Children with autism may be able to benefit from using smart technologies like iPads and iPods in order to communicate and engage with others. Rhonda McEwen and her team at University of Toronto Mississauga in Ontario have been researching these devices and how they can help autistic children express themselves. The researchers as well as teachers that participated in the study were very surprised by how receptive the children's communication skills were after beginning to use the iPads and iPods. Because children are very likely to enjoy using all of the new technology, it makes it quite easy for them to utilize these devices for learning and still having fun while doing so.
In 2010, Rhonda McEwen and her team began their research in a Toronto elementary school. There were twelve children in the study in six different classrooms and all were labeled as non verbal. In the six month that the study lasted for, the children became very familiar with using Apple's iPod touch and iPad. The results show that nine out of the twelve children showed improvements ranging from mild to significant in their communication abilities.
According to Brenda Smith Myles, an autism consultant, these devices might be so effective because they allow those children who are nonverbal, low verbal, or have high anxiety from interacting with others to be comfortable and therefore free to show just how much they know. Some may worry that having autistic children rely on technology for learning and communicating may prevent them from speaking but many professionals say that what matters is that the child is communicating and it could be a possible bridge to actually speaking.
Although this research is still preliminary, it looks very promising and might just be a new technique to begin incorporating in future treatments.
By: Stephanie Lopez
No comments:
Post a Comment