Assistive technology: Understanding the needs and experiences of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and/or intellectual disability in Ireland and the UK

ABSTRACT

Assistive technologies (ATs) aimed at improving the life quality of persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disability (ASD/ID) is an important research area. Few have examined how this population use and experience AT or their vision for future uses of AT. The present study aimed to update and extend previous research and provides insight from caregivers, and other stakeholders (n = 96), living in Ireland and the United Kingdom, on their experiences of assistive technology (AT) for ASD/ID. Caregiver and professional responses to an anonymous online survey showed that focus individuals were rated low in terms of independent and self-management skills, with scheduling and planning and communication identified as desirable future AT functions. Overall, positive experiences of AT were reported, with AT use more than doubling in recent years.

KEYWORDS:

• Assistive Technology (AT)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Intellectual Disability (ID)
• self-management
• smartphone
• tablet

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the help of Lisa Domican, creator of Grace App, the charities RESPECT, and Parents’ Education as Autism Therapists (PEAT) and to those that helped to circulate and share this survey. They would like to acknowledge the work of Cynthia Putnam and Lorna Chong for their contribution to this area of work.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

This study was conducted in accordance with full ethical approval granted by Dublin City University’s research ethics committee.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) and the charity RESPECT under REA grant agreement no. PCOFUND-GA-2013-608728.