How to enhance attentional capacity and inhibitory control to school-aged children with autism through digital learning: A developmental instructional design

Abstract Taking into consideration the importance of executive functions (EF) in children’s development and the notion that these are hardly included in the official school programs, the aim of the current research was to develop a digital attention training for improving inhibitory control (IC) as a teaching practice for children with autism, including motion in the context of multi-level approach in autism education. For this purpose, the Kinems motion-based learning platform was applied during the regular program in a special primary school in Greece. A developmental instruction design implemented utilizing the principles of learning trajectories (LTs) and Curriculum Research Framework (CRF). Results indicate improvements in attention capacity and IC as well as in visuo-motor skills, suggesting that computer-based cognitive training combined with individualized and developmental instructional design could be effective in the school context for enhancing EF in children with autism. This research may give new insights to practitioners on how to integrate EF goals in their teaching practice.