Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) significantly impacts communicative, social, and behavioral skills, especially in children with Level 3 ASD. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems can help address these challenges. Aided augmented input emerges as an AAC strategy that enhances expression and comprehension through visual and verbal inputs from the communicator. Additionally, the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has enabled their educational and therapeutic use to support individuals with ASD, providing versatile and accessible tools that facilitate learning, interaction, and skill development. This study aims to analyze the effects of combining aided augmented input with a multimodal ICT support called EC+, compared to ARASAAC paper-based resources, on communicative, social, and behavioral skills. A quasi-experimental design was employed to compare the effects of both resources, including two groups of 6 children each, all with Level 3 ASD. The results showed significant improvements with both resources, but the ICT support proved more effective in the areas of communication and behavior. It is concluded that EC+ offers a more interactive and effective approach to enhancing the overall development of children with ASD, complementing paper-based resources in a valuable and innovative way.
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