Title: State-of-the-art in TEL to support social communication skill development in children with autism: a multi-disciplinary review

Authors: Katerina Avramides; Sara Bernardini; Mary Ellen Foster; Christopher Frauenberger; Lila Kossyvaki; Marilena Mademtzi

Addresses: London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education, 23-29 Emerald Street, London, WC1N 3QS, UK ' London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education, 23-29 Emerald Street, London, WC1N 3QS, UK ' School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, Scotland, UK ' Human Centred Technology Group, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH, UK ' Autism Centre for Education and Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK ' Autism Centre for Education and Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

Abstract: The paper reviews state-of-the-art in Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) to support social communication skill development in children with autism. We identify the driving research directions, and their associated challenges, from three broad perspectives that shape TEL: pedagogical foundations, technology and learner involvement in the design process. We further explore these challenges through the discussion of ECHOES, an example state-of-the-art system. The review assists researchers working in multi-disciplinary teams to identify the new directions that are shaping state-of-the-art in order to drive successful future research projects in this area.

Keywords: social communication; multi-disciplinary teams; children; ASC; autism spectrum condition; virtual agents; virtual environments; web based environments; online environments; internet; world wide web; e-environments; electronic environments; affective computing; user modelling; participatory design; communication skills; skill development; pedagogical foundations; learner involvement; design processes; pedagogy; ECHOES; learning environments; children; social skills; communicative skills; multi-touch devices; technology enhanced learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTEL.2012.051819

International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2012 Vol.4 No.5/6, pp.359 - 372

Received: 14 Mar 2012
Accepted: 05 Nov 2012
Published online: 31 Dec 2014 *

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