Remote Training to Support Children with Autism in Inclusive Educational Robotics Activities

Abstract

Educational Robotics (ER) is a motivating and essential method of experiential learning with cognitive and social
benefits for children of all ages. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have shown specific benefits from
participating in Inclusive ER activities (IERa) using LEGO type robots in terms of their social and cognitive skills.
Children with ASD and their families were severely isolated during COVID-19 pandemic. Neither the social skills'
intervention nor ERa were available to them. “Come Robotics” project was developed to investigate how ER remote
training in collaboration with caregivers at home could have an impact on social skills development and prepare
children with ASD to participate effectively in IERa with typical peers after COVID-19 isolation. The specific for
IERa, Search and Share Strategy (SaSS) was taught remotely via three online sessions to three children with ASD
in collaboration with their caregivers in order to explore whether the remotely taught SaSS could be transferred to
face-to-face IERa with typical peers and the children with ASD. In order to facilitate feedback and dissemination in
the context of typical and non-typical education, the material, methodology, and results of the action were recorded.