Assistive technology for an inclusive school for schoolchildren with special needs: autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

Background: The debate and research over autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encounter a theoretical and interpretive impasse that reflects our inability to provide a coherent definition. This challenge is confirmed by the current description of the condition as a spectrum, and its management stretches the limits of the various relevant fields of knowledge and research, including medicine, psychology, language and communication, education, sociology, human rights, ethics and legal issues, philosophy. Objectives: In the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to persons with physical disabilities, technology has been tool. In the case of ASD, however, although some lines of research are focused on the study of sensory defects, the cause appears to lie, not only in perception, but also in interpretation of stimuli from the outside world. Since we entered the “digital era”, the use of technology as an assistive tool in interpretation of the surrounding world appears to provide a borderline between our knowledge and the dark area of our ignorance. For tackling this, an interdisciplinary approach is required. Which kind of assistive technology (AT) should be employed in the case of ASD, which leads us to an encounter with the theoretical and institutional void that the stormy pace of the digital transformation and evolution has created. Methods: Searching was through PubMed, National Institute of Health (NIH) publications, the official websites of European Union , Autism Europe, resources were found in the library of the University of Macedonia. Ninety eight papers were identified through the literature review in the period 2000-2021 Results: A features of postmodern society that is taking shape under the influence of the digital technology could be the crossing from the physical reality into the virtual realm. Another feature might be the reference to symbolic language that characterizes the various different fields of knowledge, together with their protocols and communication jargon. This entails the creation of hybrid knowledge which is expanding our physical world, and which makes possible intercommunication between isolated disciplinary fields. People with ASD feel more at ease when dealing with digital entities than in interaction with other people. Also individuals who are involved in the digital realm for long periods present characteristics similar to those of ASD. Could the creation of a virtual realm be possible, which would act as a common locus between the so-called normal and people with ASD. Conclusion: We conducted a preliminary study to explore the possibility of an interdisciplinary research program with the participation of experts from the various fields involved in the many aspects of ASD.