This research intentions to ensure the effectiveness of a separate cellular messaging app called MAAN, which means together in Arabic, to have grownups with ASD, playing with pre-post research data. The aim of MAAN will be to offer an easily accessible, safer, and simple-to-explore chatting software for adults which have ASD and hence service the addition inside the area. Contained in this study, we hypothesized the next: (1) The newest usage of features of cellular programs (text-to-speech [TTS], speech-to-text [STT], and communication signs [CS]), being placed on MAAN, can boost the brand new public and telecommunications enjoy away from people that have ASD; and you can (2) Using brand new application can lessen societal loneliness when you look at the grownups with ASD.
Investigation Design
A combined tips method was observed within this research. 7 adults having ASD were asked to make use of MAAN employing caregivers to own sixteen days. Before the framework and you may growth of MAAN, semistructured interview was indeed held which have benefits to discuss brand new preliminary advised application framework. New app design ended up being modified according to the gotten viewpoints. Following, people with ASD and their mothers otherwise caregivers was basically expected so you can explore MAAN to have a period of 16 months. Which course try implemented regarding study by the Laugeson et al , and this ideal if receiving societal and you can telecommunications skills treatments, upgrade is only evident in the 16 weeks. The analysis been from the getting in touch with anyone happy to engage. Due to COVID-19, the initial conferences for the participants was basically used on the web. All of the members gotten an email to possess discussing the research suggestions, instance date and time, and an excellent weblink having event told agree to possess an online appointment into players, their friends, as well as their mothers. Just after getting the newest participants’ agree, they were asked to Monsanto in Portugal brides agency help you fill an internet prestudy survey managed to collect demographical suggestions. The parents otherwise caregivers of one’s professionals was in fact including asked to complete a preliminary style of the newest Social and you may Emotional Loneliness Scale to own Adults (SELSA-S) questionnaire . The goal of which survey was to influence the fresh new social and you will family members loneliness of your own members. Inside the a virtual fulfilling, the principal researcher told me the newest application features in more detail and you may responded further questions relating to the analysis. The participants had been together with provided with a great hotline so you’re able to statement people topic they could deal with during this studies. So that the continuity of information collection, the players was basically requested to ensure that the fresh new app is usually powering about history.
At the conclusion of the research, the players having ASD in addition to their caregivers otherwise moms and dads done brand new Cellular Application Get Level: member type (uMARS) questionnaire. This new uMARS is an easy and you may legitimate unit which can be utilized by prevent-profiles to evaluate the caliber of cellular fitness software. It provides a great 20-goods measure filled with 4 goal top quality subscales (wedding, functionality, esthetics, and you will information high quality) and you will step 1 personal quality subscale. The objective of so it questionnaire is to try to assess the app’s high quality with regards to features. The latest participants’ mothers or caregivers including finished new SELSA-S survey again to select the participants’ societal and you will loved ones loneliness rates adopting the data. Finally, a beneficial semistructured interview having moms and dads or caregivers are held to gather information about the fresh perspective out of software use. Brand new interview integrated questions relating to all round software experience with terms out of usability, features, and you will demands came across with all the application, together with methods for then enhancement.
MAAN Software Framework and you may Invention
The newest software contained next step 3 main keeps: TTS, STT, and CS. Among the really-recognized features that may even be considered as a type of assistive technologies are brand new TTS element, which enables pages to know written text toward a pc, pill, or tune people troubled inside understanding and you may decryption terms and conditions . Likewise, STT try an assistive technology feature utilized by those who endeavor with composing. This form of assistive technology lets address becoming changed into text utilizing the measuring unit. Both has actually are particularly are not employed to help inclusion studies configurations . The new software plus included the newest CS feature, that is an important part out-of AAC-supported technologies, as well as primary mission is to help individuals with ASD within the building sentences. We are not conscious of people messaging software you to supports this new utilization of the CS feature. TAWASOL signs was useful for brand new CS element. These people were designed in 2013 by Mada Heart, an enthusiastic assistive technical cardio in the Qatar. This type of symbols represent the modern Important Arabic words and therefore are designed as culturally, socially, religiously, and you may linguistically acceptable. TAWASOL is dependent on the new AAC Symbols Collection which is led so you’re able to nonverbal otherwise minimally spoken individuals who wanted solution correspondence alternatives .