Evaluation of Mobile Apps Effectiveness in Children with Autism Social Training via Digital Social Stories

Authors

  • Agathi Stathopoulou National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece
  • Dionisis Loukeris Ministry of Education, Athens, Greece
  • Zoe Karabatzaki Ministry of Education, Athens, Greece
  • Evangelia Politi National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece
  • Yolanda Salapata National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece
  • Athanasios Drigas National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i03.10281

Keywords:

mobile apps, autism, social skills, social stories

Abstract


The emerging and widespread use of technology to support students with autism is evident by the growing number of studies investigating the use of technology-based interventions, including mobile technologies. Most of the recent research concerning the use of mobile apps has been focused on social stories effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of digital social stories on children with autism social skills acquisition. Three students with high functional autism were watching for one year social scenarios through an Android tablet solving social interaction problems. According to the results appropriate social behaviors in children with autism could be integrated for a long time.

Author Biographies

Agathi Stathopoulou, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece

Agathi Stathopoulou is Partner of Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications, Net Media Lab-Brain & Mind R&D,N.C.S.R. “DEMOKRITOS”, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens .She hold PhD in Stress Disorder & Adolescent Psychology. She has participated in many educational seminars and conferences as a keynote speaker and as instructor. She has taught at the Department of Special Education of University of Athens and at the Department of Greek Literary of Democritus University of Thrace. She has written one book, and articles in scientific journals(email:agathi.stathopoulou@yahoo.com).

Dionisis Loukeris, Ministry of Education, Athens, Greece

Dionisis Loukeris is a Counsellor at the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs in Greece. He holds a PhD in “Environmental Education and Viable Growth” and a Master of Arts in “Theory and Practice of Teaching and Evaluation”. He has been an Education Counsellor since 2004, first at the Institute of Educational Policy and then, until today, at the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs. He has taught at graduate and postgraduate programs at the University of Athens. He  is also a scientific associate at Net Media Lab of N.C.S.R. ’Demokritos’. Writer of lots of books and research articles in Greek and international journals, he has also participated in conferences both in Greece and abroad. (email:dlookas@gmail.com).

Zoe Karabatzaki, Ministry of Education, Athens, Greece

Zoe Karabatzaki is a School Advisor at the 21st Preschool Educational Region of Athens. She holds a Ph.D. on Educational Sciences (Special Education). She has participated in many educational seminars and conferences as a keynote speaker and as instructor. Furthermore, she has taken part in research programs that were supported by many universities of Greece. She has written two books, chapters in collective volumes, articles in scientific journals and educational notes. She has taught at the Department of Special Education of UTH (University of Thessaly), at the Department of Education and Early Childhood of UOA and the Department of Greek Literary of Democritus University of Thrace. She is also a scientific associate at Net Media Lab, Brain & Mind R&D of N.C.S.R. ’Demokritos’. (email:zkarabatzaki@gmail.com).

Evangelia Politi, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece

Evangelia Politi is studied in the Faculty of Primary School in the University of Ioannina. She has a Master in Special Education from the University of Thrace and NCSR Demokritos. She has been working in public primary school as a special educator for the last four years. (e-mail: evageliapoliti@hotmail.com)

Yolanda Salapata, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece

Yolanda Salapata is a Paedodontist and Laser Dentist,. Is involved in research for Children with Learning Disabilities and is with N.C.S.R “Demokritos”, Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications, Net Media Lab, Agia Paraskevi, 153 10, Athens, Greece (e-mail: paedodontist@gmail.com)

Athanasios Drigas, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece

A. Drigas is with N.C.S.R. “Demokritos”, Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications, Net Media Lab, Agia Paraskevi, 153 10, Athens, Greece (e-mail: dr@iit.demokritos.gr).

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Published

2020-02-28

How to Cite

Stathopoulou, A., Loukeris, D., Karabatzaki, Z., Politi, E., Salapata, Y., & Drigas, A. (2020). Evaluation of Mobile Apps Effectiveness in Children with Autism Social Training via Digital Social Stories. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), 14(03), pp. 4–18. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i03.10281

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 03 (2020)

Section

Papers