1. Aurélie Baranger DirectorAutism-Europe Brussels, Belgium aurelie.baranger@autismeurope.org @autismeurope @autismeurope /autismeurope.AE /autismeurope.AE WORKING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO SUPPORT AUTISTIC CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE MEDIA AND LEARNING CONFERENCE 11 March 2016

2. What is Autism-Europe?

3. Autism-Europe brings together over 80 associations of parents of people with autism in more than 30 European countries, as well as governments and European and international institutions. What is Autism-Europe? Autism-Europe is an international association. We aim to advance the rights of people with autism and their families and to help them improve their quality of life.

4. Autism-Europe plays a key role in: What is Autism-Europe? Influencing the European decision- makers to combat discrimination and foster inclusion Running initiatives to improve the quality of life of people with autism and their families Promoting scientific research on autism and evidence-based information on autism Exchanging best practices Raising public awareness

5. What is Autism?

6. Autism is a life-long condition that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. Although autism was once believed to be rare, studies have now demonstrated that autism affects around 1 in 100 people.

7. What is Autism? Autism is a 'spectrum' disorder, which means that the symptoms vary between individuals, ranging from mild to severe. Although each person with autism is different, some of the main symptoms of autism are: Difficulties in social communication and social interaction Specific interests Prefer routine sensory difficulties, such as increased or reduced sensitivity to light, sound, colour, smell, taste or touch

8. What is Autism? Autism is a lifelong disability and symptoms are usually apparent from early childhood. There is no cure for autism, and autism is not a disease. Research has demonstrated that the best support for people with autism are early and specialised behaviour-based therapies. People with autism often require adaptations to be made to their living, learning and working environments to accommodate their individual difficulties.

9. 3) Technology and Education

10. Education for children with autism Education for children with autism goes beyond the purely academic sense of the word. Equally important is the learning of interaction and communication skills with others. Education also has a role of teaching children life skills, empowering them to live as autonomously as possible in adult life. It is partly for this reason that it is important for children with autism to have access to mainstream education settings, rather than being segregated in institutions.

11. How technology can help Many persons with autism tend to have intact and sometimes superior abilities to comprehend and manipulate computer-based platforms. The closed, rule-based and predictable nature of technology eliminates several challenges posed by communication and unpredictable settings. The availability of handheld devices that are intuitive and easy to use, such as tablets, has opened doors for children and adults with autism in many ways.

12. E-communicators For example, ‘Electronic communicators’ are tools that help people to communicate and express their needs, wants, thoughts and ideas. They usually use pictures to demonstrate words and concepts, and are available in several forms, including software applications or ‘apps’ for various platforms including computers, tablet computers and smart phones. Technology increases communication by allowing to communicate using the support someone with autism prefers (e.g. using symbols and pictures, video email, etc…).

13. E-communicators Many people with autism are visual thinkers. They think in pictures instead of language. Pictures are their first language, and words are their second language (Grandin). As concrete visual thinkers, people with autism process information well when they can look at a picture or words to help them visualize information. Technology makes visual images more accessible. Computer graphics capture and maintain the attention of people with autism.

14. E-communicators Nonverbal children and adults will find it easier to associate words with pictures if they see the printed word and a picture together. Some autistic children will learn reading more easily with phonics (auditory), and others will learn best by memorizing whole words (visual). Voice output software helps with auditory reinforcement and computer graphics help students visualize what they’re learning.

15. Technology can help personnalise learning Technology can allow for accommodations to be built directly into the classroom curriculum. content can be offered in multiple formats, allowing students to choose the style that best matches individual learning needs. Those who are visual learners can read the information, auditory learners can listen to it, and anyone can access content multiple times as needed.

16. Technology can help personnalise learning Help with difficulties with fine motor skills: technology helps reduce the frustration involved with hand writing or drawing. Using a keyboard or touch screen reduces difficulty and helps students enjoy learning.. Some children and adults have sound sensitivity and are able to respond best with low whisper sounds. Using computers we can easily download appropriate voice frequencies and tailor tools to individual needs. Apps for data collection also allow for ongoing analysis of behavior in a way previously impossible, meaning a students progress can be easily monitored.

17. 4) European Research Projects With AE’s participation

18. ASC-Inclusion project Project duration: November 2011 to December 2014 – FP7 The main goals of this project were to develop a computer software programme: to assist children with autism in understanding and expressing emotions through facial expressions, tone-of-voice and body gestures. To facilitate interaction with other people and increase the inclusion of persons with autism in society.

19. ASC-Inclusion project The software was developed in partnership between several universities including teams of computer programmers specializing in human- machine communication technologies in cooperation with renowned psychologists. Psychologists worked with sample groups of children to research and evaluate how the software could effectively assist people with a range of interpersonal communication abilities.

20. ASC-Inclusion project The software combined several state-of-the-art technologies in one software programme, capable of: Analysing the children’s facial expressions, vocal intonation and gestures (using standard microphones and webcams); Training children to recognise their own, and others’, facial expressions, tone-of- voice and body gestures, through interactive games, text communication, animations, video and audio clips; Personalising settings according to children’s individual needs; Supporting professionals, parents and carers with professional information, reports on children’s progress and forums to interact with other professionals and carers. More info: http://emotiplay.com/about-us/

21. DE-ENIGMA project Project duration: 2016- 2019 Over the last couple of years, teaching emotion recognition and expression to persons with autism, using humanoid robots, has been shown to be very effective. The DE-ENIGMA project aims to further evaluate the effectiveness of robot-based technology for children with autism, and develop new robotic models with this aim.

22. DE-ENIGMA project The technology produced as an outcome of the project will enable the realisation of human- robot interaction that is: robust context-sensitive (such as user- and culture- specific) multimodal (including facial, bodily, vocal and verbal cues) It will aim at enhancing the social imagination skills of children with autism. More information: http://de-enigma.eu/

23. AE’s 11th International Congress From September 16-18 AE’s International Congress will be taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. 1200 participants expected The theme of the Congress is ‘Happy, Healthy and Empowered’, and the subject of learning technologies will most likely be a key point of discussion. You can register on the website of the co-hosting organisation, the National Autistic Society (UK), at: http://www.autism.org.uk/professionals/conferences/xi-congress.aspx

24. Aurélie Baranger DirectorAutism-Europe Brussels, Belgium aurelie.baranger@autismeurope.orgassistant@autismeurope.org @autismeurope @autismeurope /autismeurope.AE /autismeurope.AE Thank you for listening