Through the troll forest : exploring tabletop interaction design for children with special cognitive needs

We describe the interaction design process of conceiving, designing, implementing, and testing Trollskogen, a purpose-built tabletop multitouch system featuring a range of small software applications, termed ‘micro applications’. Each micro application is devised as a tool intended to improve or allow for exercise of social communication skills. Throughout the project, we have worked closely with a group of six children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Down’s syndrome, all in the age range of 5-8. The system has been designed together with the users, their teachers, and various experts as a complement to the current curricula. In this paper, the three main phases of our design process are described and we conclude the paper by reporting on and discussing some preliminary findings and observations from a small user stud