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Abstract

Early reading skills are a fundamental component of children’s literacy development, including for children with autism who require adaptive and individualized learning approaches. However, learning media used in Special Needs Schools (SLB) are still predominantly conventional and less effective in maintaining students’ attention and engagement. This study aims to analyze the needs for interactive learning media in early reading among children with autism, drawing on teachers' experiences, observations of student behavior, and perceptions of technology use. This study employed a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design involving four special education teachers and four children with autism aged 6–9 years in a special school. Data were collected through Likert-scale questionnaires, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings indicate that children with autism tend to respond more positively to visual and kinesthetic stimuli compared to auditory input, and show higher engagement when learning involves animations and real-time audio support. Teachers also perceived that conventional media are less effective in sustaining students’ focus, and expressed a strong need for more interactive and multisensory learning media. In particular, teachers highlighted the potential of Augmented Reality (AR)-based phonics media to support more engaging learning experiences. However, it is important to note that this study is limited to a needs analysis and does not examine the effectiveness of AR-based interventions. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted as reflecting teacher perceptions and contextual needs rather than evidence of impact. This study contributes by providing an empirical basis for the development of interactive and technology-based learning media and supporting the application of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Further research is recommended to develop and experimentally evaluate AR-based phonics media for early literacy learning in children with autism.

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