Participatory design in the development of innovative technologies for children and young people on the autism spectrum: the COSPATIAL project
Abstract
This paper outlines the participatory design processes adopted within the COSPATIAL project which is developing interactive, collaborative technologies for children and young people on the autism spectrum to support collaboration and social conversation skills. The project has involved a ‘core design team’ of teachers in a series of design workshops from the start. Groups of typically developing children and those on the autism spectrum have also been regularly involved in design and feedback activities to inform the development of our technology prototypes. Initial impressions from pilot testing suggest that children have enjoyed using the prototypes and teachers have found them useful; we suggest that our participatory design methods have strongly contributed to this positive response.
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Citation
Parsons, S., Millen, L., Garib‐Penna, S. and Cobb, S. (2011), "Participatory design in the development of innovative technologies for children and young people on the autism spectrum: the COSPATIAL project", Journal of Assistive Technologies, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 29-34. https://doi.org/10.5042/jat.2011.0099
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited