Valencia, Rusu, Quiñones & Jamet (2019)
As my research has developed, technology has continued to appear in relation to autism. This became particularly interesting following my primary research, where several participants independently suggested digital forms of support such as apps, navigation systems, prompts and having travel information stored together.
This made me want to understand whether there is a wider relationship between autism and technology, rather than immediately assuming that an app or digital platform would be an appropriate design solution.
I found Valencia et al. (2019), The Impact of Technology on People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review. The researchers reviewed 94 existing studies examining the use of technology with autistic people, predominantly within educational contexts.
One of the most interesting points within the review is the suggestion that many autistic people demonstrate a positive disposition towards computers and technology.
The authors connect this partly to the environment created through digital interaction. Unlike many real-world situations, technological environments can be structured and predictable, potentially making interactions more comfortable and allowing routines to be maintained.
This interested me because it moves beyond simply thinking of technology as a tool.
It suggests that there may be characteristics of the digital environment itself that are particularly relevant to autistic experiences.
Predictability has already appeared throughout my research into autism, and it was also particularly prominent within my questionnaire findings.
Valencia et al. suggest that computer-based environments can provide predictable and structured experiences.
This creates an interesting contrast with international travel, where environments can be highly unpredictable. Gates change, flights are delayed, security procedures vary between airports, transport systems differ between countries and travellers regularly have to respond to new information.
Technology therefore potentially creates almost the opposite conditions:
Travel: changing / unfamiliar / fragmented / unpredictable
Digital environments: structured / controllable / predictable
This feels particularly relevant to my research because it could begin to explain why technology repeatedly appears as a form of support, rather than simply observing that autistic travellers use technology.
The review also demonstrates how broad technology-based autism research has become.