The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

The Computer Accommodations for Texans with Disabilities (CAT-D) research project assesses the impact of technology for 36 adults with autism living in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas. The presentation describes efforts to develop empirically-validated instructional procedures for teaching individuals to use assistive technology that provides video instruction for skill development. Session Objectives:

1.The session participant will learn how to use assessment data regarding cognitive, social, and functional capability to predict the appropriate device for each student 2.The session participant will learn how to incorporate assessment results in creating instructional video clips catered to the individual based on need and interest 3.The session participant will learn how individual hand-held computers use personal video clips for self-prompting of specific tasks. 4.The session participant will learn how the Autism Treatment Center uses video conferencing in the daily delivery of services for individuals with autism.

Goals/Intent of the CAT-D Project:

1.Each participant was assessed in areas of communication and daily living. 2.An augmentative device was selected for each consumer. 3.Video clips were made of each consumer performing a task. 4.Staff is trained in the use of augmentative communication devices. 5.Consumers are trained to use the augmentative communication devices. 6.Consumers use the augmentative devices to communicate and participate in activities of daily living. 7.Data is collected and analyzed. 8.Programs are changed as needed.

Significance of the CAT-D Project:

The adults in the project are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as other co-morbid conditions. All of the consumers served by this project are multi-handicapped. Additionally, the populations served in this project all have fundamental language difficulties, requiring the use of alternative methods of communication such as sign language or picture communication systems. As a result of this inability to communicate, many of the adults exhibit challenging behaviors.

Autism is characterized by a triad of deficits – socialization, behavior, and communication. Half of all individuals diagnosed with autism are nonverbal, and most exhibit significant limitations of speech function, expression and comprehension. Individuals with autism primarily process information visually, thus, modeling or instruction through demonstration has been an effective means of teaching these individuals. This project assesses individuals to determine appropriateness of a continuum of augmentative communication devices. These devices utilize video clips of the learners themselves engaged in the activities of daily living. A task analysis of the skill will be presented to prompt the individual through observational learning and self-feedback. For example, the skill of tooth brushing is a major task for persons with autism to learn. A video is made of the person performing the steps. This video is transferred to the individual's augmentative communication device and used as an instructional tool. Staff and consumers are trained to access and attend to these instructional video clips played on the augmentative communication device.

Additional Research Results:

Researchers have identified areas of the brain that involve mirror activity affecting learning, and are exploring the role of imitation in learning. Although persons with autism appear not to imitate spontaneously, certain ability is present and can be evoked (Dr. Marco Iacoboni, Innovative Technology Conference Report, 2000). As these mirror properties are not innate, but experience related, this project proposes to utilize individual augmentative communication devices to strengthen the ability of the consumers to gain independence in completing specific tasks through visual and auditory prompting. The CAT-D Project emphasizes the ownership and meaningful utilization of augmentative communication devices by consumers with autism and other disabilities to improve their quality of life, academic performance, ability to function, and ability to work and perform volunteer services.

Content Area: Technology