Recommendations for the design of inclusive apps for the treatment of autism: An approach to design focused on inclusive users

Abstract

This article presents the results of an investigation that, based on the literature systematic review and a case study, obtains the identification of the most relevant functional and nonfunctional characteristics from the software applied in the treatment of the Autism Spectrum Disorder -ASD. The study is based on the use of computational applications focused on strengthening social and emotional skills, as well as the characteristics linked to the training processes of autistic children. The project includes the exploration of the state of the art and technique on Emotional Intelligence, children with disabilities such as autism and architecture models for the design of inclusive software applications. All this is validated through qualitative and quantitative metrics and analyzes with evaluation indicators on appropriation or strengthening of emotional abilities in autistic children. The tools considered are: instruments for collecting noninvasive information, filming activities and analyzing emotions through recognition of facial expressions. Finally, the result of the heuristic evaluation of the application of inclusive computational tools within the treatment of Autism is presented, in addition to a conceptual proposal of a scheme for the design of inclusive computational applications, which could be complemented and validated in the future as a product of strengthening of expected skills (intrapersonal skills (motivation) and social skills).