Background: Within a life span approach, introducing opportunities to explore careers through activities of interest provide ways for children to learn to explore, problem solve, and envision a future for themselves. However, little information exists about programs to promote social engagement and to explore potential career interests for youth with autism.
Objective: Explore engagement and learning in a technology-based extracurricular program (called iSTAR) for youth with autism.
Methods: The researchers used a qualitative approach with grounded-theory analysis to explore the processes that contributed to engagement and learning for youth with autism in an technology-based extracurricular program.
Findings: Youth Centered Learning and Opportunities to Demonstrate Skills emerged as themes that illuminated the processes by which engagement and learning occurred for the youth in the iSTAR program. Interest in the graphics program stimulated interactions amongst the youth with each other and with the adults. Modeling, demonstration, and scaffolded questioning supported engagement and learning for all the youth. Providing structure, encouraging choices, and following the youths' lead provided bridges for sharing and learning about the technology program.
Conclusions: Career exploration through use of interests in technology can provide opportunities for youth with autism to develop social and technical skills needed later for employment. Providing an environment that recognizes and builds on the youths' strengths and supports their autonomy and choices are critical components to promote their positive development and career potential.
Keywords: Strength-based; interests; positive youth development; school-aged children.