Search

Abstract: This paper presents ECHOES, a serious game built to help young children with autism spectrum conditions practice social communication skills. We focus on the design and implementation of the interactive learning activities, which take place in a two-dimensional sensory garden, and the autonomous virtual agent, which acts as a credible social partner to children with autism. Both the activities and the agent are based on principles of best autism practice and input from users. Specification guidelines are given for building an autonomous socially competent agent that supports learning in this context. We present experimental results pertaining to the effectiveness of the agent based on an extensive evaluation of the ECHOES platform, which show encouraging tendencies for a number of children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Refutes the theory that childhood vaccines can cause autism. Impact of a paper published in a 1998 issue of the journal "The Lancet" suggesting a link between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism; Basis of the findings; Reaction of parents to the findings.

The article discusses a paper presented by psychologists Peter and Jessica Hobson on joint attention, its lack of development in children that are blind from birth, and concomitant obstacles to emotional contact said to lead to autism. The Hobsons' experimentation in British schools indicated that congenitally-blind children diagnosed with autism have diminished symptoms upon reaching adolescence.