Designing a tailorable environment for children with autistic spectrum disorders

The prevalence rate of individuals with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is estimated to be approximately 91/10,000 in the UK. Children with ASD may vary in the extent and type of symptoms they display, but all have the triad of impairments in social interaction, communication and restricted patterns of behaviour. Given that research suggests that early intervention can maximize the potential of a child with an ASD and each child has a unique profile, there is a clear need to develop systems that are not only of benefit and pleasure, but that are also tailorable to individual characteristics. Also, with the wider inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream education, there is an additional requirement that such systems should not just be tailorable to a wide range of children, but affordable and robust enough to form part of the every day school environment. This paper outlines the research undertaken in understanding the characteristics of children with ASD and how such an understanding has led to the development of a low cost, multimedia environment for mainstream schools.