The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has received a $575,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to explore the use of eye-tracking technology to measure word comprehension in autistic children who are minimally verbal or non-speaking. Dr. Kristen Muller, assistant professor in the Speech-Language Pathology program, will lead the three-year study involving 35 children. By tracking eye movements as children view pictures and objects, researchers hope to measure language understanding without requiring speech or motor responses. The study also aims to identify why the technology may not work in some cases, such as distraction or movement. Muller says this research could lead to a strengths-based assessment tool that helps clinicians better understand and support these children. The project addresses a critical gap in autism research and could help improve therapies for a population often excluded due to limited assessment tools.
