Tsiopela D. & Jimoyiannis A. (2014). Pre-Vocational Skills Laboratory: Development and investigation of a Web-based environment for students with autism. (original) (raw)

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in educating children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a dynamic field linking both special education and learning technologies research areas. This paper reports on the design and development of Pre-Vocational Skills Laboratory, a Web-based learning environment aiming to support students with ASD towards developing pre-vocational skills. The first section addresses theoretical foundations regarding ICT applications in educating and supporting individuals with ASD. The key design features, the structure and the functionality of the system are analytically presented. Following, preliminary findings regarding an instructional intervention implemented in a special education school in Greece are also presented. The paper concludes that the environment can help students with autism to acquire pre-vocational skills, while the combination of multiple source data (observation notes, system log files and biofeedback data) can offer valuable information regarding the design of effective individualized interventions.

Key takeaways

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  1. PVS-Lab effectively supports pre-vocational skills development for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
  2. The study utilized multiple data sources like biofeedback and log files for comprehensive student analysis.
  3. Preliminary findings show students improved performance in speed and accuracy over a two-month intervention.
  4. The Web-based environment was designed to minimize distractions and maximize engagement through a simplified interface.
  5. Overall positive student feedback indicates the potential of ICT in enhancing learning for individuals with ASD.

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