothing, store brand works as well, if not better, than the name brand. What is most important is that these children receive the tools they need to have a quality life and not be held back because of a disorder.

Autism and Technology: The Results

Many parents have shared their thoughts on technology and how it has made a difference in their child’s life. Lynn, who has a three-year-old child, said, “My son is three years old and after months of using my laptop and Android phone to play games, we decided to get him an iPad. Best. Decision. Ever. Yes, it was expensive but well worth the money & in just two weeks, my son is communicating for the first time with Tap To Talk. He is playing games he never had patience/focus/attention for before like match games and puzzles. iPad = Miracle in our house!!” (Autism Speaks, 2013).  Lynn is not the only one. Laura, who has an autistic daughter, shared her experience using an iPad: “My daughter has the iPad and we LOVE it!! She uses it primarily for educational apps, games and downloading her favorite music…We all actually use her iPad but it was the best buy we’ve ever made. It’s practical for the whole family and the apps are endless. If you go on autismspeaks.org they have some recommended apps for the iPad for kids with autism.” (Rodrigues, 2011). These women, and others like them, are proof that not only do teachers and researchers say technology works, other parents do as well.

It is important to consider all effects of any treatment for a disorder, and in the case of autism and technology, research proves that it is a helpful, useful, life-changing tool. Autistic children are naturally drawn to technology. They like the predictability of it. They like that it’s made to be used on their level, using pictures and touch screens. Parents can help their children learn to communicate and can teach their children to be more social. Having a child diagnosed with autism does not have to be scary or stressful. Being taught and informed about all the many ways technology can improve a child’s life is all it takes to make the first step. All parents want the best for their children. Technology can give it to them.

You are six years old, playing in a room with other children. They don’t bother you much. They try to move closer to you, to play with you, and you move towards them, happy to engage with the other children. The other children are unpredictable. But you aren’t so nervous. They look at the tablet in your hand, and you press a button, making them laugh. The grown-ups are talking to you, and you turn your head, seeing what they want. They ask you a question, and you know exactly how to communicate your answer. Noises don’t bother you very much; you just keep doing your own thing. Some people call you stupid because you are different, but you know they are wrong. You just do things differently. You have autism.

Works Cited

Autism Cares Foundation. (2013). iPad Enrichment. Retrieved from Autism Cares Foundation: http://www.autismcaresfoundation.org/technology/

Autism Science Foundation. (2013). What is Autism? Retrieved from Autism Science Foundation: http://www.autismsciencefoundation.org/what-is-autism/how-common-is-autism

Autism Speaks. (2013). Technology and Autism. Retrieved from Autism Speaks: http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/community-connections/technology-and-autism

Equine Psychotherapy. (2008). What is Equine Therapy. Retrieved from Equine Psychotherapy: http://www.equine-psychotherapy.com/equine.html

Ithaca College. (2013, September). With Horses and iPads, Autistic Children Learn to Communicate. Retrieved from Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130910165314.htm

Klin, A. (2011, September). Ami Klin: A new way to diagnose autism. Retrieved from TED Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/ami_klin_a_new_way_to_diagnose_autism.html

Mone, G. (2010, June ). The Face of Autism in Therapy. Retrieved from POPSCI: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-05/humanoid-robots-are-new-therapists?single-page-view=true

Mozes, A. (2013, August). Smart Technology May Help Kids With Autism Learn, Communicate. Retrieved from Health Day- News for Healthier Living: http://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-and-neurological-health-information-26/autism-news-51/smart-technology-may-help-kids-with-autism-learn-communicate-678876.html

Ownes, S. (2013, June). New Technology Enhances Autism Research and Therapy. Retrieved from Autism Speaks : http://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2013/06/19/new-technology-enhances-autism-research-and-therapy

Rodrigues, L. (2011, August). Technology and Autism. Retrieved from Autism Speaks Official Blog: http://blog.autismspeaks.org/2011/03/07/technology-and-autism/

Spoonauer, M. (2013, October). Top 10 iPad Alternatives. Retrieved from LAPTOP: http://blog.laptopmag.com/top-10-ipad-alternatives?slide=4