All over the world, teaching children having autism spectrum disorder, is a big challenge. In recent time, tablets and smart phones have replaced the various types of conventional teaching aids that were used to impart education to autistic children. These included expensive assistive communication devices, handmade visual aids, and even TVs.
Tabs are much more affordable and are alternative teaching devices, compared to the augmented communication devices that some of the nonverbal autistic children used for communication. These devices would often cost anywhere between $6000 to $7500. But with a tablet, which is available only for a few hundred dollars, autistic kids who are not speaking can use the voice output apps.
Therapists and teachers no longer need to slog out through the stereotypical task of developing visual tools. A common technique while working with nonverbal autistic kids was to make cue cards. But it was a laborious task. It involved taking photos, editing them on computers, printing them, adding velcros and sticking them to boards. All these have been eliminated with the advent of autism education apps like “Make Sentences” and “Just Match” that are now being increasingly spotted in both classrooms and homes.
Teachers and counselors involved with autism education, say the “Make Sentences” and “Just Match” apps are a boon for them. These two autism apps have changed the way autistic kids are taught these days. They can quickly access what they want.
Autism education apps give autistic children more control that they ever had with TV. These kids can hold a tab in their hands and learn through a more intimate experience with a game or story. Both the “Make Sentences” and “Just Match” autism apps are interactive and are updated regularly. Learning through doing is the moot idea here. Doing repetitive things is common among children with autism, and the apps take care of that. A child can redo the segments in these apps as many times he/she wants.
Educators working with autistic children having communication difficulties, have noticed that such kids are more open to technology. The tabs almost become their companion. Some of these apps also feature predictive text input. They allow preparation of individualized lessons. This is especially beneficial for special needs children because all of them aren’t same.
Autism apps like “Make Sentences” and “Just Match” have been a major advancement in the field of special education. More such apps are slated to come out in the future.
Source by Kevin Carter
#Tabs #Autism #Education education
