Sadie Bunting

Opportunity

Verbal children and teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience challenges with emotional regulation and communication that are not visibly apparent. Despite advancements in assistive technology, existing tools largely focus on nonverbal users or mirror neurotypical interaction models, creating a technology gap for an already overlooked population.

The objective was to rethink how assistive technology could better serve verbal children with ASD by reducing cognitive processing demands and encouraging more intuitive self-expression.

Outcome

The mobile app prototype introduces customizable interaction patterns and guided tools that strengthen routine management, emotional awareness, and independent decision-making in everyday situations.

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This solution answers key research questions about accessibility, regulation, and independence, shaping an experience that helps children build confidence, communicate more comfortably, and navigate daily struggles:

Click on final design images to enlarge for better visibility

What tools are required to recognize, communicate, and regulate emotions when feeling overwhelmed?

The home screen displays emotion-based checklists and calming tools.

Emotion selector helps users identify and label feelings.

Embedded resources support emotional regulation without leaving the app.

How can communication be supported to encourage self-expression and independence?

Phrase buttons for customized needs and emotions.

Dropdowns with related options to assist in decision-making.

Full customization for colors, icons, and phrases.

Gradual setup process to reduce cognitive load.

How can tools that are already being successfully utilized be translated into a virtual environment?

Timed checklists guide daily tasks and routines.

“Ask for Assistance” button gives option to alert caregivers.

Automated reminders prompt task completion.

Editable task cards grow with the user’s needs.

Project Overview

Project Goal

The goal of this project was to design an accessible, customizable communication tool that helps verbal children with ASD express emotions, manage daily routines, and build independence. The app reduces cognitive and emotional barriers by providing structured tools for self-expression, emotional awareness, and task organization. The solution encourages confidence and consistency while helping children feel understood and capable in challenging moments.

User Group

This project focused on verbal children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ages 10–15. Through interviews with parents, caregivers, and professionals, alongside secondary research, I identified a significant gap in resources designed specifically for this group. Because verbal children can communicate in ways that appear typical, their needs are often overlooked, leaving them without tools that support emotional regulation and communication in a way that feels natural and age-appropriate.

Final Deliverable

The final deliverable was a mid-fidelity mobile app prototype that supports emotional communication and self-regulation for verbal children with ASD. The design draws inspiration from communication devices used by nonverbal children but adapts these tools for verbal users who often lack similar resources. Insights from research informed each interaction, ensuring the experience aligns with real-world needs and therapeutic techniques.

Secondary Research

In order to better understand my users, I researched the development, diagnosis and implications of ASD, the current state of assistive technology, and the designs/strategies of adapted classrooms. One of the main resources was the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), which provided a scientific understanding of the severity levels and “criteria” for ASD. In order to ensure I was collecting diverse data, I also read academic journals, scientific studies, and online blogs.

Design Impact: How can tools that are already being successfully utilized be translated into a virtual environment?

This research established an understanding of what makes physical communication tools effective for neurodiverse learners. It validated the use of familiar therapeutic and classroom methods, such as communication cards, checklists, and guided routines as the foundation for customizable digital experiences, ensuring continuity, comfort, and user confidence.

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Primary Research: Interviews

To understand the needs of children with ASD and their support networks, interviews were conducted with two parents and one ABA therapist. Each stakeholder received an overview of the project scope, planned design activities, and follow-up opportunities for future testing and feedback. Professional input informed early low-fidelity concepts.

Outcome

Accessibility limitations in educational tools prevent students from independently accessing materials, reducing classroom equity.

Adult facilitation (aides reading questions) limits opportunities for independent learning and self-advocacy.

Generic assistive technology fails to accommodate the diverse processing and emotional needs across the spectrum.

Standardized curricula and tools prioritize conformity over personalization.

High need for customization to support flexibility, comfort, and developmental growth.

Design Impact: How can communication be supported to encourage self-expression and independence?

Stakeholders consistently emphasized autonomy, emotional regulation, and adaptable communication systems, uncovering a gap in accessible, context-aware assistive tools. These insights shaped the foundation of the app’s customizable interface, prioritizing independent use, personalized setup, and embedded communication aids that adapt proven physical supports into a flexible digital environment built by and for the user.

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Participatory Design Workshops

To incorporate user perspectives directly into the design process, I facilitated a diary-keeping activity with a parent prior to participatory prototyping with their child. This allowed parents to observe daily interactions with adaptive tools and surface insights ahead of our session. During prototyping, children used their existing communication cards to express preferences and reactions when verbal communication was challenging.

Outcome

Diary observations identified moments of confusion and stress, informing the need for clear visual guidance.

Parent reflections emphasized gradual information delivery, to reduce the cognitive load of decision making.

Use of communication cards highlighted the importance of nonverbal expression options as tools for daily use.

Familiar activities improved comfort and engagement.

Child feedback demonstrated the value of flexible, personalized communication tools to support growing curiosity.

Design Impact: What tools are required to recognize, communicate, and regulate emotions when feeling overwhelmed?

Participant feedback highlighted moments of confusion, emotional overload, and communication barriers, reinforcing the need for multimodal interaction and ways to express needs without verbal language. These activities inspired a focus on recognizing and managing emotional states within digital contexts, resulting in features like guided setup sequences, customizable phrase buttons, and nonverbal expression options.‍

View Next Experience

Multifunctional Assistive Support App

For Children with Verbal ASD

Opportunity

Outcome

This solution answers key research questions about accessibility, regulation, and independence, shaping an experience that helps children build confidence, communicate more comfortably, and navigate daily struggles:

What tools are required to recognize, communicate, and regulate emotions when feeling overwhelmed?

How can communication be supported to encourage self-expression and independence?

How can tools that are already being successfully utilized be translated into a virtual environment?

Project Overview

Project Goal

User Group

Final Deliverable