Personal Computers and Multimedia

Abstract

Use of technologies in support of autism began with the advent of the desktop computer in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The expansion of internet technologies in the last two decades has broadened this scope as well, but we here include those systems with a traditional “desktop” model to them even if people are now accessing them on a wide variety of internet-connected devices. The experience of using these applications usually requires an individual to sit at a screen and use a keyboard and/or mouse to interact with specially designed software in a primarily stationary and seated position. While many of the examples provided in this chapter include applications that have since transitioned to smaller and mobile platforms, we highlight here applications that were initially developed for the stationary platform. A prominent use of the “desktop” platform involves the use of multimedia (e.g., image, video, audio, and combinations thereof) to support teaching and assessment of autistic individuals. This use of video and holds a particularly prominent place in the space of technologies for autism. Although use of multimedia features in other technology reviews in other chapters of this review, in this chapter, we particularly focus on the capture, storage, and/or access of a combination of text, audio, still images, animation, video, or interactivity content forms. It also includes interactive videos, DVDs, or other multimedia, which had an explosion of interest in the late 1990s. We particularly highlight ways in which video is a mode for both collection and delivery of information. We note that due to the changing nature of technology, this chapter is more of a historical overview and less of a review of current trends, as very little recent research in this space has focused exclusively on the personal computer, the web, or multimedia as a platform.