FUN-ACT (Functional Rehabilitation for Autism Children Training): Study Protocol for Developing a Functional Rehabilitation Education Model to Improve Activities of Daily Living Independence in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-807-8_13How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Activities of Daily Living; Functional Rehabilitation; School-Based Intervention; Study Protocol

Abstract

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) commonly experience difficulties in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), including self-feeding, dressing, personal hygiene, and activity transitions, limiting independence and participation. Although functional rehabilitation can improve adaptive functioning, existing interventions are largely therapist-centered and insufficiently integrated into school routines. Scalable school-based rehabilitation models involving teachers and caregivers remain limited, particularly in resource-limited settings. The Functional Rehabilitation for Autism Children Training (FUN-ACT) Program was developed to address this gap by integrating functional rehabilitation strategies into structured classroom activities. To describe the development, validation, implementation, and preliminary evaluation of the FUN-ACT Program as a functional rehabilitation–based educational model to improve ADL independence in children with ASD. This study employs a Research and Development (R&D) design adapted from the Borg and Gall framework, followed by a single-arm feasibility study with a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest evaluation. The study includes needs assessment, model development, expert validation, and implementation in a special education school. The FUN-ACT Program combines functional exercises, task-oriented activities, environmental adaptation, visual supports, and caregiver-assisted learning. Participants include children with ASD, teachers, and caregivers. Primary outcomes are feasibility, content validity, and ADL independence, while secondary outcomes include teacher acceptability, caregiver engagement, and implementation practicality. Data will be analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative methods. The study is expected to produce a feasible, contextually appropriate school-based rehabilitation model that strengthens teacher and caregiver capacity while improving ADL independence among children with ASD, providing preliminary evidence for broader implementation in resource-limited educational settings.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Farsya Hidayah Septiananda
AU  - Calista Neysa Yusangka
AU  - Alvino Ramadhany Putra
AU  - Andini Kurniawati
AU  - Masitha Firda Yudhiarta
AU  - Andreas Budi Wijaya
AU  - Dewi Amanah
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/24
TI  - FUN-ACT (Functional Rehabilitation for Autism Children Training): Study Protocol for Developing a Functional Rehabilitation Education Model to Improve Activities of Daily Living Independence in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
BT  - Proceedings of the Malang International Conference on Medical and Health Sciences (MICROMEDHS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 148
EP  - 159
SN  - 2468-5739
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-807-8_13
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-807-8_13
ID  - Septiananda2026
ER  -