A new study is underway to examine the role of technology in the education of autistic adolescents. Conducted in Quebec, the research aims to understand how digital tools can be better integrated into educational approaches to promote engagement and learning. According to researcher Vincent Beaulac, technology is frequently enough provided to autistic students without a clear understanding of its relevance or utility.

In Quebec, funding is available through the Ministry of Education’s measure 30810, component 30812, to support school service centers in purchasing and maintaining technological tools for students with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder.

“Like all other adolescents, these young people already live a large part of their online life, whether through video games, social networks or digital platforms. But that does not mean that their use of technological tools in class is automatically beneficial or adapted to their school needs, ” explained Vincent Beaulac during a presentation made as part of the 92nd ACFAS congress.

Giving Voice to Young people

To gain deeper insights into the connection between technology use and school engagement, Mr. Beaulac is employing a qualitative and participative methodology. He plans to interview a dozen autistic students, aged 12 to 17, attending regular classes within the School Service Centre in the Region-de-Sherbrooke.The goal is to provide these students with a platform to share their experiences.

Through interviews,group discussions,and exploratory activities,Mr. Beaulac intends to gather the students’ perspectives on their use of digital technology, both personally and academically.input from two teachers will also be included to provide additional context and validate the students’ comments.

The project seeks to identify factors that either encourage or hinder school engagement. The study will analyze how digital tools, whether personal or school-provided, relate to cognitive, emotional, and behavioral commitment.

“It is indeed not as a tool is available that it is automatically useful. You have to think about its use, contextualize it, and above all, assess the real effects on learning.”

The Need for Enhanced Training and Support

A critical point raised by Mr. Beaulac’s research is the level of support available to both students and teachers. He notes that technological tools are sometimes given to students without sufficient explanation or clear educational goals. Additionally, teachers, while responsible for facilitating student learning, often lack specialized training in using these tools to meet the specific needs of autistic students. This deficiency, according to Mr. Beaulac, significantly limits the potential positive impact of these technologies.

He hopes that his study will lead to a better understanding of how young autistic individuals use digital tools in educational settings and will generate practical strategies for integrating technology more effectively in the classroom. “It is indeed not as a tool is available that it is automatically useful. You have to think about its use,contextualize it,and above all,assess the real effects on learning.In addition, I still observe a lot of reward type use.»»

Anticipated outcomes

As the inclusion of autistic students in schools continues to present challenges, this research has the potential to inform teaching practices and educational policies by providing evidence-based insights into the appropriate use of digital tools for autistic students within an educational framework.

Preliminary results are expected next year.In the meantime, Vincent Beaulac is continuing to meet with students and analyze the initial data collected.