The document discusses using technology to help develop social skills for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It provides examples of assistive technologies and resources like video modeling, visual supports, social stories, and comic creation software that can help with learning social skills and emotional recognition. Screen casting, audio books, and text-to-speech tools are also mentioned as helpful technologies for academics.

1. Solving the Social Skill Puzzle: Technology as a Critical Piece Sean J. Smith, Ph.D. University of Kansas [email_address]

2. Please take Note http://seanjsmith.pbworks.com/Threelakes http://seanjsmith.pbworks.com/Threelakes

3. The Students You Work With? Think about the students you work with who are on the spectrum and share amongst yourselves: One word descriptions or Strengths or Challenges or Funny recollection or Special interest or Anything that comes to mind.

4. Gagnon, E., & Myles, B. S. (1999). This is asperger syndrome . Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC. This book is available from the Autism Asperger Publishing Company www.asperger.net

5. Gagnon, E., & Myles, B. S. (1999). This is asperger syndrome . Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC.

6. Gagnon, E., & Myles, B. S. (1999). This is asperger syndrome . Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC.

7. Gagnon, E., & Myles, B. S. (1999). This is asperger syndrome . Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC.

8. Gagnon, E., & Myles, B. S. (1999). This is asperger syndrome . Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC. This book is available from the Autism Asperger Publishing Company www.asperger.net

9. What we are Going to Talk About Today! Assistive Technology Defined as… products, devices or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that are used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Instructional Technology under the AT umbrella where I now refer to it as A/IT.

10. How do you Consider AT for Students with ASD? What types of AT devices or services come to mind? What Process do you follow? What supports/forms/documents do you use? Who do you involve and how does this fit within their program for their disability?

11. Consideration Forms Texas AT Network - http://www.texasat.net/default.aspx?name=trainmod.consideration Good overview to understand the basics. WATI - http://wati.org/ and GPAT - http://www.gpat.org/ Great places for information on how to assess for Assistive Technology considerations. Fritschi’s AT Tool Chart - http://fritschi.home.mindspring.com/tools2.html - Excellent resource to get one thinking about AT Solutions.

12. Things that Come to Mind Alex in Lawrence You Tube J Mac and Basketball Joshua and Mom NPR’s Story Corp

13. Understanding Autism Spectrum Social Skill Development

14. Autism Internet Modules Ocali’s Modules -http://www.ocali.org/aim/ The Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) is developing Autism Internet Modules (AIM) in partnership with the Autism Society of America (ASA) and the Nebraska Autism Spectrum Disorders Network. The AIM project is developing a series of 60 online modules on ASD including characteristics, diagnosis, interventions and supports, transition, and employment.

15. AIM Modules Let’s Take A Look Create an Account….It’s Free Select one of the Topic Areas Assessment & Diagnosis Evidence-based Classroom Interventions EB Communication Interventions EB Social Skill Interventions General Interventions Transition Services and Supports

16. AIM Modules Select a Module from Within the Topic Area Identify your Pre-Assessment and Post-Assessment Score Take the Pre-Assessment Examine as a Team for approximately 5 Minutes Take the Post-Assessment How Accurate were you with your Score Estimate?

17. AIM Modules a Review Discussion Area Citations Resources

21. Autism Information Autism Info - http://www.autisminfo.com/ Site provides information on autism treatments and therapies to parents, teachers, therapists and doctors.

22. Autism Today Autism Today - http://www.autismtoday.com/ While this organization has a number of for pay options, it is still a good resource for individuals seeking to learn more about autism, resources, forums, trainings, conferences, print updates, and more.

23. Autism Speaks Autism Speaks - http://www.autismspeaks.org Of course, many of us have heard the advertisement on the radio or watched one of the numerous public service announcements in collaboration with the AD Council, however; Autism Speaks goes beyond advertisement. It also offers some good information and links to helpful resources for parents and teachers.

24. E-Learning for Effective Intervention Geneva Centre - http://www.elearning.autism.net/en/index.php This is a Centre out of Canada and offers some great information for teachers, teacher assistants, parents, and the like. They offer good modules for information and also a host of intervention ideas (e.g., visuals).

25. Geneva Centre >Select Training Opportunities >E Learning >Start Your Online Experience Right Here >Teacher’s Assistants Create a New Account Or Try to Login as Guest

26. Geneva Centre Download one of the Download Materials - How might you use it? Download a Reference - How might you use it? Listen to one of the Presentations that comes with the audio with slides

29. iCAN Modules iCAN - http://www.autismnetwork.org The Interactive Collaborative Autism Network site is for anyone who lives with, teaches, or otherwise supports children and youth with ASD, including parents, teachers, and individuals with ASD.

30. Structuring Our Discussion UDL Framework Visual Supports

31. Universal Design for Learning Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational approach to curriculum and instruction that uses technology to enable students with diverse learning needs to be successful in the classroom . Universal Design for Learning is the registered trademark of the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) - cast.org

32. UDL Resources http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/

33. UDL Resources http://udltechtoolkit.wikispaces.com/

34. Visual Schedules A visual schedule will give the child the following information: What is currently happening; What is coming up next (the sequence of events); When they are "all done" with something; Any changes that might occur.

35. You can record four minutes of speech, 10 seconds at a time, in any language of your choice. You can use photos, book cutouts, symbols, drawings… http://augcominc.com/book_details.html Visual Schedules-Talking Photo Album

36. Visual Supports Photographs Food labels Written words Calendars Objects Schedules Picture symbols Picture This… slatersoftware.com

37. Visual Supports Do2learn - http://www.dotolearn.com/ Activity Exchange - http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/activities/ Orange County PS AT - http://teachers.ocps.net/atteam/page28.html Geneva Centre - http://elearning.autism.net/visuals/

39. Visual Books Photoshop Elements - http://www.adobe.com iPhoto - http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/ Publisher - http://www.microsoft.com Photo Story - http://www.microsoft.com Snapfish - www.snapfish.com/ Atomic Learning - http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/home

40. Visual Books - bookbuilder.cast.org Book Builder Create a book Share Books Student’s Demonstrate knowledge

41. Podcasting, Audio Books, & More - Oh My! http://movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/podcasting Student demonstrate knowledge Information on the go Multiple means for representation Narrated Book series

42. The How To’s

43. The How To’s

44. BoardMaker Boardmaker - There are a host of Boardmaker Resources available via the Web. http://www.aacintervention.com http://www.bcps.k12.md.us/boardmaker/ http://www.adaptedlearning.com

46. Visualization & Social Skills Making the Connections

47. Characteristics of Asperger Syndrome (AS) Strengths Structure: Predictability Visual information: visual learners Special interests Systematizing : The drive to analyze, explore, and construct a system.

48. Social Skills Social Stories Social Stories are written in first person and are individually written for each child for various difficult social situations (for example, staying in assigned seat on the bus). The Social Story should be visually represented in a mode which the child can most readily understand (such as written words, line drawings and written words, photos and written words). General information on Social Stories http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories/introduction.html Carol Gray http://www.thegraycenter.org/

49. Social Skills Issues of the Hidden Curriculum. The "HIDDEN CURRICULUM" is a term to used to describe the unwritten social rules and expectations of behavior that we all seem to know, but were never taught.

50. Social Skills School Rules - http://www.socialskillbuilder.com Focused on children 8-18 Teaches acceptable behaviors Real-life video scenarios Levels of practice to ensure understanding, practice, and competency Developed with the scaffolding in mind for learning

51. Cartooning Cartooning is a useful strategy to facilitate social understanding to students with ASD though cartoon techniques, such as thought and speech bubbles. http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/Comix/ One cartooning strategy is known as Comic Strip Conversations TM , developed by Carol Gray

52. Comic Strips The use of simple drawings to visually clarify the elements of social interactions and emotional relations. Comic Strip Conversations are used to visually "work through" a problem situation and identify solutions.

54. Make Beliefs Create a Three Panel Comic Begin by Reviewing the Story Ideas Button (at the bottom) and determine a Story Idea based on this area Please Include - A Character in each panel An emotion for each of the characters A Talk or thought balloon Two Characters in one of the panels

55. Make Beliefs Comix

57. Comic Creators Comic Strip Podcast Great interview where experts share their perspectives on comic strip conversations. Get a good sense of the potential of these applications. http://autismpodcast.blogspot.com/2006/05/episode-19-comic-strip-conversations.html Comic Strip Conversations Some nice text-based resources on the use of comic strips as social narratives. http://www.autismspectrum.ilstu.edu/resources/factsheets/comicstrip.shtml Comic Strip Creator Free web-based resource that allows more advanced learners to create web-based comic strips. http://www.comicstripcreator.org/ Read Write Think Comic Creator http://www.readwritethink.org/student_mat/student_material.asp?id=21

58. Comic Development - Cont. Read, Write, Think http://www.readwritethink.org/ Lessons Student Interactive Resources Web Resources for Literacy Thinkfinity http://www.thinkfinity.org/ Manages the Literacy Network Manages Marco Polo

60. Comic Life Create your own Comics using your own Digital Pictures, images from the web, and the like. Free 30 day trial! http://plasq.com

61. Social Skills Mind Reading Using the software you can explore over 400 emotions, seeing and hearing each one performed by six different people. http://www.jkp.com/mindreading/

62. Social Skills Voice Thread - voicethread.com For pay site (cheap/free for educators) allowing you to create interactive slide shows that reside on the web.

64. Video Modeling A basic concept of video modeling is “learning thought observation.” Video modeling is a teaching method in order to increase desired behaviors and skills. Social behaviors Self-help skills Communication skills Academic behaviors

65. Video Modeling Steps Determine the target behavior Conduct a task analysis of the behavior Decide the performers who will demonstrate the behavior on the video (e.g. self, adult, or peer) Set up the scenario to be videotaped Videotape the scene Show the video to the student and discuss the behavior portrayed Encourage the student to practice the behavior he saw on the videotape

66. Video Modeling Advantages Visual information Technological benefit: The teacher can teach social aspects effectively by using video technology such as stop, pause, and repeat functions. Self-motivation: The student can be involved in the procedure of developing video modeling.

67. Developing Visual Connections Apple Learning Interchange http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/ ABCs All Quiet on the Western Front Apple’s iMovie - apple.com Microsoft’s MovieMaker - microsoft.com The Tubes http://www.youtube.com http://www.teachertube.com

68. Video-based - Resources Discovery Learning Anchor the Learning Videos Audio Writing Center Links to Standards

69. Video-Creation - Resources Kerpoof Make a Movie Make a Photo Animoto Make a Movie Interactive experience Audio Video Demonstration

72. Virtual Learning Second Life - http://www.slideshare.net/Milton.Broome/autism-and-aspergers-in-second-life Animated Visual Supports for Social Skills (AViSSS) - Virtual Learning Experience for Students with Asperger Syndrome.

73. AViSSS Social Skill Training Environments Hallway Cafeteria PE Locker Room Bus Male/Female Bathroom

75. AViSSS

76. AViSSS

77. AViSSS Paths controlled by the developers Choices the user has to make Advice Center to offer feedback and thoughts to generalize

78. Academic

79. Text-to-Speech Applications Free text-to-speech software Customize font and background color Reads text via Windows clipboard from any program (copy/paste) Reads e-mail emoticons such as :) or :( Adjustable voice speed (rate) Low vision color option

80. Text-to-Speech NaturalReader is a Text to Speech software with natural sounding voices. This easy to use software can convert any written text such as MS Word, Webpage, PDF files, and Emails into spoken words. NaturalReader can also convert any written text into audio files such as MP3 or WAV for your CD player or iPod. http://www.naturalreaders.com/

81. www.kurzweiledu.com Scan and Read Systems WYNN Kurzweil 3000 www.freedomscientific.com

82. Text-to-Speech Products Premier Accessibility Suite http://www.readingmadeez.co m Text-to-speech software Au dio output - multiple voices Highlights text as it speaks Static Toolbar Texthelp - Read and Write Gold http://www.texthelp.com Text-to-speech software Audio output - multiple voices Highli ghts text as it speaks Reads on fly for any application

83. Text-to-Speech - Becoming Universal Firefox’s Text-to Speech Click Speak Bundle Does the Trick Acrobat Reader - Free Version

84. Digital Text - Web Resources Montgomery County Public Schools - MD High-Incidence Accessible Technologies (HIAT) Created a number of resources for their teachers and a wonderful website for digital text resources http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/hiat/resources/digital_text.shtm

87. Thank you. Questions [email_address]