Tags:Autism Spectrum Disorder, Embedded learning and Prospective memory
Abstract:
Sample: A total of 31 participants, comprising (n =13) students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and (n = 18) neurotypical adolescents matched in age and grade, were recruited from a local school district following Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. Method: The study employed the Dash-Dash-Delivery (D3) simulation, designed as an integrated learning platform merging aspects of time management, prospective memory (PM), and financial education. Within the simulation, players assumed the role of delivery personnel in a virtual mall environment, engaging in a 30-minute session simulating an 8-hour workday. The intervention took place in a special education classroom during the spring semester of 2021, with the presence of a special education teacher and teacher aides to assist with setup and implementation. Over a period of seven days, students participated in thirty-minute sessions, completing five daily job assignments of varying difficulty levels, involving package pickup and delivery to a designated drop-off location within the simulation. Successful task completion and timely bill payments within the game yielded game currency for players. Distractions such as a game room, clothing store, and toy store were integrated into the simulation to assess impulse control and game performance. Following the intervention, a post-assessment was conducted, including a one-shot hypothetical debt repayment game and a 10-question financial literacy test, where students were permitted to use calculators for computations. Results: Both neurotypical students (M = 55.17, SD = 7.68) and autistic students (M = 49.69, SD = 11.58) performed equally well on their ability to pay on-time bills in the game F (1,29) = 2.51, p = .12.
Role of Experiential Learning in Prospective Memory Improvement Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder