Perceived usefulness of augmented reality application as educational intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder

Recent advancements in augmented reality (AR) technology, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, have sparked significant interest in AR as an educational tool for children with autism in both rural and urban areas. AR can revolutionize education by allowing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to interact with digital content overlaid on their real-world environment, creating immersive experiences. Despite its potential, AR applications have not been widely adopted in educational interventions for children with ASD. This study assessed the perceived usefulness of AR applications for educating children with ASD using the technology acceptance model (TAM). A cross-sectional study was conducted by distributing 5-point Likert scale questionnaires to 381 parents and teachers of ASD children across four regions in peninsular Malaysia, through stratified random sampling. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with IBM-SPSS Amos version 24.0, focusing on standardized and unstandardized regression weights. The findings indicate that perceived efficacy, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, training, and the integration of AR with PECS and TEACCH approaches significantly influence the perceived usefulness of AR applications. These factors are strong predictors of how parents and teachers perceive the usefulness of AR in educating children with ASD.