This research intentions to ensure the effectiveness of another mobile chatting software named MAAN, which means that together for the Arabic, getting people having ASD, using pre-article analysis investigation. The aim of MAAN will be to offer an accessible, safer, and easy-to-explore chatting application to own grownups that have ASD and therefore help their introduction in society. Contained in this study, i hypothesized another: (1) The latest the means to access attributes of cellular apps (text-to-speech [TTS], speech-to-text [STT], and communication symbols [CS]), that are placed on MAAN, can enhance the new public and you may telecommunications experience away from adults having ASD; and you will (2) The usage of the software can reduce societal loneliness in the adults having ASD.
Studies Structure
A combined measures method are implemented in this research. Eight adults which have ASD have been questioned to use MAAN due to their caregivers getting 16 days. Before the build and growth of MAAN, semistructured interviews was basically used which have gurus to talk about the new original advised software construction. The latest software build ended up being modified according to obtained feedback. After that, grownups having ASD in addition to their mothers otherwise caregivers was in fact questioned so you can use MAAN to have a period of sixteen days. That it years is actually followed from the analysis because of the Laugeson et al , and that advised if getting public and you can correspondence enjoy treatments, upgrade is only obvious on sixteen weeks. The study become from the contacting people happy to participate. Due to COVID-19, the first conferences with the users were held on the internet. Most of the people acquired a message to possess explaining the analysis information, for example time and date, and you may good weblink to possess gathering advised concur to have a virtual conference on the participants, people they know, in addition to their mothers. Immediately after acquiring the fresh participants’ concur, they certainly were asked to fill an online prestudy survey in check to gather demographical suggestions. Mom and dad or caregivers of your professionals was indeed along with questioned so you’re able to done a preliminary sort of the Societal and you may Psychological Loneliness Level to have Adults (SELSA-S) questionnaire . The purpose of which survey was to influence brand new public and you can relatives loneliness of one’s people. During the an online conference, the main researcher explained the fresh new software possess in more detail and you can answered further questions about the study. The players was together with provided by good hotline to report one situation they could face during this investigation. To guarantee the continuity of data collection, the participants was basically expected in order for the latest application is usually running from the history.
After the research, every members with ASD as well as their caregivers otherwise mothers completed this new Cellular Application Score Level: representative type (uMARS) survey. New uMARS is a straightforward and you can reputable tool which is often used by end-profiles to assess the caliber of cellular wellness apps. It gives an excellent 20-product scale that includes 4 purpose high quality subscales (engagement, features, esthetics, and you will pointers high quality) and you will step 1 personal quality subscale. The purpose of which questionnaire will be to assess the app’s quality regarding functionality. The newest participants’ mothers or caregivers together with accomplished the fresh SELSA-S questionnaire once more to search for the participants’ personal and you can family members loneliness rates pursuing the research. Finally, a great semistructured interviews with parents otherwise caregivers are conducted to gather information Azijska troЕЎkovi mladenke poЕЎte regarding the fresh framework out-of software usage. The newest interviews incorporated questions relating to the entire app expertise in terms regarding functionality, capabilities, and challenges discovered with all the application, in addition to tricks for after that enhancement.
MAAN Application Construction and you may Development
The latest application contained the next step 3 chief has actually: TTS, STT, and you will CS. Among well-recognized has that will even be regarded as a variety of assistive technologies are the brand new TTS function, that enables profiles to learn authored text message towards a computer, pill, or song anyone striving when you look at the discovering and decoding terms and conditions . Likewise, STT try an assistive technical feature utilized by people that endeavor that have creating. This style of assistive technology allows address become converted into text using the calculating product. One another keeps have become are not used to service inclusion degree options . The latest application including included the fresh new CS ability, that is an important part out-of AAC-served tech, and its first mission will be to let individuals with ASD within the developing phrases. We’re not aware of any messaging application you to definitely supporting the new utilization of the CS function. TAWASOL symbols have been employed for the brand new CS element. These were designed in 2013 from the Mada Center, an assistive technology center from inside the Qatar. This type of symbols portray the modern Important Arabic words and tend to be tailored are culturally, socially, consistently, and linguistically acceptable. TAWASOL is founded on the new AAC Icons Range that is brought in order to nonverbal or minimally spoken people that wanted alternative communication alternatives .