A Review of Digital Technology Support for Autistic Individuals in Optimizing Service and Educational System Development

TLDR

A filtering strategy and eligibility criteria was developed, ultimately identifying 14 papers that met the criteria from major databases Scopus and Web of Science, establishing the core literature for discussion and summarized three general conclusions.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the research progress in providing

support for autistic individuals through digital technology. To gather literature, we developed

a filtering strategy and eligibility criteria, ultimately identifying 14 papers that met the

criteria from major databases Scopus and Web of Science, establishing the core literature

for discussion. Additionally, we manually searched these databases for the most relevant

studies based on two themes, including the current application of digital technology in autism

support and digital technology-assisted teaching strategies, to enhance the depth and

breadth of this review. We focused on two key points: the current state of digital technology

applications in autism services and digital technology-assisted teaching strategies. After

reading, analyzing, and discussing the literature, we summarized three general conclusions.

First, in most cases, digital technologies can have a positive impact on autistic individuals,

including providing artistic support, promoting social acceptance, improving daily life, and

serving educational purposes. Second, in a minority of cases, digital technologies fail to

achieve the expected outcomes, for example, some studies suggest that robots may distract

users. Third, although some researchers have expressed concerns about the use of screen

media, there is currently no direct evidence indicating negative effects on autistic children.