Behavioral Programming for Children with Autism

Many children within the autism spectrum love the computer. Autism Coach allows you to make the most of your child's computer time by offering high-quality, hard-to-find software titles from the U.S., England, Canada, Australia and France that help your child move ahead in a variety of critical areas while having fun (and giving mom or dad a much needed break). Autism Coach software benefits a wide range of children: from preschoolers to teenagers, from classically autistic to Asperger's Syndrome. Browse through our software catalog and you might find just the right program for your child. We are constantly adding new titles, so keep checking back!

Offering The Grammar Trainer, software that teaches grammar through text and pictures. In comparison with all other language software, the GrammarTrainer: 1. was designed by a professional linguist for her autistic son; 2. employs an unprecedented level of linguistic sophistication; 3. asks the child to respond actively by typing in his answer letter by letter; 4. gives detailed, incremental, carefully-worded linguistic feedback; 5. interactively guides the child towards the correct answer; 6. covers the broadest range of grammar topics: from simple phrases through complex sentences; 7. ensures that the child internalizes what he learns.

Special needs software: Animals Galore, Food for Thought, WordQuest, Maths Around Us

An innovative software program that allows parents to provide a behavioral intervention program for their child. The software includes protocols on what to teach; how to teach (including DTT, Errorless Teaching, Son-Rise, Floortime, Social stories, Lovaas techniques, Relationship Development Intervention); when and where to teach these skills. The software is designed to allow parents to tailor the program to their child's specific needs, and contains a behavior vault that gives parents ideas and information on how to decrease and eliminate specific behavioral issues.

Our software helps people with Asperger's syndrome, high-functioning autism, and similar issues learn to recognize facial expressions.

JTalk is a free communication software package. It allows a user to use their computer to communicate verbally with others. Some of the features include: * Text-to-Speech synthesizer access (text that is typed on a keyboard can be spoken by the computer) * Support for SAPI5, SAP4, and IBM ViaVoice speech engines if installed on the computer * Custom abbreviations and pronunciations * Programmable buttons, arranged on user-defined "button pages," allow pre-defined messages and scripts to be spoken easily * Network support allows two JTalk users to see each other's text as it is typed * Tablet PC support includes a "sketchpad" feature to allow quick free-form communication * Ability to restrict vocabulary and sentence structure to predefined formats to make it easier to teach young children about communication.

There are companies that specialize in special needs language software. The following is a list of many of these products that are available today.

Special Needs and Language Development Software

Library of Educational Public Domain and Shareware Software

Labeling Tutor software, using discrete trial methods

MouseTrial is a fun game designed for kids with autistic spectrum disorders. It's based on the method of discrete trial therapy which is used in most ABA programs. You can play MouseTrial online right here. It comes in a number of small inexpensive modules. The numbers module is FREE and even the other modules let you have a few free goes. So why not give it a try now?

The area of special needs computing is a difficult one to address as the needs of children are so varied. Often different teaching styles, methods and pedagogues are in conflict with the software being used.

Accessing the computer for skill development will help autistic individuals reach their potential through the repetitive task design that this technology can provide.

Titles that have activities or games that involve especially relevant topics (e.g. emotion), or present standard topics (e.g. sequencing) in especially relevant ways, or present standard topics in standard ways but with relevant themes (e.g. maps, food).

Review of three Laureate programs that would represent beginning, intermediate, and advanced language levels and assess their usefulness for individuals with autism of varying language abilities.

A CD-ROM that allows you to print your own flash cards and lotto boards.

Special Needs Software: textHELP!® WordSmith, textHELP!® Read and Write and textHELP!® Type and Talk, designed to help individuals improve their reading and writing abilities.