This study intentions to be certain that the potency of yet another mobile chatting application entitled MAAN, meaning that together from inside the Arabic, to possess grownups which have ASD, playing with pre-blog post investigation studies. The purpose of MAAN is to offer an available, secure, and simple-to-explore messaging application to possess people with ASD so because of this assistance the addition in the community. Inside study, i hypothesized the following: (1) New accessibility top features of cellular apps (text-to-message [TTS], speech-to-text message [STT], and you can correspondence symbols [CS]), which happen to be used on MAAN, can boost brand new personal and you may interaction event out-of people having ASD; and you will (2) The employment of the new application can reduce personal loneliness from inside the grownups which have ASD.
Research Design
A blended tips method try observed inside analysis. Eight people which have ASD was basically expected to utilize MAAN with their caregivers to own sixteen days. Prior to the framework and you may development of MAAN, semistructured interview have been used which have gurus to discuss the initial recommended application framework. Brand new software construction was then changed with respect to the received feedback. Following, adults having ASD in addition to their moms and dads otherwise caregivers had been questioned in order to play with MAAN to have a time period of sixteen months. That it course is then followed in the studies from the Laugeson ainsi que al , and therefore suggested that in case getting personal and correspondence feel interventions, improvement is clear from the sixteen days. The analysis come by calling some one willing to engage. Due to COVID-19, the first group meetings with the members have been used on the internet. All the professionals gotten a contact for detailing the research suggestions, eg date and time, and you may a weblink getting collecting informed agree getting an online meeting to the players, people they know, and their mothers. Once researching the brand new participants’ agree, these were asked so you can fill an on-line prestudy survey in check to collect demographical suggestions. Mom and dad or caregivers of the people was including requested so you can over an initial version of the fresh Public and you may Emotional Loneliness Measure to possess Grownups (SELSA-S) survey . The goal of so it survey were to dictate the latest social and you may family relations loneliness of the members. Inside the a virtual meeting, the main researcher explained the latest software keeps in detail and you will responded further questions regarding the study. The participants was in fact plus available with an effective hotline to statement people topic they could face with this study. So that the continuity of data collection, the participants have been expected in order for the latest app is usually running throughout the record.
After the analysis, most of the players that have ASD as well as their caregivers otherwise mothers completed the new Cellular Software Rating Scale: vruД‡a ДЊeДЌen djevojka representative type (uMARS) survey. The new uMARS is an easy and you can reliable tool that can easily be employed by stop-pages to evaluate the standard of cellular wellness apps. It offers a beneficial 20-items size including cuatro purpose quality subscales (wedding, features, esthetics, and you can pointers quality) and 1 personal top quality subscale. The purpose of it questionnaire should be to measure the app’s high quality regarding functionality. The new participants’ parents otherwise caregivers and completed the new SELSA-S questionnaire once more to select the participants’ public and friends loneliness cost following analysis. Finally, a beneficial semistructured interviews with mothers otherwise caregivers are conducted to gather information about the new perspective from app utilize. The brand new interviews included questions regarding all round app knowledge of terms and conditions of efficiency, effectiveness, and you will pressures came across with all the app, along with methods for after that enhancement.
MAAN Application Structure and Creativity
The fresh new app consisted of another 3 chief features: TTS, STT, and CS. One of many well-identified possess that will additionally be regarded as a kind of assistive technology is the new TTS element, which allows pages to listen to composed text with the a pc, pill, or tune people struggling within the studying and you will decoding terminology . Furthermore, STT is actually an assistive tech feature employed by individuals who challenge with writing. This kind of assistive technical allows speech to get converted into text message making use of the computing device. Both have are particularly commonly used to service addition education options . The fresh application as well as provided the new CS element, that is an important part from AAC-served technology, and its top mission should be to assist those with ASD during the creating phrases. We’re not alert to any messaging app that helps the fresh use of the CS ability. TAWASOL symbols have been useful for the latest CS feature. These people were developed in 2013 by Mada Cardio, an enthusiastic assistive technical center inside the Qatar. These types of signs represent the current Fundamental Arabic vocabulary and so are tailored is culturally, socially, religiously, and you may linguistically appropriate. TAWASOL is dependent on the AAC Icons Range that is directed so you can nonverbal otherwise minimally verbal people that require option communications selection .