A Randomised Controlled Trial of an Information Communication Technology Delivered Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Living in Regional Australia.

Parsons et al. (2019) tested a tablet app called Therapeutic Outcomes By You. Kids with autism in rural Australia used the app at home while still getting their usual therapy. Half the families got the app right away; the others waited.

The team tracked language, play, and social skills for three months.

At the end, both groups looked almost the same. Only one skill—expressive language—inched ahead for the app group. Every other measure stayed flat.

Yet every child, app or not, made small gains when the researchers pooled the before-and-after scores.

Parsons et al. (2020) followed the same kids for a full year. They report that the small gains in receptive language and social skills held up, even though the 2019 RCT saw no group difference. The longer view makes the app look better than the short trial suggested.

Urrea et al. (2024) reviewed 13 tablet vocabulary studies. Half showed mixed or null results, matching the 2019 finding that tech helps some kids but not all.

Pereira et al. (2024) ran 24 speech-language sessions and saw big, fast gains in pragmatic language. Their live coaching beat the quiet, self-paced tablet game.

Taken together, the picture is clear: tablets can keep skills steady, but direct adult teaching still packs more punch.

If you serve rural families, a tablet app can be a low-cost bridge between visits. Do not expect big leaps; use it to maintain or gently boost expressive language while you work on other goals face-to-face. Always pair screen time with real talk.