Communication
1. AAC Autism TalkNow - For non-verbal children and adults (and their caregivers), communication can be difficult. That’s why this app is a lifesaver. Using pictures and touch, children learn to create phrases that express needs and desires. This app is solely available on Android.
2. Camp Discovery - Developed by the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Camp Discovery is a suite of games and a learning tracker. While hard to classify all that Camp Discovery is and does, there is a definite emphasis on language and language usage within the games. Use research-based teaching methods, the app also demonstrates students’ progress and gives the parents a range of controls. Best of all, this app is free, so check it out, regardless of your child’s abilities.
Camp Discovery is available on iTunes and Google Play.
Note: It appears at this time, only the “Pro” version is available for Android. While this version includes many more games and is an update on the original free version, there is no free version for Android.
Reading
1. Starfall ABCs/Learn to Read - Have you (or your child) discovered the Starfall website yet? It’s a free, interactive reading website. Starting with teaching each letter and progressing to reading stories, my students with autism have begged me to let them keep playing Starfall! The good news? Now they’ve got the apps available on both iOS and Android, offline access, customized features.
2. Super Why! - Designed for ages three to six, Super Why! may be appropriate for variety of ages on the autistic spectrum. Your child may also already be playing on their website or watching the TV show. Intended to move beyond basic letters and sounds (which it includes, in activities such as tracing letters), the Super Why! app gets kids answering comprehension, fill-in-the-blank questions. Since many students with mild to moderate autism actually master the art of sounding out words and even sight words rather quickly, but are much slower with making sense of what they read, Super Why! can be a great tool to get your child thinking through how the story comes together. The app is available on iTunes and Google Play.