Interaction Design: a Multidimensional Approach for Learners with Autism

In the special education context of children with autism, the design of educational software needs to focus on their unique learning styles. In this study, results of a survey in Irish Primary Schools, and interviews with tutors, indicate that characteristics of learners with autism need to be more integrated into the design process. An interaction model, based on Norman’s and Abowd and Beale’s models, provides a basis for mapping special user requirements and instructional strategies onto a model suited to the learner with autism. We propose this extended interaction model as a basis for design guidelines for effective educational software for these special needs learners.