Investigating touch screen technology as a medium for delivering interventions for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience high levels of anxiety and therefore learning skills in an educational or therapeutic setting can be highly stressful due to the social engagement, environment (noises, lighting, smells), and distractions. This PhD thesis focuses on how children with ASD learn from touch screen apps, from the perspectives of parents and practitioners who work with children on the autism spectrum. Furthermore, parents, practitioners and app developers discussed in semi-structured interviews how touch screen apps can be of benefit or pose difficulty for children with ASD learning of skills in therapy and educational settings. In addition, what constitutes as a high quality app for a child with an ASD. This novel research will help parents and professionals who work with children with an ASD understand what benefits touch screen apps might offer and help provide an alternative avenue to therapy and learning skills, particularly for those who are on a long waiting list or as an adjunct to therapy.