Cultural Contexts in Virtual Environments for People with Autism

Background: This abstract reports on the results of a study on the use of home-based intervention program to teach social skills to children with autism, supported by a computerised culture-rich simulated virual environment.

Objectives: The study had the following objectives:

1- How effective was a home-based intervention program in addressing the social deficits of people with autism targeted (social skills and positive social interaction)

2- Were the computerised components successful in facilitating the delivery of the intervention program?

3-Did the attractiveness and prima facie favourable characteristics of the simulated virtual environment; including the culture-contexts improve the study outcomes?

Methods: An quivalent pre-test and post-test single-subject design study with 14 participants diagnosed with autism from the Gaza Strip participated in this study. This region is well-known for severe socio-economic challenges. The study involved confirming the diagnosis of autism and delivering a home-based intervention program based on discrete trial teaching to the participants. The study utilised quantitative and qualitative data collection measures

Results: Results suggest that a computerised supplimentaty program was beneficial in deliverying the intervention program and that the participants shows improvements in their social skills and increase in their positive social interactions

Conclusions: Results suggest that cultural contexts within computerised programs are benifical to participant with autism. Findings also report on study challenges and issues related to use of technology in 3rd world setting; diagnosis issues; translation of instruments issues, and access to intervention programs