A device to train children in time orientation has been designed, developed and evaluated. It is framed within a long-term cooperation action between university and special education school. It uses a specific cognitive accessible time display: Time left in the day is represented by a row of luminous elements initially on. Time passing is represented by turning off sequentially and gradually each luminous element every 15 min. Agenda is displayed relating time to tasks with standard pictograms for further accessibility. Notifications of tasks-to-come both for management support and anticipation to changes uses visual and auditory information. Agenda can be described in an Alternative and Augmentative Communication pictogram language already used by children, supporting individual and class activities on agenda. Validation has been performed with 16 children in 12 classrooms of four special education schools. Methodology for evaluation compares both prior and posterior assessments which are based in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) from the World Health Organization (WHO), together with observation registers. Results show consistent improvement in performances related with time orientation.
This work describes an assistive technology development for cognitive support and training to be used by children of special education schools in Spain. Design is based on and guided by cognitive support findings coming from a long-term collaboration of a team of engineers (University of Zaragoza) and special education teachers (Alborada Special Education School, Zaragoza). The description starts by providing a structure of such findings in five cognitive-social areas (interface usability, virtual representations understanding, time orientation, self-awareness, and social interaction). Design requirements are extracted by applying those findings to four support services (home control, time orientation, behavior contention, and context anticipation). Technological system description follows, together with the degree of implementation and testing for each service. A major result is the benefit of using a services interface with the same structure and appearance as the alternative and augmentative communication system that children are already acquainted with. Based on regulatory conditions, the needed flexibility, and reduced available budgets, this support platform is built on mainstream technology and low-cost single-board computers with standard databases and free software packages. Results show evidence of benefit in children’s cognitive and social performance, in addition to offering a technological tool for deeper educational research.
A time display and time training device has been developed in collaboration between University and Special Education Schools, with which an empirical intervention is to begin shortly. Former trials in children provided evidences of time managing improvement, reduction of stress in changes of activity and usefulness in managing behavior contention. This communication describes current version of the prototype which has been adapted to the experimental setup to be started this year which integrates feedback obtained in previous trials, in accordance with previewed experimental intervention. Time passing is represented by turning off sequentially and gradually a row of luminous elements initially on, which provides for association with time perception. Besides luminous elements, tasks display provides for association of agenda-information. Tasks management support and anticipation to changes is supported by setting different colors to the luminous elements and by providing luminous or sound messages. Disruptive behavior control training is also supported by added flexibility in configuring different times and feedbacks. Training tools are integrated in an AAL platform that includes home control and AAL specialized interface, keeping in mind its potential application to other cognitive impairments as Alzheimer disease.
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