Use of Assistive Technology to
Teach Social Skills to Individuals
with Autism
Problem Statement

A goal for many students with disabilities is
for them to become more independent
and/or as independent as they can be. This is
especially true for those students with
autism. Students with autism need to learn
skills to help them to be more independent
so that they can be successful in society.
Skills that can be taught using assistive
technology are social skills, which include
being able to transition from task to task
with little to no prompting, starting
conversations, play skills, and sharing.
Topics

The research conducted on this topic will
be looked at under the following topics:
types of assistive technology, issues in
communication for individuals with autism
spectrum disorders, educational goals,
why assistive technology should be used,
video modeling, and teacher perspectives.
Types of Assistive Technology
Computers and computer based
programs
 iPods
 DVDs and videos
 Personal Digital Assistant

Issues in Communication
Deficits in: social development, communication,
and repetitive behaviors and interest (Sansosti
& Powell-Smith 2008)
 Impairments in: social interactions,
communication, and restricted repetitive
behavior (Bellini, Akullian, & Hopf 2007)

Educational Goals
Teach pragmatics, self-help skills, and
social skills (Sansosti & Powell-Smith
2008)
 The ability to function independently
throughout the day (Mechling & Savidge
2010)

Why Use Assistive Technology?
One strength of individuals with autism is their
visual perception (Mechling, Gast, & Seid 2009)
and they favor visual approaches (Cihak,
Fahrenkrog, Ayres, & Smith 2010)
 Use of visual cues can help acquire, maintain,
generalize a “range of academic, functional,
domestic or self-care, leisure, and
communication skills (p. 104 Cihak, Fahrenkrog,
Ayres, & Smith 2010).”
 Found to be more enjoyable than other
approaches (Young & Posselt 2011)

Why Use Technology Continued
Found to be more intrinsically motivating
(Sansosti and Powell-Smith 2007)
 Can provide more information and
promote independent task completion
(Mechling & Savidge 2010)

Video Modeling
Video Modeling: “Demonstration of
desired behaviors through active video
representation of the behavior (p. 81
Bellini, Akullian, & Hopf 2007).”
 Video Self-Modeling: “The target student
serves as the model and views himself or
herself performing the target behaviors
accurately and independently (p. 103
Cihak, Fahrenkrog, Ayres, & Smith 2010).”

Teacher Perspectives
Beneficial to the students
 When working on functional skills the
teacher is more free to work one on one
with small groups
 Intervention was appropriate and helpful
in getting students to use the target
behaviors

In Conclusion

Technology is a useful tool to teaching
social skills to individuals with autism
spectrum disorders
References



Bellini, S., Akullian, J., & Hopf, A. (2007). Increasing social engagement
in young children with autism spectrum disorders using video selfmodeling. School psychology review 36(1), 80-90.
Cihak, D., Fahrenkrog, C., Ayres, K.M., & Smith, C. (2010). The use of
video modeling via a video iPod and a system of least prompts to
improve transitional behaviors for students with autism spectrum
disorders in the general education classroom. Journal of positive
behavior interventions 12(2), 103-115.
Mechling, L. C., Gast, D. L., & Seid, N. H. (2009). Using a personal
digital assistant to increase independent task completion by
students with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of autism &
developmental disorders 39, 1420-1434.
References Continued



Mechling, L. C., & Savidge, E. J. (2010). Using a personal digital
assistant to increase completion of novel tasks and independent
transitioning by students with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of
autism & developmental disorders, 41, 687-704
Sansosti, F.J. & Powell-Smith, K.A. (2008). Using computer-presented
social stories and video models to increase the social
communication skills of children with high-functioning autism
spectrum disorders. Journal of positive behavior interventions 10(3),
162-178.
Young, R.L. & Posselt, M. (2012). Using the transporters dvd as a
learning tool for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
Journal of autism & developmental disorders 42, 984-991.