The Co-Evolution of Language, Technology, and Culture in Autism Computing Research: Lessons Learned From ACM Digital Library

In the last two decades, autism research in computing has experienced tremendous growth, highlighting the potential to improve the experience of autistic individuals. Our research offers a detailed understanding of the landscape of autism computing research in the ACM Digital Library by conducting a literature review (N=533). Our analysis reveals that autism computing research lacks inclusiveness in several important demographic dimensions, including gender identity, age, and culture. The developed technology is largely focused on diagnosis (e.g., autism detection) and addressing the needs of autistic children (e.g., improving social communication) while ignoring the challenges of autistic elderly and adults (e.g., independent living and employment). Also, autism computing research in the ACM Digital Library is concentrated in North America and Europe, with no or little representation from Africa, South America, and Oceania. We identify areas that deserve attention and provide actionable guidelines to enhance the inclusiveness and generalizability of autism research in computing.