Facilitating other-awareness in low-functioning children with autism and typically-developing preschoolers using dual-control technology.

The team built a two-hand computer game. Each child shared one mouse with a partner.

Non-verbal kids with autism and typical preschoolers played the game. The researchers watched for signs that each child noticed and reacted to the partner’s moves.

They compared a plain interface with the new shared-mouse setup to see which one sparked more other-awareness.

Kids with autism only showed clear other-awareness when they used the shared-mouse version.

Both groups showed more social noticing when they played with a peer than with an adult.

The simple change of linking two mice to one screen made the difference between social silence and social response.

Saadatzi et al. (2018) took the idea further. They added a robot peer and taught sight words. Their kids learned words the robot was taught, not just the ones aimed at them. The shared-control idea grew into shared learning.

Cheng et al. (2012) tried an earlier tech trick. They used a data glove in virtual reality to teach joint attention. Both studies show screens and gadgets can open social doors for children with autism.

Sirao et al. (2026) seems to disagree. They found preschoolers with autism lacked brain-to-brain sync during joint games. The key difference: their children could already play basic games, while Samantha et al. worked with non-verbal kids who needed the tech boost. The contradiction fades once you see the skill gap.

If a child on your caseload ignores peers, try giving two children one shared computer task. Two mice, one screen, simple rules. Watch for looks, smiles, or helping. The tech is cheap and the setup takes minutes. Start with short turns, then fade the device once social sparks appear.