A Comprehensive Mobile Platform for Fostering Communication, Literacy, Numeracy, and Emotion Understanding in Children with ASD

Abstract

This study presents SIPNENA, a novel mobile application designed to aid the learning and communication development of Sinhala-speaking autistic children aged six, particularly in rural areas of Sri Lanka. It offers a unique approach to teaching challenging subjects like English and Mathematics, tailored to the specific needs of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The application integrates interactive methodologies and gamification elements to facilitate better communication, understanding, and engagement. Additionally, it incorporates real-time emotion recognition features to monitor and respond to children's emotional states during learning activities. This research evaluates SIPNENA's effectiveness in improving communication abilities, academic skills, and emotion understanding among autistic children. The findings indicate promising results in catering to the unique educational needs of this target population, particularly in under-resourced rural regions, where specialized interventions are often scarce.