Enhancing Communication and Learning with Tablets, Smartphones and Smartwatches in students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or Learning Difficulties Erasmus Project

Project Title

Enhancing Communication and Learning with Tablets, Smartphones and Smartwatches in students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and/or Learning Difficulties

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2015

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Inclusion – equity

Project Summary

CONTEXT:

Autism is a life-long condition characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and also difficulties in flexibility in thinking and behaviour. Autism Spectrum Disorders are diagnosed in at least 1% of the population, and it is estimated that 25-50% of individuals with autism also have intellectual disability/learning difficulties. Visual supports for both receptive and expressive communication are examples of autism-specific supports that have evidence for their effectiveness. Very often, these visual supports are provided by means of smart devices such as smartphones or smartwatches. However, the number and variety of technological solutions for people with disabilities is so big that is very difficult for families and professionals working with students with disabilities to find appropriate solutions. Professionals and parents need support, tools and protocols for identifying the most appropriate support that is available for individual children with autism and/or learning disabilities.

OBJECTIVES:

The main objectives of SMART-ASD are to provide teachers and parents with tools to facilitate person-technology matching, to train them on basic concepts on ASD & IT as well as on the use of the above-mentioned tools, and to study the process of introducing this tool in a sample of students with ASD of the participating schools. Other complementary objectives were learning from students with ASD from the six participating school, visiting each other to learn good practices and to transfer knowledge between the 11 participants organisations of the three countries involved.

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS:

The project has been developed by a multi-sectorial team, including researchers from the three participating universities (UVEG, UBAH and NECMETIN), teachers and families from the six schools involved (AUTISMO BURGOS, AUCAVI, MIRAM, SANT CRISTÒFOL, FATMA and MERAM Schools) and continuous training institutions from regional governments (CEFIRE-GVA and KONYAMEM).

MAIN ACTIVITIES:

Together with the technical activities for developing the three intellectual products of the project that are mentioned below, SMART-ASD has celebrated four transnational meetings (in Valencia, Bath, Burgos and Valencia) together with one training action (Bath) and two multiplier events (Konya and Valencia).

RESULTS AND IMPACT:

SMART-ASD has developed a fully functional software App, available at App Store and Google Play, aimed at assessing individual basic skills for using tablets and smartphones and also contextual information that provides personalised recommendations on the most appropriate apps for each individual, together with tools for planning and follow-up. This was the first intellectual product.

SMART-ASD has also developed a MOOC, available in several languages at Futurelearn.com, for training teachers and professional on basic concepts on ASD and IT and also on the use of the SMART-ASD App. This was the second intellectual product.

SMART-ASD has also developed a research study on the process of introducing SMART-ASD app on a sample of students from the participating schools of the project (from Spain and Turkey). This study has found important benefits and also has informed the update of the app in order to improve its functionality and usability.

The high number of SMART-ASD App downloads together with the high number of students who registered and completed the SMART-ASD MOOC in the four languages available (Spanish, English, Turkish and Valencian) shows an important impact. The two multiplier events had been very useful in spreading information about the project results, with 170 attendees of the multiplier event in Konya (Turkey) and 550 attendees in the multiplier event of Valencia (Spain).

LONG TERM BENEFITS:

The project coordinator has reached an agreement with the company Appycally, owner of the popular website for searching autism apps www.appyautism.com to include SMART-ASD app as a key tool for this website aims. According to this agreement, SMART-ASD app will include references to that website and the App will be part of the home page of that website.

Also, the regional government of Valencia and Konya MEM are promoting the use of SMART-ASD App as a best practice for assessing the IT needs of students with ASD and to plan resources for them.

The online courses in MOOC portal in four different languages will be available for the people who would like to benefit from the content prepared in scope of this project.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 246079 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA & Country: ES

Project Partners

• MIRA’M FUNDACIO C.V.
• CONSELLERÍA DE EDUCACIÓN, INVESTIGACIÓN, CULTURA Y DEPORTE
• ATATURK ILKOKULU
• FUNDACION AUCAVI
• UNIVERSITY OF BATH
• CEE Sant Cristòfol
• SELCUKLU OGR FATMA MENEKSE OZEL EGT IS UYGULAMA MER