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.

Autism and an Affinity With Technology

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 and Structure

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.

Different Forms of Technology

The review also demonstrates how broad technology-based autism research has become.

Across the 94 studies, researchers explored technologies including:

• mobile applications
• virtual reality
• augmented reality
• virtual agents
• games
• sensors and motion-based technologies
• computer-based learning environments.

These were used across areas including communication, emotions, interpersonal relationships, daily living and even transportation-related practical skills.

This is useful because it demonstrates that technology has already been explored as a way of supporting autistic people in navigating activities and environments, rather than being limited to communication or entertainment.

A Limitation

However, I need to be careful about how I use this research.

Valencia et al. primarily investigate technology as an educational intervention. The paper is therefore not evidence that every autistic person prefers technology, nor does it fully explain why autistic adults might voluntarily choose digital interaction in everyday life.

It also means I don't want to take this research and immediately conclude that technology is the answer to my travel problem.

Instead, the important finding for me is the possible relationship between autism and particular qualities technology can provide — especially structure and predictability.

Reflection

This research has opened up a direction I hadn't properly considered before.

Previously, I had noticed from my own experiences that autistic children and adults I know often spend significant amounts of time using tablets, computers, games or communicating online. My questionnaire then independently produced several suggestions involving apps and digital travel support.

Valencia et al. gives me an academic starting point for questioning why technology might repeatedly appear in these contexts.

Rather than asking:

“Could I design an app for autistic travellers?”

I am now more interested in asking:

“What is it about digital environments that may make them more manageable for some autistic people?”

If predictability, structure and control are part of that relationship, there could potentially be an interesting connection between autism → technology → international travel that is worth investigating further.

Key Notes

• Valencia et al. (2019) — systematic literature review of 94 studies.
• Research focused primarily on technology used to support learning and skill development in autistic people.
• The review reports previous research suggesting many autistic people show a positive disposition towards technology/computer-based learning.
• Predictability and structure are identified as important characteristics of technological environments.
• Technology explored included apps, VR, AR, virtual agents, games and sensors.
• Technology has been investigated across communication, social, practical and daily-living skills, including transportation.
• Important limitation: much of this research concerns technology designed as an intervention, particularly educationally. It does not prove that all autistic people naturally prefer digital interaction.
• Most useful connection to my project: international travel can remove predictability and control, while digital environments can potentially provide structure and predictability.