CareMate: An Assistive Web Application for Learners with Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder

The essence of assistive technology is to allow people who have disabilities to perform functions or actions that would otherwise have been challenging for them. However, assistive tools (ATs) for individuals with ASD are more inclined toward children than adolescents. There exists a need for ATs that focus on teaching basic functional or care skills and ATs catered to the school environment. Therefore, the study aimed to develop an assistive learning aid tool for secondary-level students with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The effectiveness of CareMate as an assistive and learning tool was determined through the analysis of an evaluation test conducted post-development. User acceptance and adherence to the UI/UX standards were measured through the statistical analysis of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), System Usability Scale (SUS), and the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ). All user acceptance tests signified the excellent quality of experience. Lastly, all pre-test and post-test scores significantly increased after student’s exposure to CareMate. To conclude, the study created an effective assistive tool and teaching aid that seeks to improve the level of learning and ability to communicate for Filipino learners with severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD).