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Amber Adams (Pittsfield, IL), a senior exercise science major, is one of Cathy McMillan's students using the ExerciseBuddy app in "The Impact of the iPad on Physical Activity Levels of Young Adults with Intellectual Delays and/or Autism" research project.
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Exercise Science Students Involved in Cutting-Edge iPad Research Project for Students with Autism

December 1, 2015

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MACOMB, IL — This semester, nine exercise science students at Western Illinois University are involved in research that could help show how using technology can be beneficial for individuals with autism when exercising. The research project, "The Impact of the iPad on Physical Activity Levels of Young Adults with Intellectual Delays and/or Autism," came about as the result from WIU Department of Kinesiology Professor Cindy Piletic's and Assistant Professor Cathy McMillan's approved grant application through the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD).

"The awarded grant funds enabled us to purchase 10 iPads for the research project. The focus of the project is to help the students with autism exercise better and become more self-directed at exercise," McMillan explained. "After receiving the grant funds for the iPads and purchasing them, our plans were to use them to motivate the students and to measure levels of physical activity," she added.

McMillan's and Piletic's research has since evolved through the use of ExerciseBuddy, an iPad app that helps solve the problem of introducing exercise to individuals with autism. (See "WIU Adapted Physical Activity Motor Clinics for Special Ed Students Evolve with iPad App Use" for more information about the use of ExerciseBuddy at Western.)

McMillan said nine students in her personal training course are working with individuals with autism from Macomb High School and from Bridgeway in Macomb. In their personal training sessions, the WIU students are using the ExerciseBuddy app, which enables educators working with a student or individual with autism to set up an exercise circuit or plan, and then help keep the student on task.

"This semester were are in the pilot phase. Next semester, we're hoping to continue to collect data and into Fall 2016, as well," McMillan said. "We're the only school right now using ExerciseBuddy for research with exercise science students. Everybody else is using it for teacher education, but taking it into the fitness realm, well that is brand new."

McMillan explained when she first broached the project with her students in the personal training course, many were anxious about participating. But, as the semester has progressed, she said it has become to clear to her the students are enjoying the experience working with the Macomb High students and individuals from Bridgeway.

"I am finding this opens students' eyes to an area of study that they had not considered before," McMillan noted. "They also love the idea that it's cutting edge and being at the forefront of something new like this. I have been here for a long time, and I have to say I love this opportunity. It's always wonderful to find something new and different you can give your students, particularly something that will help make them more employable."

For more information, contact McMillan at (309) 298-1758 or CS-McMillan@wiu.edu or Piletic at (309) 298-1058 or via email at C-Piletic@wiu.edu.

Posted By: Teresa Koltzenburg (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing