Spiel et. al (2019) reveal in their article that Human-Computer Interaction has developed over recent years to best serve the needs of autistic children, but most importantly, their agency. Researchers aimed to see how technology can best allow autistic children the opportunity to participate in society’s communication channels to gain a sense of autonomy and belonging. I found the article interesting because it pointed out the difference between the medical model and social model of how disabilities are addressed: while the medical model views disability as an individual-level deficit, the social model highlights that it is society’s job to dismantle obstacles that keep disabled individuals from participating in society, too. The term “neurodiversity,” also redefines disability by stressing the need to “promote understanding of alternative cognitive styles, the positive and negative sides” instead of trying to change the individual. This understanding of how to treat autistic children in regards to respect and human rights affects the direction in which technology must develop as we transition into the future.
When the behavior of autistic children engaging with technology was studied, results showed that children approached technology with passive interaction and are mainly secondary users for this reason, since they do not choose or initiate communication, but how they react to received communication and messaging. Also, the category of social skills was the most prominent among various purposes of technology for autistic children, above education, wellbeing, therapy, assisted technology, and analysis. Assistive technologies, which autistic children are the primary users of, are crucial for use by autistic individuals because it aids nonverbal people in communicating with caregivers and others they come into contact with. Caregivers can more effectively communicate tasks and messages about socially appropriate behavior to autistic children through the use of visual aids, for example, and other technologies designed for people with autism. Technology also grants autistic children opportunities for more positive life experiences, sensations and feelings. Environments created for individuals through tech can serve the autistic community’s needs and interests, and ensure wellbeing most accurately.
Moving forward, a main concern we must address is power dynamics when analyzing the perception of autistic children and the development of new technology. Experts and society as a whole must work to steer clear of treating autistic children in terms of the “other,” or marginalized group expectations and generalizations, as the medical model seems to do, which must be fixed. Instead of forcing behavioral change so autistic individuals can suddenly fit the mold of societal norms of communication, society must create future technology that better serves autistic children by acknowledging their different cognitive processes and accommodating for them. Adjusting technology to serve autistic children’s mode of communication fulfills the goal of granting children more agency.
I love your analysis of this article and explanation of the study, and I can’t wait to hear more about it in class. I never really thought about the positive power technology can have for some people’s lives—those who may NEED it, or simply those who genuinely feel an improvement in their lives and communication because of it. I am shocked that it is still occurring that people and doctors will look at disability as an individual-level deficit, and not something as something that WE as society must help to dismantle the obstacles that keep them from participating in society. It is really interesting to hear that autistic children are the primary users of assistive technologies, especially through the way where it aids nonverbal people in communicating with caregivers and others. I recently saw a video of a child with shaking baby syndrome, who cannot talk because of it, and has a personalized system where he can press what he wants to say. I am really excited about the prospect of personalized assistive technologies for those with disabilities, especially after reading that it in fact does serve the needs of them and their agency to participate. I just hope that, as you mention, society and doctors and those who can help make this possible for more children and people with disability see this as our responsibility.
I also read this article, and I really liked your reflection of it. Specifically, when you say, “Environments created for individuals through tech can serve the autistic community’s needs and interests, and ensure wellbeing most accurately,” this made me think about the topic a little more deeply. It is so interesting how people, no matter what social constructs, labels or categorizations that are placed on them, can usually seek out people and environments that are suitable for them. Overtime, we have created a vast online space. While that space is constructed by media creators, we need to find ways to give users the ability to create those spaces on their own. That autonomy is so important for individuals who may not be able to follow along with technology designed for the “average” or “typical”.