Autism affects 1 in every 110 children that are born today. With such increasingly high numbers of cases, it is more and more important that we find ways to assist those affected with Autism to be able to better communicate with the world. And that is exactly what Doctors and Teachers have done with the iPad!In today's every increasing technological world, the iPad is standing out as a hero to some parents of Autistic children. Teachers and Doctors have found that Autistic children are naturally drawn to the iPad. They believe it is the familiarity on knowing exactly what to expect when they touch and click on the iPad. While they are generally frustrated by their lack of ability to anticipate human reactions, they know exactly what to expect when they slide a finger across the iPad's 10 inch screen. Even the act of drawing on the iPad is less frustrating, as they are able to handle the iPad a lot easier than they can a crayon or pencil.
One Australian study has shown that it is not just the predictable tapping actions that are helpful, but also various apps have proven to be very beneficial. Such as apps that match colorful and fun graphics to actions or words. In the case of the Australian study, a step by step guide for how to wash your hands was displayed on the iPad. After watching it, the autistic child was able to predict how to wash his hands in real life as well.
Many Teachers, Doctors and Parents have been blessed by seeing their child light up with excitement and learn new skills daily, by using the various apps on the iPad that have been designed to help with Autistic children and other special needs users. With the aide of the iPad, some children have been able to communicate their thoughts to their parents for the very first time! A moment that is sure to tug on the heartstrings of anyone involved.
Some of the apps that are widely in use for assistance with Autistic children are..
Autism Express
Price = FREE
Proloquo2Go
Price = $189.99
iCommunicate for iPad
Price - $49.99
a Quote from a user of this software...
“A must have if your child has autism! I have a number of apps downloaded on my iPad for my autistic son, and iCommunicate is by far the most useful and easy to use. My son is only 26 months old, yet he is able to enjoy the program. It is so versatile that we could get an online image of Itsy Bitsy Spider and all he has to do is touch the picture and he is rewarded with a song!” HD
Grace
Price = $9.99
simple picture exchange system developed by and for people with Autism and delayed speech which allows the user to communicate their needs by building sentences from relevant images. It can be customised by the individual using their picture and photo vocabulary with the user taking and saving pictures independently to the app.
The application works in real time and allows the user to select their preferences, then (on iPhone and iPod Touch) rotate the device to present a full-sized sentence to the listener - who will read it with them and respond to their request. You can currently have up to eight cards in a 'sentence', and the cards are large enough on iPad to not need a fullscreen view.
The beauty of Grace is that it ensures the interaction of the user with the listener, who models and prompts the user to develop their own vocalizations. Grace App empowers the user to add to their own vocabulary independently in order to express their true interests and needs.
These are just a few of the many apps designed to use on the iPad to help with Autistic children. Many Doctors and Teachers have gone so far as to call the iPad a miracle for Autism! If you have a family member or friend, with an Autistic child, please make sure they know about the advantages an iPad may present to them and their child.
This is exactly the kinds of studies i'm tracking. I'm an Autistic father of 3 Autistic boys who aren't able to cope at all in any schools because of the lack of understanding of Autism. If the child only displays difficulties in social areas and not so much in language or learning areas, there basically is no support for them what so ever. There has been a huge increase in applications to support the social short comings of children with Autism but very few that focus on the academic side. The few that are there are mostly targeted at the very early intervention stage. I'm trying to get individuals and organisations together to look at developing applications that support these kids on an academic level so that iDevices can be accepted and acknowledged by the government for the benefits they provide in teaching our children both in schools and with home schooling. If you have contacts or like to help, please contact me.
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