**4. Technology and autism: SCALA project**

Researches on the use of technological applications for subjects with autism is frequent in the literature. One of the first studies involving technology and autism used computer-aided instruction (CAI) to stimulate the language development of children with autism [37]. Other studies have been published reporting the positive effects of technological applications in the process of teaching how to read and write [38, 39, 44], problem-solving [40, 41], social inter‐ action [27, 42], and, cognition and learning [27, 39, 43].

Improvement of language use and children's learning how to read and write have been reported by [38] and [44]. In Brazil, the first study dates from 1975 [45]. It has been developed in the Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence of Edinburgh with a seven-year-old child with autism, with the use of Logo5. It has pointed out the use of Logo facilitated the process of interaction of the child with other people because "[...] the turtle assumed the role of mediator in the interaction of D. with other people and served as an object to help the development of mental schemes [...]" [45] (p. 73).

<sup>5</sup> LOGO is a computational tool in which a student controls an icon represented by a turtle through simple commands. Designed by Seymour Papert in the 70s, it was the first computational tool especially projected to be constructivist and grounded on Genetic Epistemology.

Other positive outcomes of the studies above include gains in communication and moti‐ vation. Such correlations are often observed in a structured and communicative environ‐ ment supported by technology and organized for interventions with subjects with autism [27]. Even when more guided [38] or more flexible [45] softwares are employed, results are productive. Such outcome could be traced back to the pedagogical strategy adopted by the teacher, who acts as a more experienced partner because the use of computers, particularly in virtual learning environments designed to adapt to the subject's interests and needs, becomes relevant and important tools of mediation as advocated under a so‐ ciohistorical conception [3].

on language development and meaning construction supported by AC with three children

More recent studies [32, 33, 34, 35] have involved the use of AC with Global Development Disorders (autism and Cornelia-Lange's syndrome). Those studies have also come to impor‐

According to the studies cited above, there is significant improvement in communication processes both in enunciation and pragmatics for subjects with autism when an AC sys‐ tem acts as tool of mediation between subjects in interaction. We believe that when AC is adapted to the needs of subjects with autism, it serves as a factor of facilitation and proximity because it contributes with an alternative for communication and establishes a

AC systems may function as bridge for human communication. However, it cannot be naively assumed that a technological support can stand on its own. On the contrary, an AC resource must be clearly founded on a methodology epistemologically grounded. The AC system presented in the following session (SCALA) is constituted of technological, human and social elements which are interwined to build an integral relationship, as highlighted by a researcher when stating that "[*...*] *more important than [...] any resource to intermediate dialogue, it is time,*

Two versions of SCALA have been developed by our team: web and tablet. Development has started in 2009 and the version for tablets is currently undergoing experimentation in a study

Researches on the use of technological applications for subjects with autism is frequent in the literature. One of the first studies involving technology and autism used computer-aided instruction (CAI) to stimulate the language development of children with autism [37]. Other studies have been published reporting the positive effects of technological applications in the process of teaching how to read and write [38, 39, 44], problem-solving [40, 41], social inter‐

Improvement of language use and children's learning how to read and write have been reported by [38] and [44]. In Brazil, the first study dates from 1975 [45]. It has been developed in the Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence of Edinburgh with a seven-year-old child with autism, with the use of Logo5. It has pointed out the use of Logo facilitated the process of interaction of the child with other people because "[...] the turtle assumed the role of mediator in the interaction of D. with other people and served as an object to help the development of

5 LOGO is a computational tool in which a student controls an icon represented by a turtle through simple commands. Designed by Seymour Papert in the 70s, it was the first computational tool especially projected to be constructivist and

tant results, particularly, when AC processes are supported by digital technologies.

with autism [31], which revealed relevant outcomes.

662 Recent Advances in Autism Spectrum Disorders - Volume I

*attention to listen and dedication granted to one another*" [36] (p. 139).

with three children aged 4 diagnosed with autism.

**4. Technology and autism: SCALA project**

action [27, 42], and, cognition and learning [27, 39, 43].

mental schemes [...]" [45] (p. 73).

grounded on Genetic Epistemology.

"bridge" between people.

Once strategies are added to the flexibility, adaptation and complexification processes inherent to digital technologies, they help to promote sociocognitive development of participants. Nevertheless, it is necessary to establish strategies for different learning environments, learning situations and subjects in interaction so that the introduction of technology can contribute with its qualitative differential for the enhancement of social interaction of subjects with autism [46]. In doing so, researches corroborate that the use of technologies can help people with autism communicate and interact [47].

Mobile devices also represent a possibility for the use of applications to assist users as well. Their utility extends into day by day activities as they are easy to handle, can be used in different places and allow connectivity to other devices. Connectivity in particular can be quite useful to enable communication and learning in groups and, as a consequence, can help foster the integration of subjects in their social environment [48].

On sociability, a recent study with high functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome adults users of online social networks has found that the structuring features of comput‐ er-mediated communication (CMC) help and promote their participation in social interac‐ tional processes [49]. Similar results have been identified in a study focusing chat room interaction [27]. In addition, a research by [50] highlights that engagement in mediated communication may not only foster participation, but also enhance learning of social rules of turn taking and dialog maintenance when supported by intelligent computation‐ al systems. Despite the likely advantages of CMC, it is important to consider its poten‐ tial limitations and complications when it intensifies problems associated with trust, secrecy, inflexibility and perspectivation [51].

Turn-taking, which underlies unstructured social talk, poses a challenge which can be even greater if some sensorial hypersensibility (to lights, sounds, smell and touch) is associated with the syndrome. In those cases, communication controlled by a computational device may play a role in the maintenance of social relationship and management of feelings of loneliness and depression [52].

Adults with Asperger's may reveal intense isolation and difficulties to initiate social in‐ teraction [53]. They often lack a model of behavior socially acceptable and, as a result, may behave in a way that impacts their communication with other people negatively. Hence, alternative means of communication, like CMC, and other platforms easily availa‐ ble such as Orkut, Facebook, and other social networks, can be useful for the promotion of interaction of people with autism [27, 49, 50].

**5. Development centered in contexts of use**

tive resource and psychological tool in the mediating action.

we project assistive technology systems.

and follows a UCD approach.

(d) **mediating actions**.

Since 2009, when we started the development of SCALA, we have aimed at supporting language development of children with autism presenting deficits in communication. The epistemological basis of the sociohistorical theory, which we adopt, implies a conceptual reorganization of the software development process known as User-Centered Design (UCD). In UCD, the objective goes beyond subject-object interaction and focuses on designing strategies to allow interaction and communication between children with autism and other interlocutors [32, 34, 56]. SCALA is composed of three modules: board, narratives and free communication

Building an Alternative Communication System for Literacy of Children with Autism (SCALA) with Context-Centered

Design of Usage

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http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/54547

From a sociohistorical perspective and the theoretical premises already presented, our approach not only contemplates the subject with disabilities, but that subject in interaction, which broadens our focus of investigation to (a) the **social contexts** in which (b) **cultural practices** of communication and literacy are developed by (c) **different participants** through

The general guidelines of the UCD consider the macro context of human development in social interaction as the basis for the analysis of cases. Characteristics and needs of individuals cannot be understood apart from the contexts in which they belong. As a consequence, the develop‐ ment of assistive technology goes beyond a functional view of the human being. In spite of so, we do not ignore functional aspects in our proposal, we consider them within the cultural spectrum in which the AC is to operate. Each individual "inhabits" many contexts in which is more or less active in face of different cultural practices. In some cases, those practices happen within a triadic mediated action (individual-mediator-object) which entails learning and development. So, our focus of analysis is always the individual in relation with his/her different contexts. On its turn, each context impacts our relationships, consequently, the mediations that are possible. In time, we do not regard the cultural context as something that limits the individual, but as an element that shapes the relationship. This is why it is of importance to consider social contexts in the development of technology that will be employed as a qualita‐

Context, under such conception, exceeds the notion of physical space. It constitutes a condition that represents the action and is crossed by a space-time dimension. This dimension includes not only physical space but social space, and four types of time: a) present, which is the microgenetic time, i.e., the time now, b) lived, which refers to human history, or the ontogenetic time c) historical, which refers to one's personal story and is related to culture; and, at last, d) future, which is a projection, what one imagines will happen, one's own expectations and that of others, the wishes, the intentions that projects oneself to the future. Those four times frames pervade contexts and are constantly updated, so, they must be taken into consideration when

The analysis of the different frames of time starts with the present one – microgenetic – and through it, the others are recovered. An ethnographic approach is central in that analysis because "informants" provides information about lived and historical time that allows us to

CMC offers users with autism control over their environment as well as over problems with prosody and intonation [49]. A study developed by e-mail with adults with Asperg‐ er's Syndrome has found that visual anonymity, time flexibility and the permanence al‐ lowed by the internet help diminish the social and emotional pressures of interpersonal communication as well as the cognitive complexity of the processes involved [49]. In par‐ ticular, the authors state that online communities provide a space for interchanges and talks for people with similar interests or problems, so people with autism do benefit from those possibilities and structuring characteristics of CMC. In their study, 16 adults with high functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome have been interviewed on their daily ac‐ tivities and participation in social networks and attested that CMC tends to be beneficial for the initiation of social interactions – more than half of the interviewees participated in some type of social network. However, limitations and drawbacks in the interactions in social networks have been reported as well, which often refer to initiation of contact, maintenance of interaction for long periods and issues of security and trust. As a result, those users seek to interact with people already known from other spaces6 .

In spite of the benefits reported in studies, few address AC in technological systems with nonverbal subjects with autism. We know that communication with subjects with autism can resemble the "Tower of Babel" and challenges are greater when subjects are non-verbal7. In this case, we are in a rather complex situation which requires the adoption of strategies and resources to "climb up the tower". In the researches presented here, we notice that the use of technology is promising for the processes of communication and interaction. That brings us to some important questions: is it possible to identify the same benefits when allying the potential of CMC with AC? And, if so, how to use AC with mobile devices with non-verbal children with autism?

In this specific research node (AC, technology and autism), there are few studies on mobile devices for AC that focus people with the syndrome. In the literature review, in addition to the work of our research group, we found a research with the system Sc@ut [47]. Sc@ut is an AC system adapted to be a communicator for Pocket PC and Nintendo DS. According to the authors, the use of the system in groups of children with autism has shown an improvement in the behavior of subjects in oral language. With some subjects, the models of communication provided by the system were used to train social skills and daily life activities8 [48]. The studies developed by our research group are reported in the following session.

<sup>6</sup> This is typical within other social groups investigated. In general, confidence is stronger and more consistent among stigmatized group minorities [54].

<sup>7</sup> Researches point out that a third of children with autism are non-verbal. Such proportion fells to 14 to 20% when they receive early intervention [55].

<sup>8</sup> Another product under development by [47] is a platform for the creation of pedagogic activities for Ipad and Iphone. Activities are diverse including navigation, association, memory games, puzzles, sequencing, visual and aural perception, vocabulary, visuo-spatial coordination, among others. However, this product (Picaa) has not been tested with children with autism yet.
