Abstract

This chapter discusses some key aspects of a doctoral study which aimed to understand and enhance emotional literacy in severely autistic students using facial recognition software. Despite the considerable research carried out with young people with autism using technology, very few studies have considered those with severe autism and this study is significant precisely because of this. The methodology is discussed in detail because it had to be substantially adapted to meet the needs of these particular students. Eight children, in a special unit within a mainstream school in the UK, took part in the study over a thirteen month period, with varying degrees of engagement and progress. Each responded uniquely to various assessment studies and to a new teaching tool. We chose to examine the case of one student in depth in this chapter, to enable the reader to understand the whole process, and the complex issues involved, with only brief summaries of the data gathered from the remainder of the group.