This critical review examines the effectiveness of peer-mediated video-modeling (VM) as a social skills intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Study designs include single-subject multiple baseline, single subject AB and a case control study. Results of the studies reviewed provide suggestive evidence for the use of peermediated VM to increase, generalize and maintain so...

Unspoken social rules, such as those that govern choosing a proper discussion topic and when to change discussion topics, guide conversational behaviors. We propose a computational model of conversation that can follow or break such rules, with participant agents that respond accordingly. Additionally, we demonstrate an application of the model: the Experimental Social Tutor (EST), a first step...

Learning/training is an important application domain for intelligent agents technologies supporting believable dialogues and realistic virtual environments. In this paper, we first review, in section 2, some of the current applications and research in technology-enhanced learning. In section 3 we discuss the impact of conversational agents on the design of more effective individual and group/co...

This study examines the efficacy of a manualized parent-assisted social skills intervention in comparison with a matched Delayed Treatment Control group to improve friendship quality and social skills among teens 13-17 years of age with autism spectrum disorders. Targeted skills included conversational skills, peer entry and exiting skills, developing friendship networks, good sportsmanship, go...

Mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide. Although evidence-based psychotherapy is effective, engagement from such programs can be low. Mobile apps have the potential to help engage and support people in their therapy. We developed Pocket Skills, a mobile web app based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Pocket Skills teaches DBT via a conversational agent modeled ...

The purpose of this single-subject pilot study was to examine the efficacy of FM amplification for enhancing the discourse skills of a 4-year-old girl with a history of speech-language impairments, otitis media with effusion (OME), and motoric delays. Over a period of several weeks, language treatment sessions were conducted with and without FM amplification, in a classroom setting. Sessions we...

We present a family of Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) using Talking Head technology, along with a program of associated research and user trials. Whilst antecedents of our current ECAs include “chatbots” desgined to pass the Turing Test (TT) or win a Loebner Prize (LP), our current agents are task-oriented Teaching Agents and Social Companions. The current focus for our research includes...

This paper describes a conversational agent for language learning. Our goal is to provide an environment that allows learners to practice language skills by interacting with other learners and artificial conversational agents using instant messaging and email. The learners take part in an adventure story and must use dialogues that are typically found in basal language textbooks to move forward...