Helping Autism-diagnosed Navigating and Developing Socially

Acronym of the case:

HANDS

Web address of the case:

http://hands-project.eu/

Country of the case:

Denmark , Hungary , Sweden , United Kingdom

City/region:

Aalborg, Denmark

Posting Date:

8 December 2009

Last Edited Date:

09 December 2009

Author:

Henrik Scharfe (Aalborg University)

einclusion | autism | education

Type of initiative

Project or service

Case Abstract

Autism is a developmental disorder having significant impact on an individual's behaviour. The ability to handle daily tasks, including confrontations with other people, can be seriously damaged, leading in many cases to social marginalization. The HANDS project aims to develop an ICT solution based on new research in human-computer interaction (HCI) to help young people with an autism diagnosis to improve social as well as other practical skills. This will allow them to become better integrated in society, thus avoiding social marginalization with all its negative consequences.

The new approach from HCI to be used in HANDS is known as Persuasive Technology. It is particularly focused on impacting/changing human behaviour through motivation, and since motivation tends to be a key issue in treatment/caretaking of autism diagnosed persons, we expect this to be an ideal choice.

This HANDS project is meant to help teenagers with an autism diagnosis to handle daily situations which they might find difficult handling themselves. The HANDS toolset is customised to the single individual with ASD, and furthermore as provided on a mobile terminal, it is available whenever and wherever problems occur. This make it easier for the user to handle all the everyday situations themselves, such as using public transportation, shopping, visiting public spaces, etc.

The HANDS project is an EU funded project with 9 dedicated partners involved in making the solution and toolset. Those partners are specialised in different areas that together will ensure a solution that can help the teenagers in the best way.

The result will be a novel software solution based on hands-on practical knowledge combined with all the newest knowledge in modern human-computer interaction theory and psychology. It will be implemented by software providers with key knowledge about the latest trends and platforms in mobile industry and virtual reality.

The involved partners

The partners that are involved in developing the overall toolset requirements are three World-leading research institutions in each their own field:

ELTE University, providing research in psychology with a specialty in autism.
London South Bank UniversityÂ providing research in teaching of young people with autism.
Aalborg University, Denmark, providing research in Persuasive Technology and Human Computer Interaction.

The partners that are responsible for end user requirements and validation are four prominent schools:

Helen Allison School,Â UK.
Egebakken, Denmark.
Svedenskolan, Sweden.
Autism Foundation, Hungary.

The partners responsible for practically developing the technological solution in the project are:

Wirtek A/S, Denmark andÂ Wirtek SRL., Romania, is developing the mobile software solutions for the mobile device.
Edvantage Group, Norway, providing advanced content and learning solutions.

Together those 10 partners can make the tool that can help in thousands of young teenagers get better at dealing with there daily tasks and problems.

Description of the case

Domain

eInclusion

Topic

eAccessibility | ICT and Marginalised youth

Sector

Education, Science and Research

Date

September 2008 to August 2011

Target Users

Disadvantaged/deprived communities | People with disability | Young people at risk of marginalisation

Scope

International

Status

Implementation

Language(s)

Danish | English | Hungarian | Romanian | Swedish

Policy Context and Legal Framework

Project Size and Implementation

Type of initiative

Training and education

Overall Implementation approach

Partnerships between administration and/or private sector and/or non-profit sector

Technology choice

Proprietary technology

Funding source

Public funding EU

Project size

Implementation: €1,000,000-5,000,000

Yearly cost:

€1,000,000-5,000,000

Technology solution

The HANDS project strives to develop a set of software components based on Persuasive Technology, which is an efficient tool for

The young person to improve social skills and self management skills or manage social activities
The teachers to design and customise the tools for the young people
The teachers to measure the progress of the improvement in the social skills and self management skills.
Create a software design, which makes exchange of experiences and software components easy.
The teachers to predict the cost and benefits of using the tools in their work with the young people with an autism diagnosis.

This tool can help young teenagers become better integrated in society, and make it easier to handle daily situations which they might find difficult handling themselves.

The mobile device offers a:

Flexible learning tool that can be used in school, home and other places
A high status device that the teenagers would find attractive and smart
A device, that has a very narrow focus that the teenagers can handle
Self training in handling daily life situations were they need to communicate with others.
Calendar where the teenagers always can se what there next activities are. This calendar can also alert the teenagers before the next activity starts.

The device is:

Customised to the individual teenager. This customisation is handled by the teachers, that can enter in the needed tasks and activities on the backend system of the device
Integrated to a backend system where the teachers can setup the content of the individual device and register the teenagers' activities.
Integrated in the home environment, school and other locations.
The teenagers can use the device in every situation possible It may be possible to locate the teenager by the GPS in the device.