Reflections on the role of the ‘users’: challenges in a multi-disciplinary context of learner-centred design for children on the autism spectrum

Abstract

Technology design in the field of human–computer interaction has developed a continuum of participatory research methods, closely mirroring methodological approaches and epistemological discussions in other fields. This paper positions such approaches as examples of inclusive research (to varying degrees) within education, and illustrates the complexity of navigating and involving different user groups in the context of multi-disciplinary research projects. We illustrate this complexity with examples from our recent work, involving children on the autism spectrum and their teachers. Both groups were involved in learner-centred design processes to develop technologies to support social conversation and collaboration. We conceptualize this complexity as a triple-decker ‘sandwich’ representing Theory, Technologies and Thoughts and argue that all three layers need to be appropriately aligned for a good quality ‘product’ or outcome. However, the challenge lies in navigating and negotiating all three layers at the same time, including the views and experiences of the learners. We question the extent to which it may be possible to combine co-operative, empowering approaches to participatory design with an outcome-focused agenda that seeks to develop a robust learning technology for use in real classrooms.

Keywords:

• HCI
• user-centred
• participatory
• learner-centred
• technology design
• autism spectrum disorders
• social skills
• virtual reality

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to the schools, teachers and pupils for their generous participation and feedback. Some of the images appear in the COSPATIAL project deliverable reports and are reprinted here courtesy of the COSPATIAL Consortium (www.cospatial.fbk.eu, 2009-2012).

Funding

This research was supported by the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission [Grant Agreement no. 231266].