iAutism

With so many apps for people with special needs, we sometimes take it for granted that they naturally and easily know how to use devices like the iPhone or iPad. But this is not always true, and not having this knowledge may become a significant barrier to overcome.

Touch Trainer, designed by a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst), is aimed at helping users become familiar with touch screens and, more specifically, with the gesture of buttons presses.

Simple and effective

Touch Trainer is very simple. The main screen allows you to select a level between 1 and 7, how many correct button taps are needed to move on to the next level, and how many seconds of a visual, audio and vibrating reinforcer will be shown after each correct button press. Sound familiar? This design is heavily influenced by the principles of ABA.

Once these parameters are defined, you simply have to touch the “Start” button. At level 1, a big button occupies almost the whole screen. Just by touching it, Touch Trainer will display a simple animation in which the item appeared on the screen moves while its size and the background color change and you hear an audio clip associated with the icon (with a snort, in the case of horse, a drum music for the drum, etc.). On the iPhone, the device also vibrates.

The button becomes increasingly smaller through level 2 to 4, making it necessary to touch it each time with more precision. There is no response to an incorrect (not on the button) touch. Simply put, the animation video will not be shown unless the button is touched correctly.

At level 5, the button no longer appears in the center but in any part of the screen. And at levels 6 and 7, there are 3 and 6 buttons simultaneously, each with a different icon, that plays its corresponding animation, thereby introducing the use of different buttons for different options.

Touch Trainer never ends and, once reached, it remains at level 7. To start at a lower level, you have to close the app and start it again.

Rating

Touch Trainer provides a simple and fun way to learn a basic aspect of the touch interface, specifically, the gesture of touching a button or icon. It does this in an attractive way which follows a learning model typically used for people with autism, but can also be used by any child with special needs or anyone who needs some help becoming familiar with touch screen technology.

The application is only in English, but the language here is almost irrelevant.

If your child or student shows difficulties with using touch screens, Touch Trainer can be a useful aid. In any case, there is a free Lite version (which includes only the first level) to help the potential buyer to decide.

-Francesc Sistach

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Touch Trainer 1.1

Web: http://touchautism.com

Company: TouchAutism

Languages: English.

Funciones: Touch button gesture learning.

iPhone/iPod touch version: Yes.

iPad version: No.

Price: Lite version including 1 level is free; full version at $3.99 / €2.99.

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This post is also available in: Spanish