Apps to The Rescue! Adaptive Technology Bridges the Gap
If you are involved in the life of an individual diagnosed with autism, then you’ve likely experienced the gaps in communication, deficits in social skills, and, probably most challenging, the worry about what might happen to them should they become lost, find themselves in an emergency situation or in a situation where interactions with law enforcement or other first responders are necessary. Luckily, app developers have been working hard to design applications to help bridge this gap!
We have gathered a list of some helpful apps that can make your life, and the life of your loved one on the autism spectrum easier, safer, and more productive.
Apps for Communication
· I Can Have Conversations with You! ($13.34/year from Educational App Store, available for iPhone and iPad) – This social language therapy system teaches children with autism how to begin, maintain, and end conversations through roleplay. In addition to learning typical verbal cues, the app also teaches gestures, body language, and feelings that may occur during conversation through a combination of videos, audio clips, reward screens, and interactive cues.
· MyTalkTools Mobile Lite (Free, available for iPhone, iPad, and Android) – This app uses symbol-based AAC to help the individual with autism communicate their needs, feelings, and desires. The Lite version is free and comes with a wide selection of words, sounds, and images. All progress is backed up to the cloud, so if the device is ever lost or damaged, there is no need to start from scratch. The paid version of the app ($35/year, or $75 for lifetime access) allows the user to customize their AAC system with a huge library of content, as well as the ability to add custom photos, words, and sounds.
· Proloquo2Go – Symbol-Based AAC ($249.99, available for iPhone and iPad) – Proloquo2Go is the gold standard of AAC apps. It is fully customizable and designed to support all users, from beginning to advanced. The steep price tag can be off-putting, but it is for a lifetime membership, and there are discounts available for educators. This app is also one of the few that supports multiple languages: English, Spanish, French, and Dutch.
Apps for Learning
· Birdhouse for Autism (Free LITE Version, $9.99/month for Premium, available for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Kindle) – Birdhouse is, above all, a tracking app. If you run behavioral programs, this easy-to-use app allows you to track ABC data easily, without the need for the bulky behavior notebook. The app also allows you to track other important information, such as medications, therapies, foods, moods and sleeping habits. These data points are then automatically graphed, so you can get a full picture of the person’s health and wellbeing.
· Choiceworks ($7.99, available for iPhone and iPad) – Choiceworks allows your child to take ownership of his or her own time. The app allows you to create visual schedules using the large library of included images or by adding your own. Your child can also use the app to improve self-awareness of their emotions, with programs that help the child identify the emotions they are feeling, how to express them, and how to handle everyday annoyances without resorting to a tantrum or outburst. The app also features a rich timer feature, which allows you or your child to add time periods to their visual schedule. This allows the child to know how long they need to do things like table time, teeth brushing, or eating dinner, and to reward themselves when they manage time appropriately.
· Daniel Tiger’s Grr-ific Feelings ($2.99, available for iPad, Android, or Kindle) – Developed by PBS Kids, this app allows your child to explore and understand their feelings through four games, and multiple mini-games. Your child will work with Daniel Tiger to identify what they are feeling, and learn how to manage and express those feelings in an appropriate way. This includes calming down like Daniel, with a squeeze and a deep breath, and expressing happiness through dancing.
Apps for Safety
· ICE4Autism ($1.99, available for iPhone and iPad) – ICE4Autism is an all-in-one safety app for a child or adult with autism. In case of emergency (ICE), one tap launches the app so first responders can get a full picture of your child’s communication challenges, medications, health issues, and more. It also includes a feature that sends an emergency text message along with a location, to pre-designated emergency contacts. When the device is locked, a special lock screen displays whatever important information -- name, blood type, emergency contacts, and any other special instructions – the user deems essential. The app is fully-customizable and was developed specifically for individuals with an ASD.
· Emergency Chat (Free, available for iPhone, iPad, and Android) – Emergency Chat is a simple and free app with one single purpose: to allow for communication when speech is not possible. In the case of an emergency, the user would launch the app and hand their phone to a person they want to communicate with. They would be presented with a fully-customizable message that explains that speaking isn’t possible, and that they are using the app to communicate. This message could even include information on who the bystander should call, or how to handle a medical emergency, such as an asthma attack.
Behavior Frontiers does not endorse or recommend any of the apps listed. Our agency has not – and will not -- receive any compensation for the sale or distribution of the apps. We recommend that individuals considering the purchase and/or installation of the apps on their devices do their own research and due diligence on the apps.
Allie Wyatt
Expansion Coordinator
Tuesday, February 11, 2020