Cognitive Support Technology for Postsecondary Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Summary

This study will fill important knowledge gaps in the availability of best practices that use innovative methods to integrate the cognitive and vocational needs of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who will be transitioning from 2- and 4-year postsecondary education to employment. Best practices exist from the assistive technology (AT) field to help people compensate for cognitive impairments, and from the vocational rehabilitation (VR) field to enhance employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. However, these practices have not been integrated to provide needed supports and services to improve the employment outcomes of students with ASD. The study's goal is to expand the availability of innovative practices by testing the efficacy of a technology-driven, long-term, and resource-rich individualized support program that merges assistive technology for cognition and vocational rehabilitation practices. The end products will include technology application guidelines, training and procedural manuals, and resource information that rehabilitation professionals and students with ADS can utilize to enhance technology and mentoring proficiency, academic success, self-determination, and long-term career success for students with ASD.

The knowledge to be gained from this research will have a beneficial impact on students with ASD, rehabilitation professionals, higher education personnel, case managers, and employers who work with people with ASD. There is strong potential for the students to develop skills that will help them succeed in learning as well as employment settings. The ultimate benefit of research activities for the target population will be seen in the improved capacity for postsecondary students with ADS to utilize state-of-the-art technology to accommodate disability-related limitations, address career readiness, and to prepare for and obtain employment after graduation.

Because the risks to subjects are no greater than those associated with everyday life and because the study staff will refer students who are in psychological distress or medical emergency situations to appropriate resources in the community, the minimal risks of this study justify the considerable benefits that this study will yield. Not only will the study benefit participating students, it stands to make important contributions to the knowledge bases in the fields of assistive technology and rehabilitation.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive Support Technology (CST)

Cognitive Support Technology (CST) products and strategies are used to help people with disabilities compensate for or accommodate cognitive limitations (including those related to interpersonal communication and social cognition) that present difficulties for them in the performance of desired social roles, especially education and employment. CSTs may be mainstream everyday technologies such as tablet computers or they may be specialized devices designed for specific goals such as step-by-step instruction in the performance of a particular task (Scherer, 2012).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Virginia Commonwealth University

  collaborator OTHER

• Kent State University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-03-01

Primary Completion

2024-06-30

Completion

2024-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations