Applications that help a child advance in daily living.

Model me kids are video modeling DVD’s for building social skills throughout daily living activities. They cost $29.95 each and are approx 1 hr  to 75 mins long. Included is a CD-Rom of photographs with each video. Each skill is demonstrated in more than one situation and across environments because it helps with generalization of the skill taught for children with an ASD.

1.    Time for school – features elementary school-aged children demonstrating appropriate social skills in the classroom, library, playground, and in the hallway.

2.    Time for a playdate – Features elementary school aged children demonstrating appropriate skills on a playdate

3.    I Can Do It! – Features school aged children demonstrating appropriate behaviors in a variety of difficult situations such as: birthday party behavior, working as a team, wait my turn, turn off the TV, when friends say “no”, transitions: getting ready to go out & doing homework, try something new.

4.    Conversation Cues – features high school aged children demonstrating social skills at school and in the community. Topics includes: When to start conversation, when to joint conversation, interested cues, not interested cues, board cues, take turns, maintain conversations, talk on topic, disbelief cues, confused cues, my cues, end conversation.

5.    Friendship – Features teen-aged children appropriate social skills at school, playing on sport teams, eating at a restaurant, and other settings.

6.    Tips and Tricks – topics include voice modulation, blurting, tact, personal space, grooming & hygiene, deep breathing, forgive, asking for help, sense of humor, perspective, being wrong, flexibility.

7.    Confidence & Bullying Prevention – Topics include self advocacy, peer pressure, choosing friends, building strengths, visualization, positive self-talk, scripting, stay with others, telling isn’t tattling, walk tall, children sharing experiences of being picked on and how they handled it. Recommended for ages 9-17.

8.    Organization & Motivation – Topics include: Do my best, planning ahead, being on time, note-taking, organization, persistence, break it down, flexibility, focus, the big picture, memorization, mistakes.

9.    Faces & Emotions – Topics include: Happy, sad, afraid, tired, angry, excited, surprised, bored, calm, proud, love, shy. Recommended for ages 2-8.

10. Going Places, Topics include: Doctor, mall, birthday party, hairdresser, Dentist, grocery store, Transportation, library, playground, restaurant, school. Recommended for ages 2-8.

Also, Model Me Going Places App on iPhone or iPad. Free app that runs through 6 scenarios including hairdresser, playground, mall, doctor, grocery store and restaurant. Each location contains a photo slide show of children modeling appropriate behavior. 

see video

"Two new studies at Indiana University demonstrate that videos depicting exemplary behaviors can be effective in helping children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders develop social skills...Results from the [video modeling] meta-analysis indicate that both video modeling and VSM meet the Council for Exceptional Children's criteria for evidence-based practices." 
- Bellini, S. & Akullian, J. (2007), Exceptional Children, 73, 261-284

Zac Browser

 This is the first web browser developed specifically for children with an ASD. Zac Browser is for children – their enjoyment, enrichment, and freedom. Children touch it, use it, play it, interact with it, and experience independence.  It is compatible with touchscreens, PCs, laptops, netbooks, tablet PCs, and Mac’s with boot camp using Windows XP or Vista. This means if you have a Mac you must get vista and use something called boot camp to change operating systems from Snow leopard to Vista, and then run Zac Browser. Here is the link on how to use “boot camp” http://www.zacbrowser.com/mac.php.

It is basically like Internet explorer, safari, or firefox but less complicated and safe for children (especially with ASD) to maneuver. Zac Browser automatically updates and adds new sites and videos as they become available. It can be used as a safe skill-building tool for using/introducing technology in the lives of children with ASD. It is available in English, Spanish, and French. It even works using the Wii remote.

See youtube tutorial.

First Then Visual Schedule application on iPhone/iPad - $9.99

Like any other visual schedule, this application is a behavior strategy to increase independence and lower anxiety during transitions through the use of images. This application can increase compliance in children with ASD because of its ability to be completely customizable and interactive. As we learned children with ASD perform better when the activity is predicable. The use of high technology can increase it as compared to a paper schedule that is dull and not as interactive as this application due to the fact that you can record their own voice, add their own images from their computer, internet, camera, or use images from the stock library to create a schedule. So if you can’t come up with a picture of the exact reinforcer the child uses (ie. Toy train), you can take a picture of it directly and download it to the application.  Check out another tutorial. Very easy to use!