Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Technology

Abstract

This chapter describes some of the theories behind ASD, explains some of the characteristics of learners with ASD, explores different forms of technology that can be used to support individuals with ASD, and includes helpful tips for parents, teachers, and other individuals working with children with ASD. Technology tools can be beneficial for developing communication and social skills, demonstrating and rewarding appropriate behavior, and delivering multi-modal (auditory, visual, and tactile presentations) instruction. The portability, user control, immediate feedback, and teacher support make technology tools broadly applicable to a variety of instructional challenges. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) can learn; they function at their best when they have patient and knowledgeable instructors who understand their learning needs, make connections between instructional content, facilitate practice, provide frequent reviews, present information in different ways, structure the learning environment, provide accommodations where needed, motivate the learner using some of his or her preferences, apply built-in reward mechanisms, and encourage success.