Education

"Using technology – computers, gamers and other devices - is a popular leisure time activity for people with autism." (National Autistic Society) Kids with ASD can get an education through the use of technology. These technologies include Smartboards, computers, IPads, and more. According to Jamie Hoover, executive director at the May Center School in Massachusetts, "Some of the students use apps on the iPad for school programs like letter matching, addition, reading, word identification, and categorizing. The iPads are also used to help teach skills using videos, visual schedules, and visual models. There are programs on the iPod Touches that help with visual grocery list making and waiting in line with visual timers. Some students use an app that tells them if they are speaking too quietly or too loudly. Students work on things like entering data, writing emails, typing words and sentences, and looking up information on the classroom computers. They use auditory timers to remind them of when something is ending or coming up." Additionally, the technology used can also entertain kids with ASD through videos, music, and games. These can help kids by using these as a reward for good behavior or good grades. This helps kids by " giving them a way to make choices, request different activities, and answer in a different way. Being able to earn things like time on the computer or iPad motivates some of the students to try their hardest or to try things that they may not have tried without it. There are many apps that help with learning and make it easier (and more fun) to work on things like reading, forming letters, and math. Technology allows us to make videos of the steps of a task and the student can watch it as many times as they need to until they learn the skill." (Hoover)