Multiplayer Games: Multimodal Features That Support Friendships of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

There is an absence of research into online friendships and video gaming activities of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this article we describe how friendships of students with ASD were developed in an online multiplayer context using the popular sandbox game, Minecraft. Multimodal analysis of the data demonstrated that online multiplayer gaming supported students’ use of speech to engage in conversations about their friendships, and to share gaming experiences with their offline and online friends. Online gaming enabled students to visually gather information about their friends’ online status and activities, and to engage in the creative and adventurous use of virtual images and material representations with friends. Despite the benefits for friendships, students with ASD experienced difficulties in friendships in multimodal ways. Notably, students engaged in verbal disagreements about video gaming discourses, sought out activities associated with the themes of death and damage using written text, and tended to dominate shared creations of virtual images and their representation. The findings have implications to better support the friendships of students through inclusive literacy practices online.

Connected Play in Virtual Worlds: Communication and Control Mechanisms in Virtual Worlds for Children and Adolescents

“…Many recent research studies have indicated that Autcraft offers neurodiverse players a safe space to participate in positive and meaningful play that integrates social and sensory experiences [82][83][84][85][86][87]. Some specifically reported that the use of speech during the reciprocal conversation (e.g., request, command, initiation) to build friendship and share game experiences further extends positive learning and intervention outcomes [85][86][87]. Social communication is one of the hallmark deficits for neurodiverse individuals.…”

“…In this virtual environment, players can manipulate particles with different shapes, sizes, and densities to visualize the abstract concept of "social distancing," which can be difficult and risky to teach in a real-world learning environment (e.g., public spaces such as school, museums, and libraries) during a global pandemic. This example demonstrated how an adult stakeholder leveraged the Autcraft platform, reappropriated the conventional play interaction of "building with particles," and offered direct supports to create embedded learning and inclusive play opportunities for neurodiverse players [82][83][84][85][86]91].…”

“…When youth embrace play on virtual playgrounds, they also need to learn community rules and regulations which are not different from physical playgrounds [82,84]. As these neurodiverse children used online communities such as Autcraft to continue learning social communication, these youth also redefined their conceptualization of socialization through alternative virtual environments [84][85][86]. Neurodiverse youth have to rely on parents to complete an application in order to join the Autcraft server, yet such a dedicated server offers parents the peace of mind that this is an inclusive virtual play environment specifically created to connect a community of neurodiverse children.…”