Music Spectrum: A Music Immersion Virtual Environment for Children with Autism

This article reports on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), virtual environments and music therapy, defining and prototyping a virtual environment for assisting children in ASD cope with social situation through music activities. Music Spectrum help the development of communication skills, imagination and social interaction of children with ASD, which is a complex set of social unrest, marked by impaired social interaction, communication and restricted or stereotyped patterns of behaviors and interests. As virtual environments simulate real situations, children can experience overcoming their difficulties in interaction and communication in a more quiet and controlled environment before they are exposed to similar social tasks. Our choice for music is based several parents’ testimony about their children preferences and ways they use to regulate and organize themselves.