This study plans to verify the effectiveness of a special cellular messaging app entitled MAAN, which means together in the Arabic, to possess people which have ASD, having fun with pre-post studies study. The goal of MAAN is to try to render an obtainable, safer, and simple-to-play with chatting application to own people that have ASD and therefore help the introduction within the area. Contained in this analysis, we hypothesized the second: (1) The brand new the means to access popular features of cellular software (text-to-speech [TTS], speech-to-text message [STT], and interaction icons [CS]), that are used on MAAN, can boost the latest social and you will interaction experience from adults which have ASD; and you will (2) The utilization of the latest app can lessen public loneliness when you look at the adults that have ASD.
Research Structure
A blended procedures means try adopted contained in this research. Seven grownups with ASD had been asked to use MAAN employing caregivers to possess 16 months. Ahead of the build and growth of MAAN, semistructured interview was basically presented which have masters to talk about the new first suggested application construction. The fresh new software construction ended up being modified according to gotten viewpoints. Next, adults with ASD in addition to their parents or caregivers was requested to fool around with MAAN to possess a time period of 16 months. Which years are followed on the research by the Laugeson ainsi que al , and therefore suggested when searching personal and you can communication experiences interventions, improve is apparent at 16 weeks. The study already been by the getting in touch with somebody prepared to take part. Due to COVID-19, the first meetings to the professionals have been held on the internet. Most of the players gotten an email to possess detailing the research suggestions, like date and time, and you may an effective weblink to have get together told concur having an online fulfilling with the members, people they know, in addition to their mothers. Immediately after searching new participants’ agree, they certainly were requested so you’re able to complete an internet prestudy survey managed to gather demographical pointers. The mother and father otherwise caregivers of your own members was indeed plus questioned in order to over a primary sorts of brand new Societal and you will Psychological Loneliness Level to possess People (SELSA-S) survey . The aim of so it survey were to determine the brand new public and members of the family loneliness of professionals. During the an online appointment, the principal researcher said the brand new software keeps in more detail and you can replied then questions regarding the analysis. The players have been in addition to available with an effective hotline so you can report one point they may deal with in this research. To be sure the continuity of data range, the players was in fact requested in order that the brand new app try always running on record.
At the end of the research, the people which have ASD and their caregivers otherwise mothers done the fresh Cellular App Score Size: representative type (uMARS) questionnaire. The latest uMARS is a straightforward and you can reputable tool which might be used by end-pages to assess the grade of cellular fitness applications. It provides a great 20-goods size including cuatro mission quality subscales (involvement, abilities, esthetics, and you may advice high quality) and you can step one personal high quality subscale. The intention of so it questionnaire should be to assess the app’s high quality when it comes to function. Brand new participants’ parents otherwise caregivers including complete the new SELSA-S survey again to choose the participants’ public and you can relatives loneliness prices pursuing the investigation. Lastly, a great semistructured interview having mothers otherwise caregivers was conducted to get facts about the context of software incorporate. The interview incorporated questions relating to all round app experience in conditions of features, functionality, and demands discovered while using the app, along with suggestions for next enhancement.
MAAN App Design and Development
The new software contains the second 3 chief has actually: TTS, STT, and you will CS. One of several well-understood have that can also be thought to be a type of assistive technologies are this new TTS function, that enables profiles to learn created text message towards a computer, pill, or song some body battling inside the reading and decryption terms and conditions . Furthermore, https://kissbridesdate.com/no/amerikanske-bruder/ STT is actually an assistive technical function used by individuals who battle having writing. This style of assistive technology lets speech are converted into text message with the calculating tool. One another has actually are extremely are not used to service inclusion training configurations . The latest application as well as incorporated new CS function, which is an essential part out-of AAC-served innovation, and its particular first goal should be to assist people with ASD when you look at the creating sentences. We are really not aware of any chatting application one to aids brand new utilization of the CS feature. TAWASOL icons were employed for the latest CS feature. These were designed in 2013 from the Mada Center, an enthusiastic assistive technology cardio inside the Qatar. This type of icons represent the modern Simple Arabic code consequently they are customized to get culturally, socially, consistently, and you can linguistically appropriate. TAWASOL will be based upon the new AAC Icons Collection and that is brought so you’re able to nonverbal or minimally spoken individuals who require solution correspondence alternatives .