Autism and AutismPro - Buzzwords Aplenty But Where Is The Evidence???

AutismPro is a commercial internet based software package available from VEC Inc. VEC is undeniably expert at self promotion. It's latest of many Press Releases is "evidence" of VEC's very substantial self promotional skills. In an earlier commentary, AutismPro - "Somewhat" Evidence Based Internet Autism Intervention or Not Evidence Based At All?, I questioned the evidence basis of AutismPro. Apparently I needn't have worried. After all, highlighted in the latest Thomas Mitchell/VEC Inc. Press Release is information which appears to address my concerns:

The rich content represents evidence-based best practices for children within the autism spectrum of disorders as defined by the US National Research Council in 2001

The above quote is from renowned autism expert Kathleen A. Quill. That should be the end of any questions about the evidence bases of AutismPro right? Well no it isn't. Dr. Quill, as the Press Release acknowledges, is a professional advisor to AutismPro and has been since its inception. It is difficult to view her as a detached, objective source for assessing the merits of AutismPro.

More importantly the quote from Dr. Quill addresses none of the issues I raised in my earlier commentary. The various interventions offered in the AutismPro package vary in the strength of evidence in support. Further, when various interventions are offered in combination they become a new, eclectic, intervention for which new evidence is required in order to be able to claim that the intervention is "evidence-based". Presumably the qualifications, experience and skills of the person using the program would affect the results achieved.

Autism is a perplexing neurological disorder. The delivery of any autism intervention by a pre-packaged program far from the time and place of the challenges involved in educating or treating an autistic child introduces a new element to any intervention used. AutismPro is unquestionably innovative, a buzzword that will undoubtedly help sell it to Education Departments and School Districts but it is very much open to debate as to whether it is "evidence based".

None of which is meant to detract from the admirable job done by Mr. Mitchell and the VEC Inc. PR team in selling AutismPro. The latest Press Release includes an impressive list of buzz words and phrases some of which are set out below:

autism software solution
innovative software program
intelligent software systems
state-of-the-art Internet technologies
impressive collection of seasoned special educators
world-renown autism specialists
enable educators
educational achievement
collective brainpower of leading autism experts
comprehensive web-based special education case management system
robust reporting capabilities
comprehensive end-to-end instructional management system

The buzz words and phrases in this latest VEC release are impressive. But where is the evidence that AutismPro itself is an evidence based effective intervention for educating or treating autistic children? In a 2006 Press Release VEC Inc. stated that:

"Dr Holden is currently undertaking a research trial consisting of 46 families across Ontario, including 63 adult care providers and 52 children aged 2 to 9, using AutismPro. The study is being done in partnership with Autism Ontario and Autism Spectrum Disorder - Canadian American Research Consortium (ASD - CARC) out of Queen's University. Participants have been provided with a one year subscription to the program."

http://ww1.prweb.com/releases/2006/12/prweb489594.htm#

I had some concerns about the objective value of research trials being conducted by Dr Holden who was also an AutismPro consultant. But that being said, what were the results of the studies which were being conducted in 2006?

If AutismPro is an evidence based effective intervention for autistic children where is the evidence?

autism

Autism Pro and Autism Self Promotion

There is nothing wrong with self promotion. It is a necessary element of survival and progress in the real world. When self promotion arises in respect of a product aimed at providing health and education interventions for children with a serious neurological disorder like autism though it is critically important that self promotion be accompanied by a proven effective and reliable product. Autism Pro is a product offered by Virtual Experts Clinic a New Brunswick based company, despite its CEO's Aussie origins, which is an aggressive and astute self promoter. It's PR releases and web page are a compliment to VEC's Public Relations staff. The web site, in particular, is pretty as can be, with soft reassuring purple colors, icons with nice rounded corners, very stylish stuff. There is no doubt that AutismPro is very good at Autism Self Pro-motion. But what of the products it sells?

On that very important element the concerns that I have expressed since being exposed to Autism Pro in its conceptual stages remain and are in fact compounded by AutismPro's aggressive expansion into the area of training teachers and aides who work with autistic children. My concerns include delivery of an eclectic mix of interventions, including non-evidence based interventions, and to a lack of accountability for the results of product use. The expansion into education training has taken place, to my knowledge, without completion of research trials underway in respect of the primary Autism Pro product offered to families with autistic children. Education departments are now being solicited to purchase the AutismPro for Educators product even before completion of the research trials on the basic product.

"Dr Holden is currently undertaking a research trial consisting of 46 families across Ontario, including 63 adult care providers and 52 children aged 2 to 9, using AutismPro. The study is being done in partnership with Autism Ontario and Autism Spectrum Disorder - Canadian American Research Consortium (ASD - CARC) out of Queen's University. Participants have been provided with a one year subscription to the program."

AutismPro, Press Release, December 12, 2006

Dr. Holden is a respected autism expert in Canada. She is also an AutismPro research partner. She has already gone on public record as supporting AutismPro and the inter-net as a means of delivering autism interventions. Given her existing opinion, publicly stated, her objectivity in conducting the research trials is open to question. In the meantime I have seen no publicity notices or research articles from VEC or Dr Holden announcing the results of the "research trials". Yet, education departments, ever on the look out for cheap solutions to the demands for education of autistic students, and easily impressed by the glamor and ease of an inter-net solution, will likely be willing customers, particularly when some of the public servants deciding how education staff will be trained are predisposed to technological solutions and lack basic understanding of autism and autism interventions.

Virtual Experts Clinic is good at promoting AutismPro. But is it promoting the best interests of autistic students? Unfortunately, there is no evidentiary basis with which to answer that question.