Exploiting Assistive Technologies for People with Down Syndrome: A Multi-dimensional Impact Evaluation Analysis of Educational Feasibility and Usability

摘要

Despite the potential benefits that Assistive Technologies (AT) could provide for People with Down Syndrome (PDS) and Intellectual Disabilities (PID), research and implementation of emerging AT for learning has mainly focused on developing adaptive accessible solutions and evaluating cognitive function. Unlike the parallel, but equally important role, of all stakeholders and factors involved in PDS and PID support and learning including medical practitioners, families and professionals, have not received adequate attention. This paper describes an interdisciplinary collaboration and multilevel evaluation focusing both on investigating the potential improvement of PDS memory performance after participating in cognitive training sessions. Cognitive assessment in 20 PDS working memory performance was conducted, whereas questionnaires were distributed to 29 relevant stakeholders evaluating the possible correlation between educational feasibility and usability of the AT introduced. Overall, the results showed that there was a significant improvement on PDS memory performance and significant positive correlation in between different variables of AT educational feasibility and usability.