Co-designing a social robot in a special educational needs school: Listening to the ambitions of autistic children and their teachers

Newbutt, Nigel; Rice, Louis; Lemaignan, Séverin; Daly, Joe; Charisi, Vicky; Conley, Iian

Abstract

Social robots have the potential to support autistic school children with their wellbeing. This research reveals how a co-design approach with autistic children and their teachers was undertaken. Focus groups with autistic children and teachers collaboratively identified user requirements for the social robot and robot behaviours within the school ecosystem in order to improve student wellbeing. The results reveal the importance of including autistic children in the co-design process to ensure their voices are heard and also that the role of the robot is appropriate and targeted to the users’ needs and requirements. Autistic children and their teachers report multiple potential benefits for social robots supporting emotional wellbeing in the school. Autistic children were supportive of the introduction of a social robot in their school, mostly expressing positive attitudes towards the robot. The research is significant in revealing how a user-centred co-design approach involving autistic children and social robots may support emotional wellbeing.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 21, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Mar 24, 2023
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jan 29, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 21, 2024
• Journal: Interaction Studies
• Print ISSN: 1572-0373
• Electronic ISSN: 1572-0381
• Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 204-242
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/is.21031.new
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11641022