www.first-asd.euwww.openbooktool.net

• A tool for simplifying text• For people with autism who have difficulty with

understanding regular text• Converts written information into a simpler

formateg. English > simplified Englisheg. Spanish > simplified Spanish• Using computerised language technology, it aims

to improve independence and social inclusion of people with autism

• Developed by the FIRST Project - 9 organisations under a European Commission FP7 Programme funded 3-year cooperative research project

• Available in English, Spanish & Bulgarian

Introducing Open Book

• Intellectual abilities vary between individuals, from superior intelligence in some areas to profound intellectual disability

• Language skills also vary between individuals (some people who have autism do not speak at all)

• Yet, all people with autism experience some difficulties in:

Comprehending speech and writing Interpreting figurative/non-literal language Understanding complex instructions Deriving the meaning or gist of written documents

More information about autism: www.autismeurope.org

Autism & reading comprehension

difficulties

How the tool works

How the program works

User interface: Original text

User interface: Adapted text

User interface: Magnification tool

User interface: Explain word

feature

User interface: Explain with picture

feature

User interface: Sentence

simplification

User interface: Sentence

simplification

User preferences

User interface: Ask carer feature

Carer interface: Add a note to respond to

question

Carer interface: Identifying obstacles to reading comprehension

Carer interface: Replace a word with a

simpler one

Carer interface: Add an explanation for a

word

Carer interface: Add a link to more

information

Research & development

process

Testing & evaluation

Designing system architecture & user interface

Identifying user requirements

Processing structural complexity of languages

Processing ambiguity in meaning of words

Generating personalised documents

Involvement of people with autism•Involvement in all stages of software development•Direct & indirect involvement (people with autism, as well as their teachers, parents, carers, and professionals)•Planning – Information & advice from autism organisations •Testing – 300 people with autism directly involved in testing the software•Evaluation – 18 intermediaries (carers, social workers, psychologists & doctors) involved in evaluating the usefulness of the software for people with autism•Perceptions of inclusion will be evaluated via qualitative interviews and focus groups with a sample of the people with autism who participated in testing the software

Research & development process

Identifying user requirements - General•Research during early phase of software development to define the needs of people with autism (in relation to accessing text documents) more clearly than any previous studies•Focus group discussions with sample group of people with autism

Research & development

process

Testing & evaluation•Testing with end users: People with autism-300 participants (both adults & children) with ‘high-functioning’ autism -Adults - 100 in UK, Children (aged 12 & above) - 100 in Spain, 100 in Bulgaria-Must have IQ of 70 or above-Tests to confirm participants’ diagnosis of high functioning autism -Reading comprehension tests with documents on various topics (under exam conditions)-Participants read documents in original and simplified formats -Participants answer multiple choice tests about their understanding of the documents-Testing results will inform future development / versions of the software

Research & development

process

Testing & evaluation•Surveys for end users: Intermediaries-18 participants (3 clinical centres x 6 participants)-Including carers, social workers & psychologists-Provided with training on how to use the software-Participants are asked to use the software to prepare 6 documents for people with autism-Afterwards, participants complete a survey to assess the useability of the software for people with autism-Survey results inform development of final software product

Research & development

process

User & carer feedback''I think it's increased my vocabulary, I think it's made me use more complex words''

– User, United Kingdom

''Not only is she reading significantly more, she's not coming to me, asking ‘what does that mean?'”.

– Carer, United Kingdom

''I can see that he starts to communicate with other children. He goes to them and starts talking, and he never did that before.''

– Parent, Bulgaria

Research & development

process

• University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

• Central & North West London NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom

• Universidad de Alicante, Spain• Autism-Europe a.i.s.b.l., Europe• Universidad de Jaen, Spain• Parallel World Sdruzhenie, Bulgaria• Deletrea SL, Spain• iWeb Technologies Ltd, United Kingdom• Kodar OOD, Bulgaria

Project partners

The research leading to this software product has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework

Programme (FP7, 2007-2013), under grant agreement n° 287607.

Acknowledgements

Open Book Launch Tomorrow morning, 11.40am (in the break) at the Autism-Europe stand(serving Belgian chocolates to guests!)

More information:Open Book: www.openbooktool.net FIRST Project website: www.first-asd.euJoin our mailing list: news@first-asd.euContact us: contact@first-asd.eu

Launch & updates