Participatory Design of a Collaborative Accessible Digital Musical Interface with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This research project aims to address the challenges faced by children with autism spectrum condition (ASC) by developing a collaborative and accessible digital musical interface (CADMI) through a participatory design (PD) process. Six PD workshops were conducted in collaboration with Stanbridge Academy (n=6) and Skolen Sputnik (n=6), incorporating fictional inquiry narratives and tailored non-digital activities. The resulting musical tablet app, 'boxsound', prioritizes the user's perspective and enables the practice of various social skills by bridging divergent viewpoints. The CADMI was evaluated through a survey and semi-structured interviews with both children with autism and their educators.