Using iPads to Improve the Social Skills of Children With Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a wide range from high to low functioning disorder of the brain. The brain works differently than a normal brain. Difficulties of those with ASD include social skills and verbal skills. According to the video that we watched in class, the little girl with autism related this spectrum to a number line meaning it ranges from very minor to severe. In class as well I gathered some facts from the presenters about ASD. These include: 1 in every 68 children are diagnosed with ASD, 40% of people with ASD have above average intellectual abilities, and 33% of those have difficulty communicating with others verbally.

One great way of assisting those in our classroom with ASD is with… wait for it… iPads!! Yes, iPads are a fantastic way of assisting these students in ways that we never thought was possible before. We learned in class from a presentation that iPads have the ability to increase socialization in inclusion classrooms between all students. When children diagnosed with ASD are provided with iPads in the classroom, it becomes easier for those students to communicate with others in class. iPads have also been proven to increase academic success for students diagnosed with ASD. 

One of the apps that they shared I am very passionate about and that is Kid In Story. Often times, children with autism have a difficult time in preparing for situations as well as knowing how to act in them. Kid In Story allows you to express behavior and environment details  in a more interesting way. Children with autism can easily read these social stories over and over again. The best part about this app is that you can insert a picture of the child into the story. This allows it to feel more personal to the student.

• Created by an award-winning team of designers and developers closely collaborating with parents, speech and language pathologists, and educators

                   

• Developed for children with autism, down syndrome, ADD, ADHD, auditory processing issues, and cognitive disabilities

• 21 in app story templates

• This app also gives you the option to create your own book. This will allow you to upload any picture from your phone, the internet, or tablet for your background. This option allows you to create a story about any situation or environment. The free version includes all 21 templates, but does not include the create your own option.

• Unique image detection technology

• This image detection technology will remove the background from any picture so that it is only the child being placed into the book.

• Voice recording

• Each story page has text at the bottom. There is already text in the pre-made pages, but the words can be edited by you to fit the child’s needs. By recording your voice or the childs voice, it helps those who may not can read yet.

• Allows the child to be in the story

• This allows this app to become personal. Children with autism will greatly benefit from seeing themselves in the situation or environment over and over again so that they can feel comfortable when the time comes.

Children with ASD struggle with things that we often take for granted. We have a hard time reaching out to those with no voice. An iPad can actually give these students a voice in ways that we never thought possible.

Find some more great apps for ASD here!