8. Voice-enabled assistive robots for handling autism spectrum conditions: an examination of the role of prosody

Savant syndrome is a condition where prodigious talent co-occurs with developmental difficulties such as autism spectrum conditions (ASC). To better understand savant skills, we previously proposed a link with synaesthesia: that savant syndrome may arise in ASC individuals who also happen to have synaesthesia. A second, unrelated claim is that people with autism may have higher rates of synaesthesia. Here we ask whether synaesthesia is indeed found more often in autism per se, or only in cases where autism co-occurs with savant skills. People with autism in previous studies when tested for synaesthesia were not differentiated into those with and without savant abilities. Here we tested three groups: people with autism who also have savant skills (), people with autism without savant skills (), and controls without autism (). We used a validated test to diagnose grapheme–colour synaesthesia. Results show a significantly higher prevalence of synaesthesia in people with ASC, but only those who also have savant skills. This suggests that synaesthesia in autism is linked to those with savant abilities rather than autism per se. We discuss the role of synaesthesia in the development of prodigious talent.

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The Role of Sensorimotor Difficulties in Autism Spectrum Conditions

Frontiers in Neurology ◽

10.3389/fneur.2016.00124 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Penelope Hannant ◽

Teresa Tavassoli ◽

Sarah Cassidy

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum ◽

Autism Spectrum Conditions

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The Role of Augmented E-Learning Systems for Enhancing Pro-Social Behaviour in Socially Impaired Individuals

Assistive and Augmentive Communication for the Disabled ◽

10.4018/978-1-60960-541-4.ch009 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 248-272 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jonathan Bishop

Keyword(s):

Assistive Technology ◽

Cognitive Abilities ◽

Emotional Functioning ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Learning Systems ◽

Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽

Social And Emotional ◽

E Learning ◽

Social Behaviours

E-learning systems generally rely on good visual and cognitive abilities, making them suitable for individuals with good levels of intelligence in these areas. A group of such individuals are those with non-systemising impairments (NSIs), such as people with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs). These individuals could benefit greatly from technology that allows them to use their abilities to overcome their impairments in social and emotional functioning in order to develop pro-social behaviours. Existing systems such as PARLE and MindReading are discussed, and a new one, the Visual Ontological Imitation System (VOIS), is proposed and discussed. This chapter details an investigation into the acceptability of these systems by those working in social work and advocacy. The study found that VOIS would be well received, although dependency on assistive technology and its impact on how others view NSIs still need to be addressed by society and its institutions.

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The Role of Alexithymia in Reduced Eye-Fixation in Autism Spectrum Conditions

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s10803-011-1183-3 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 41 (11) ◽

pp. 1556-1564 ◽

Cited By ~ 87

Author(s):

Geoffrey Bird ◽

Clare Press ◽

Daniel C. Richardson

Keyword(s):

Autism Spectrum ◽

Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽

Eye Fixation

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Inclusion and Wellbeing for People with Autism and the Role of Built Environment

10.29007/ljxc ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Andrei Pomana

Keyword(s):

Built Environment ◽

Intellectual Development ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Physical Space ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Autism Spectrum Conditions ◽

Communication Difficulties ◽

Sensory Processing Disorders ◽

The Cost

Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are neurological disorders which make inclusion in society very difficult for the affected individuals. The main challenges that people with autism face are related to sensory processing disorders, communication difficulties and restricted repetitive patterns of behaviour. Current methods for integrating people with autism focus primarily on equipping autistic individuals with the tools to tolerate circumstances that they might find uncomfortable in social day-to-day situations. The society’s response on accommodating the condition is usually restricted to improving access to selected spaces which often have limited functionality and give the autistic narrow margins for physical and intellectual development. The paper shows the preliminary results of a qualitative meta-analysis of the extant literature relating to the balance between the cost that society needs to pay for the inclusion of people with autism versus the benefits that it can receive in the economical, social and human rights context. Also, employing the same methodology, the study explores the way in which built environment can have a contribution to the integration of people with autism and the degree to which inclusive physical space represents a positive factor to an autistic individual’s subjective wellbeing and quality of life.

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Examining the Role of Language in Play Among Children With and Without Developmental Disabilities

Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools ◽

10.1044/2020_lshss-19-00084 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 795-806 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elizabeth J. Short ◽

Rachael Cooper Schindler ◽

Rita Obeid ◽

Maia M. Noeder ◽

Laura E. Hlavaty ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developmental Disabilities ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Free Play ◽

Group Differences ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Play Skills ◽

Critical Aspect ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Better Than

Purpose Play is a critical aspect of children's development, and researchers have long argued that symbolic deficits in play may be diagnostic of developmental disabilities. This study examined whether deficits in play emerge as a function of developmental disabilities and whether our perceptions of play are colored by differences in language and behavioral presentations. Method Ninety-three children participated in this study (typically developing [TD]; n = 23, developmental language disorders [DLD]; n = 24, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]; n = 26, and autism spectrum disorder [ASD]; n = 20). Children were videotaped engaging in free-play. Children's symbolic play (imagination, organization, elaboration, and comfort) was scored under conditions of both audible language and no audible language to assess diagnostic group differences in play and whether audible language impacted raters' perception of play. Results Significant differences in play were evident across diagnostic groups. The presence of language did not alter play ratings for the TD group, but differences were found among the other diagnostic groups. When language was audible, children with DLD and ASD (but not ADHD) were scored poorly on play compared to their TD peers. When language was not audible, children with DLD were perceived to play better than when language was audible. Conversely, children with ADHD showed organizational deficits when language was not available to support their play. Finally, children with ASD demonstrated poor play performance regardless of whether language was audible or not. Conclusions Language affects our understanding of play skills in some young children. Parents, researchers, and clinicians must be careful not to underestimate or overestimate play based on language presentation. Differential skills in language have the potential to unduly influence our perceptions of play for children with developmental disabilities.

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The Role of the SLP in Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening and Assessment

Perspectives on Language Learning and Education ◽

10.1044/lle15.2.50 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 50-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amy Philofsky

Keyword(s):

Language Development ◽

Critical Role ◽

Children With Autism ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Children With Asd ◽

Prevalence Estimates ◽

Notable Increase ◽

Screening Assessment ◽

Critical Components

AbstractRecent prevalence estimates for autism have been alarming as a function of the notable increase. Speech-language pathologists play a critical role in screening, assessment and intervention for children with autism. This article reviews signs that may be indicative of autism at different stages of language development, and discusses the importance of several psychometric properties—sensitivity and specificity—in utilizing screening measures for children with autism. Critical components of assessment for children with autism are reviewed. This article concludes with examples of intervention targets for children with ASD at various levels of language development.

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