Understanding Support Needs in Autism Care and Education
Research • Prototyping • Vibe Coding for Quick Implementation Testing
project overview.
research purpose.
The aim of this project is to design a digital platform that uses AI to assist in generating learning materials for autistic children while preserving flexibility, human judgment, and caregiver control. Rather than positioning AI as an authority or replacement, the platform is intended to function as a supportive aid—helping caregivers and educators save time while allowing them to customize content according to each child’s needs, routines, and context.
This project is an early-stage, research-based exploration into how AI-supported tools might assist caregivers and educators of autistic children in preparing learning materials.
The purpose of this research is to understand the lived practices, challenges, and decision-making processes of caregivers and educators of autistic children, particularly in relation to preparing personalized learning materials. By investigating current behaviors, workloads, and attitudes toward digital tools, the research seeks to identify where existing services fail to support caretakers.
starting with the basics.
who, what and why.
The main insight is that caregivers are already overloaded, and the real problem is not “how to add AI,” but what support is missing in the first place. Your project should therefore focus on the concrete work they do: preparing learning materials, organizing routines, and managing the emotional and practical load of supporting autistic children.
I have interviewed people who are autistic children's caregivers and caretakers, and Special needs teachers. The research began with a simple question: What support do caregivers and educators of autistic children actually need in their day-to-day work? Interviews and observations quickly showed that one of the biggest pressures is the time and effort required to prepare learning materials and adapt them to each child’s needs. This insight makes the project important because it starts from the existing workload, then examines whether AI could eventually be useful as a support tool rather than assuming technology is the answer from the outset.
after conducting interviews, I have more questions...
This is what I love about the research process: there are always more questions after every answer.
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How do caregivers and educators currently create and adapt learning materials?
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What aspects of this work are most time-consuming or stressful?
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How do users perceive AI-generated assistance, including skepticism and concerns?
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What level of customization and control do users expect before trusting AI tools?
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Where AI support may be inappropriate or undesirable?
so...what's next?
I have vibe-coded a prototype that integrates the features I initially identified, and I plan to conduct user testing to examine how those features are perceived and used. This approach allows me to translate my assumptions into testable design decisions, then evaluate them through user feedback and observation. By doing so, I can help quantify the research findings, identify which assumptions are supported or challenged, and refine the prototype based on evidence.
current challenges and concerns
Uncertainty of AI Effectiveness
Since this is an initial research phase, there is no evidence yet that AI-generated materials improve learning outcomes or reduce caregiver burden. Evaluating usefulness, appropriateness, and risks requires further testing and longitudinal study
Risk of Over-Assumption
A key challenge is avoiding the assumption that efficiency equals value. What saves time may not align with caregivers’ priorities around care, trust, and child-specific needs.