iAutism

Can cell phones and touch-type devices like the iPhone, the iPod touch or the iPad -or their Android equivalents- be used to enhance learning, communication and entertainment for people with ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorders) or other special needs? Seeing the first worldwide experiences, the feeling is YES!, and even in a very notable way.

For some years now there have been a few specific apps for people with autism (as well as for people with Down’s Syndrome, etc.) based on the iPhone and the iPod touch, many of which are beginning to appear now for the iPad, and also for Android and other systems. In addition, there are thousands of educational and entertainment apps, some better adapted than others for people with various disorders. In any case, as with any “new technology”, it will be good to study this thoroughly, to see how to integrate it into the environment of the person with ASD, to test it, to help their creators to improve it, etc.

The purpose of iAutism is to work in this direction by collecting information related to the use of visual and tactile technology for people with ASD and other special needs.

iAutism was born on September 11, 2010 from the hands of Francesc Sistach and Susana Vila, parents of Sara, a beautiful girl with autism. Iván Soriano joined the team very soon, but the project already has a small group of contributing editors related individually to autism or professionals that work in centers devoted to people with special needs, such as Fundación Planeta Imaginario.

In any case, each of the articles reflects only the opinion of the author, and is therefore properly signed, so no coincidence of opinion or criteria can be derived from the other contributing editors.

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This post is also available in: Spanish, Catalan