My Capstone

Introduction:
  Autism spectrum disorder or ASD is developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. People who have ASD tend to have problems with social communication and interactions, restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests, different ways of learning, moving (physical implications), or paying attention (specify parietal lobe). All these characteristics can happen to someone without ASD but for someone who has autism, these implications can make life very challenging. There’s also different forms of ASD, one in particular being pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). PDD can be characterized as delays in the development of social and communication skills. Individuals diagnosed with PDD have a difficult time communicating with other individuals and not being able to process the emotions of others and themselves. These  complications make it more common for these individuals to have more violent tendencies not only to themselves but to others as well. The question arises on how are they going to identify, safely seduce, and communicate with an individual with PDD? 

The purpose of this capstone project is to develop an interactive training program utilizing Articulate Rise platform, primarily intended for law enforcement. The program will delve into PDD, providing in-depth knowledge on how to identify individuals with PDD, communicate effectively, and how to safely de-escalate any type of situation. The topics will be exhaustively researched and discussed in the accompanying paper. The training program will feature engaging modules, including informative videos, and interactive quizzes/questions to help make sure the user is retaining the information being presented . Upon completion of the program, viewers will have the opportunity to provide feedback on its usefulness. By exploring these specific topics, this program has the potential to reduce the risk of violent altercations and potentially save lives.
 
Problem statement: 
The problem is with people with PDD there is an overall increased chance of them having a possible violent altercation with not only an individual but with law enforcement as well. It’s unfortunate to talk about but these altercations can lead to the death of an individual due to either a misdiagnosis of the individuals or the failure to properly calm down the person with PDD. 



Importance as a New media capstone:
The use of a training program created with Rise Articulate to educate police officers about PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) is a prime example of how new media can effectively enhance and streamline learning. Previously, police officers may have attended in-person training sessions or read printed materials to obtain knowledge about PDD. However, with the increased availability of digital technologies, training programs can provide an engaging and interactive way to deliver information. The training program utilizes visuals, interactive quizzes, and other multimedia elements to illustrate the characteristics and behaviors related to PDD. This method helps police officers to develop a deeper understanding of the disorder and increase their empathy and sensitivity towards individuals with PDD. Overall, the use of a training program created with Rise Articulate for police officers on PDD is an exemplary demonstration of how new media can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of training, improve knowledge retention, and heighten awareness and understanding of complex issues.


Background: 

What is Autism spectrum disorder: Going into more detail ASD is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. These differences are complications with the left parietal lobe and the temporal lobe. People who have ASD 
tend to have problems with social communication and interactions, restricted or repetitive behaviors or interests, different ways of learning, moving (physical implications), or paying attention. All these characteristics can happen to someone without ASD but for someone who has autism, these implications can make life very challenging. The diagnosis can be decided between the ages of 18 months and 2 years of age. (CDC March 28th, 2022). Also forms of aggression/violence are well known in an individual with ASD.  
PDD stands for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, which is a group of conditions that affect an individual’s ability to socialize, communicate, and interact with others. These disorders are usually diagnosed in childhood and can affect various aspects of an individual’s development, including language, motor skills, and cognitive abilities. The term PDD is no longer used as a formal diagnosis in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition), which is the primary diagnostic reference used by mental health professionals. Instead, the DSM-5 categorizes these conditions as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related disorders. Individuals with PDD often struggle with social interactions, communication, and sensory processing. They may have difficulty understanding nonverbal cues, maintaining eye contact, or initiating and sustaining conversations. Additionally, they may have sensory sensitivities or repetitive behaviors.

(What is aggression?) Aggression can be characterized as a behavior that is threatening or could cause physical harm to another individual. The 

harm or violence may be verbal (examples being threatening or cursing after another person), or can be physical (examples being hitting, biting, throwing objects, any to all physical harm).  Studies show that compared to all other disabilities individuals with autism spectrum disorder indicate higher rates of aggression being shown. Having individuals gain a better understanding of what autism is and knowing how to identify an aggressive action from someone with ASD can help reduce violent incidents which is the goal of this project. 

Audience: 

The primary audience for the training video on people with PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) would be police officers who may come into contact with individuals with these conditions in the course of their work. This could include patrol officers, detectives, and other law enforcement personnel who work in the community.
Secondary audiences for the video might include other professionals who work with individuals with PDD, such as healthcare providers, social workers, and educators. Family members and caregivers of individuals with PDD could also benefit from the video’s content, as they may need to communicate with law enforcement personnel in emergency situations. 
Overall, the training video on people with PDD is designed to increase awareness and understanding of these conditions among law enforcement personnel and help them develop skills to interact more effectively and sensitively with individuals who have PDD. By doing so, the video aims to improve outcomes and reduce misunderstandings and conflicts between law enforcement and individuals with PDD.

This is just the beginning of my capstone paper if you’d like to view the research, survey results, and all my other work related to the project ill have a zip file you can download and view below just click on the blue button to download it.