Marketing Research

Type / educational Application for autism children

Research Q: is there a need to develop educational app for autism children?

Research Overall Goal:

Help the children with autism in their daily life by developing an educational app.

Research Objectives:

• Targeting children between 5yrs to 12yrs.

• Identifies this particular group of people need and preferences in term of education.

• Identify the autism technology daily use.

• Test the acceptance of the app among autism children.

• Identify the main competitors and similar apps to compare the similarities and differences in order develop the app.

Research design:

The type of methods will be used on the research:

• Focus group.

• Interview. ( parents )

Background

Autism, a condition referred to as autistic disorder in the brain, is a lifelong developmental disability affecting social and communicative functioning which make communication with other people is limited and complicated. Treatment for autism could be by prescribing of drugs that used as an adjunct to treat specific symptoms, but it can't treats autism as a whole. So the more effective way of dealing with it is by using methods of changing maladaptive behavior and developing learning and communication skills to make them blend more in the society. Such as Behavior modification approaches, educationally based approaches, speech therapy, parent skill training, and adaptive skill training are generally part of an individualized multimodal treatment plan.

Literature review

By developing the application, it becomes a method used in Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment for autistic children.

The National Standards Project states:

"There are 14 Established Interventions that have been thoroughly researched and have sufficient evidence for us to confidently state that they are effective."

The comprehensive behavioral treatment is the most effective treatment found based on the National Autism Center located in United States. According to Lovaas, O. I. (2002) the intensive early behavioral treatment is a must to control and develop the essential skills (communication, social skills, activities of daily living, vocal language, self-management skills, and motor skills) which is consist of the involvement of the autistic childrenwith their surrounding environment.

A numerous of researches focused in the benefit role this kind of treatment. Kate Miller-Wilson, ABA for autism. (2013) indicated it shows improvement in learning, social skills, cognitive function, self-help skills, and communication, build a solid and trustful relations with others. SJ Rogers - Journal of autism and developmental disorders, (1996‏) state it is a way for spending a quality time with the parents, and learn new things.

There are some downfalls toward this technique.Ms.P McGrath- American Journal (1992) says it need a huge commitment and patient as it turned out it istime consuming. It's frustrating for parents to spend 25-40 hours a week in training their child.Especially if the parents have other children to care of.

Another throwback according to Ms.P McGrath isParental Involvement. The parents must learn the teaching and techniques in order to can regularly help their child work though them, and very busy and overwhelmed by it. Parental involvement consider a disadvantage if they are not willing to participate. It effect the relationships and the progress of the autistic children

Bibliography American Psychiatric Association. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994. Bryson, S. E. ‘‘Epidemiology of Autism: Overview and Issues Understanding.'' In Donald J. Cohen and Fred R. Volkmar eds., Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders, 2nd edition. New York: Wiley, 1997.Green, Gina. ‘‘Evaluating Claims about Treatment for Autism.''

In Catherine Maurice, Gina Green, and Stephen Luce eds., Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals. Austin, TX: Pro Ed, 1996. Harris, Sandra, and Jan Handleman, eds. Preschool Education Programs for Children with Autism. Austin, TX: Pro Ed, 1994. Bryna Siegel