Game-Based Learning Application for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder using Participatory Design

Abstract

This paper aimed to devise a means to design game-based learning and develop an application game for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using the participatory design (PD) method. A total of 15 participants from Khaneye Mehre Autism School in Tehran, Iran, were involved in this study. The engagement participatory sessions supplied the necessary information to facilitate the design process and understand the children’s preference between the different design stimuli in individuals as informants by allowing them to be part of design activities. In addition, some value practices and design methods informed by relevant PD projects in the healthcare and public sectors were discussed such as an effective role of designers require adequate communication skills from participants. Based on the findings, this study maintains that PD increases the chance that the result of a design process represents the values for future works.