I work with nine students who have Autism Spectrum Disorder. These students all have limited verbal ability. The students have a difficult time communicating basic needs such as when they are hungry, sleepy or sick. Each one has great skills and abilities but have a difficult time showing people just how special they are and how much they understand. I have one student who loves to draw, another who is a whiz when it comes to math and a sweet little girl who wants nothing more than to interact with her peers! I have two students who just love to come to school and be around all of the kids and try their best to be a part of their classrooms. My students work extra hard each day to communicate to us and their friends, as well as learning how to read, to write and to understand math. You will not find a group of students who work harder than the kids in my classroom!
My Project
Our classroom is located in a great school where everyone wants to see each one of my students succeed and feel like a part of the school. We have a wonderful program where peers come into our classroom to try and help our students with autism learn how to interact and play games with their same age peers. With an iPad in the classroom, the learning possibilities are endless! We can use it to help students communicate basic needs such as what they want to eat or when they have to use the restroom and even what they want to play with. We can use the iPad to create video models of peers playing a game and allow the students with autism to watch and learn the game through the video (this is a great intervention). An iPad will allow students to engage in academic activities for longer periods of time. We can use the iPad to supplement our math curriculum and reading curriculum. The iPad can be used on community outings to allow students to communicate with waiters in restaurants and cashiers in the store. Most of all this is an age appropriate and user friendly device that students can learn how to use. This allows peers to help students use the device and allows more peer interactions without the support of adults. The iPad holds so many great possibilities for all of my students. This means they have to be able to attend to activities for a period of time, be able to read, tell time and understand money, but most of all be able to communicate and interact with peers and family members. The iPad is just one more tool to help increase my students' independence skills and ability to engage in activities with their peers!
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