Development of a constructivist learning environment on the facial expression recognition skills of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Abstract

This paper details the development of a prototype constructivist mobile application for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), to aid them in identifying facial expressions in others. People with ASD have difficulty identifying facial expressions in others. The ability to recognize facial expressions is an important part of social competences which allow individuals to engage in social interactions, establish and maintain relationships, and get needs met. Many of the Facial Expression Recognition (FER) software which are commercially available are very prescriptive and allow for little or no input from their users. This app prototype that was developed and used in this study would enable users to set their learning goals, use photos of people they know, and set their own tests on that content. Ideally, participants who use this app would improve their FER skills and achieve their learning goals.