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Virtual environments for social skills training: comments from two adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder

Virtual environments for social skills training: comments from two adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder
Virtual environments for social skills training: comments from two adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder
Previous research has shown that computer-based tasks can motivate people with autism and encourage learning. As a computer-based medium, Virtual Environments (VEs) offer a potentially useful tool for social skills training for people with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, there are some concerns over whether people with ASDs can understand, use and interpret the technology appropriately. This paper adopts a qualitative case-study approach to report observations of, and comments from, two adolescent boys with ASDs, gathered during a series of sessions using a virtual cafe´ and bus environment. Although there were signs of repetitive behaviours, literal interpretation of the scenes, and that the VEs were treated as not having real-world relevance, these were not the dominant modes of responding. Instead, participants seemed to interpret the scenes meaningfully and appreciated the opportunities to discuss appropriate social responses with a facilitator sitting alongside. They enjoyed using the VEs and provided specific examples of how the VEs had helped, or could help, them in the real world. This gives encouraging support for the idea that VEs can be used and interpreted meaningfully by at least some students with ASDs. The paper concludes with some considerations for the future development of VEs for members of this population.
virtual reality, interactive learning environments, teaching/learning strategies, autism, social skills
0360-1315
186-206
Parsons, Sarah
5af3382f-cda3-489c-a336-9604f3c04d7d
Leonard, Anne
b8bf75a3-8a2e-44a7-9fdb-2eb603cd6186
Mitchell, Peter
4a95f974-f41f-4c14-9cd1-bf6867bb6e22
Parsons, Sarah
5af3382f-cda3-489c-a336-9604f3c04d7d
Leonard, Anne
b8bf75a3-8a2e-44a7-9fdb-2eb603cd6186
Mitchell, Peter
4a95f974-f41f-4c14-9cd1-bf6867bb6e22

Parsons, Sarah, Leonard, Anne and Mitchell, Peter (2006) Virtual environments for social skills training: comments from two adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder. Computers & Education, 47 (2), 186-206. (doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2004.10.003).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Previous research has shown that computer-based tasks can motivate people with autism and encourage learning. As a computer-based medium, Virtual Environments (VEs) offer a potentially useful tool for social skills training for people with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, there are some concerns over whether people with ASDs can understand, use and interpret the technology appropriately. This paper adopts a qualitative case-study approach to report observations of, and comments from, two adolescent boys with ASDs, gathered during a series of sessions using a virtual cafe´ and bus environment. Although there were signs of repetitive behaviours, literal interpretation of the scenes, and that the VEs were treated as not having real-world relevance, these were not the dominant modes of responding. Instead, participants seemed to interpret the scenes meaningfully and appreciated the opportunities to discuss appropriate social responses with a facilitator sitting alongside. They enjoyed using the VEs and provided specific examples of how the VEs had helped, or could help, them in the real world. This gives encouraging support for the idea that VEs can be used and interpreted meaningfully by at least some students with ASDs. The paper concludes with some considerations for the future development of VEs for members of this population.

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More information

Published date: September 2006
Keywords: virtual reality, interactive learning environments, teaching/learning strategies, autism, social skills

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 170819
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/170819
ISSN: 0360-1315
PURE UUID: 8601e991-8421-438b-837a-5008a0182ba7
ORCID for Sarah Parsons: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2542-4745

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Date deposited: 11 Jan 2011 09:31
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:56

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Contributors

Author: Sarah Parsons ORCID iD
Author: Anne Leonard
Author: Peter Mitchell

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