Designing an e-learning ecosystem to support people with autism spectrum disorders. A digital transformation in special education

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has greatly exposed the inequalities in the access and use of Information and Communication Technologies and exposed also existing challenges in assistive technologies. Schools closure and the switch to online education revealed limitations in the education system, particularly, in the case of special education needs. This PhD research intends to analyse the challenges of remote learning and to provide applicable solutions to build an e-learning platform for people with autism that can enhance and enable special education in a collaborative setting for professionals, relatives, and students, considering also the cases when face-to-face interactions are not possible. In addition to this analysis, some more contributions are provided such as the themes where COVID-19 impacted autistic people the most and their relationship with technology, a mapping of technological categories that define the working areas specifically aimed to cover the their needs, the challenges faced in special education along the pandemic and their possible solutions.