Wendy Keay-Bright

Designing technology for children with special needs: bridging perspectives through participatory design

This article presents and discusses co-creation techniques for involving children in the design of a technologically enhanced learning environment. The ECHOES project, which involves both typically developing children and children with autism spectrum conditions, aims to create an environment that scaffolds the development of childrens social skills. The authors draw attention to the constraints and limitations of co-designing new technologies, which are by necessity interdisciplinary, and describe experiments with sensory interest and storytelling to bridge tensions between system design and the imaginary worlds of young children. Related work is reviewed, where children with special needs have been included in the design process, and a series of design activities implemented in ECHOES is described. Reflecting on these experiences, key themes are identified that may be of interest to practitioners and researchers who work with children in inclusive design contexts. These themes address the role of theory, the impact of technology, the support of creativity, the validity of inspiration and the design of non-digital generative tools to harness childrens imagination. The article also includes a discussion on the ethical implications of co-designing with children and describes how the project evolved as a consequence of the work described.

Developing technology for autism: an interdisciplinary approach

We present an interdisciplinary methodology for designing interactive multi-modal technology for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In line with many other researchers in the field, we believe that the key to developing technology in this context is to embrace perspectives from diverse disciplines to arrive at a methodology that delivers satisfactory outcomes for all stakeholders. The ECHOES project provided us with the opportunity to develop a technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environment that facilitates acquisition and exploration of social skills by typically developing (TD) children and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). ECHOES’ methodology and the learning environment rely crucially on multi-disciplinary expertise including developmental psychology, visual arts, human–computer interaction, artificial intelligence, education, and several other cognate disciplines. In this article, we reflect on the methods needed to develop a TEL environment for young users with ASDs by identifying key features, benefits, and challenges of this approach.

Interpreting input from children: a designerly approach

Involving children in the design process of interactive technology can greatly enhance its likelihood of successful adoption. However, childrens input and ideas require careful interpretation to reach viable designs and technical specifications, which poses a significant challenge to an adult design research team. In this paper we discuss our approach to managing the complexity of combining concepts and ideas that were generated through participatory design work with the practical, technical, ethical and theoretical constraints of developing a technologically enhanced learning environment for children with and without Autism Spectrum Conditions. We found that the nature of this design problem did not lend itself to be rationally reduced to produce a single solution, but required an understanding of interpretive and speculative approaches for us to be able to cope with the complexity of requirements. We describe a workshop in which members of the design team used such approaches to develop a design brief that is faithful to the childrens input. By making this process transparent, we aim to contribute to the methodology of using such designerly approaches in combination with participatory and human-centred methods to develop interactive technology.

Is simplicity the key to engagement for children on the autism spectrum

This article presents a conceptualisation of technologies as simple, ambient forms. By avoiding the tendency to solve problems and by being open to interaction that emerges through repetition and flow, we argue that technology can offer more for people than functionality. When the user is given freedom to discover control without burdensome cognitive demands and the fear of failure, even everyday technologies can arouse curiosity and thus reveal untapped ability. What is unique about our work is its therapeutic application as a medium for engaging the most hard to reach children on the autism spectrum. Our theoretical foundations are drawn from the human–computer interaction paradigm of tangible interaction. This is of interest to us as a framework for the study of the physical and sensory manipulation of information. For children with cognitive and developmental delays, discovering a close match between physical control and digital response has proved both rewarding and motivating. The significance of this is illustrated through a range of studies undertaken with children with autism spectrum disorders. These include a mixed group attending a holiday club, a study that introduced keyboard activities to children with poor receptive communication and a case study using an ordinary microphone. The research captures emergent, exploratory interaction with a software application called ReacTickles. The case study uses a specifically customised video coding technique to analyse idiosyncratic interactions that demonstrate the impact of simple, playful interaction on self-esteem and creativity.

Phenomenology, a framework for participatory design

The philosophical discipline of phenomenology provides the designer with a framework for studying user experience by affording an intrinsically contextual view of the way we interact with things around us. In this paper we argue that phenomenology also plays a critical role in participatory design when it is undertaken as an interpretive and generative process, mindful of end user experience rather than directed toward the specification of outcomes. We will illustrate this notion through our participatory design work for ECHOES -- a multi-disciplinary research project that aims to create technologically enhanced learning environments for typically developing children and children with high-functioning Autism or Aspergers. We will demonstrate how phenomenological thinking has assisted in the co-creation of ECHOES and has provided a mechanism for interpreting the emergent, creative input from our target population.

Can computers create relaxation? Designing ReacTickles© software with children on the autistic spectrum

People on the autistic spectrum are characterised as having difficulties with social and communicative functioning. They are understood to have unusual sensory experiences, in any modality, which means that their perception of the world is alarmingly different from non-autistic people. These experiences create confusion and anxiety, and for many autistic individuals their lives are dominated by fear. A body of research exists, however, to suggest that computers present an ideal medium for reducing the confusing, multi-sensory distractions of the real world and that given the right approach, there is a strong possibility that some aspects of computation could prove relaxing and therapeutic. This paper will document the participatory design and development methods of the ReacTickles© software, which, by encouraging exploration and experimentation from a simple, structured interface, aims to promote relaxation, encourage spontaneous play, and support learning for children on the autistic spectrum. The paper will reveal how the entire design process from concept development through to the varied and flexible evaluation strategies, has been informed by the distinct needs and characteristics of the target population.

ReacTickles: playful interaction with information communication technologies

This article presents a vision of information communication technologies (ICTs) as a playful trigger for relaxation and exploration, and investigates the benefits of this approach for young children with autism spectrum conditions. Playfulness in this context is considered for its repetitious, rhythmic and experiential value rather than as an intervention for the acquisition of skills; ICT is proposed as a medium for its physical and sensory affordances rather than as a task-focused application. To explain this notion, I describe how the ReacTickles software system, designed to harness the multisensory properties of ICTs, has increased the potential for unique and personal forms of interaction through the close coupling of physical input and digital output. To conclude, I discuss how adopting an interpretational approach enabled many of those who contributed to the design of ReacTickles to determine its context of use.

ReActivities ©: autism and play

Abstract ReActivities

ReacTickles Global: Can mobile technologies encourage playful social interaction?

This report describes the early design stages of ReacTickles Global, a new phase of the Reactive Colours project that is being developed collaboratively with designers from the Welsh Institute of Research in Art and Design (WIRAD), end users and an advisory panel from a range of related disciplines. The broad aim of ReacTickles Global is to explore how the inherent connectivity of mobile and web technologies can be exploited to encourage playfulness, creativity and social communication. The proposed target population is people with learning disabilities who might be disadvantaged at having to use traditional text‐based formats in order to master mobile communication and to enjoy social networks. The project will draw upon the experiences and outcomes of Reactive Colours, which developed on the basis of a flexible and agile design methodology that included the ideas and experiences of the target population throughout the design process. At an appropriate stage evaluation will consider whether playful social interaction with ReacTickles Global has the potential to enable learning that is both socially constructed and collaborative.

Rotoscopy-Handwriting Prototype: Using Computer Animation Technique to Assist the Teaching of Handwriting for Children with Dyspraxia

We explain the implementation of series of prototypes to assist the teaching of handwriting skills for children with dyspraxia, using a computer animation technique called Rotoscopy. We discuss usability testing issues which include parameters and scales used to evaluate the prototype systems.