Xbox Kinect Perfect for Kids with Autism

Kinect Helps Father Play With Autistic Son

The story of developmentally disabled child finally playing videogames with his father is enough to warm my cold, black heart.

Out all of the news that's come to light since Kinect launched last week, this is the story that has affected me the most. John Yan, owner of Gaming Nexus, was unimpressed with the games available for Microsoft's new motion control system, but he went ahead and bought it anyway. As he was hooking it up, his four year old son was extremely interested in playing Kinect Adventures because the box looked fun. The catch is that John's son has autism, and while he often wants to play videogames, the boy is frustrated by manipulating the Xbox 360 controller. Even though John's son repeatedly says, "I want to play with you, Daddy," he usually just ends up watching his father play. That is, until they got Kinect.

After setting up the first minigame, John was happy to see his son have fun with Kinect Adventures. "He jumped around and flailed his arms and legs in trying to punch the balls back to the blocks," John wrote. "It was pretty cool to see but the thing that really threw me for a loop was when the game ended." His son was able to navigate the previously enigmatic menus flawlessly:

I said hold out your hand and place it on the button. Without any hesitation, he put his hand up and moved it over the button on the screen and held it there until the circle animation finished, indicating the button has been pressed.

After that initial coaching, he proceeded to move around in the menus without much vocal cues from me. I just stood there and was flabbergasted by what I just saw. Microsoft's design team did such a good job at creating a user interface with Kinect that my son was able to go through each menu to initiate the next round in Rally Ball. It's intuitive enough that I spent barely any time teaching my four year old special needs son how to go about the menu system.

Microsoft probably had no idea that it's motion control system would be suitable for someone with autism, but it certainly makes sense now that you think about it. Navigating a menu by moving or waving your hands is the simplest way to communicate with a computer, short of speaking to it like in Star Trek (something that Kinect also does).

But none of that technical science stuff is what matters, honestly. What makes me feel all warm and fuzzy is the fact that John was able to watch his son laugh and play.

"For the first time, I was able to play something with my son and not spend any time with him being frustrated on not being to do anything or have a character get stuck on the screen," John wrote. "He had fun with all the games and actually did well with them. The joy in his eyes as he was able to complete the tasks and move around in the menus is something I'll never forget."

Neither will I. Thank you for sharing this story, John.

Source: Gaming Nexus

Jacob's Lessons - Free Online ABA Activities

Great website for kids on the autism spectrum,
Jacob's Lessons - Free Online ABA Activities and toddler education.
Description from the site:

The activities on this website were originally created to give my
toddler a fun introduction to the computer. It grew into a terrific
interactive experience for us as well. My wife is a behavior analyst
who works with children on the autism spectrum and she began using the
activities with her students. She discovered that Jacob's Lessons is an
effective way to teach young children with autism beginning computer
skills, and is useful as a complement to their Applied Behavior
Analysis (ABA) programming. These activities were created so that the
adult works with the child during the lesson, not as an independent
activity for the child, although some of the children will be able to
do some of the lessons on their own. New lessons and modification of
current lessons will be done with your input-please use the button
below to comment, ask a question, or suggest new content for Jacob's
Lessons!

• Introduction.
• Learn to associate a number with that many objects.
• Learn to use the mouse by helping the bee color the flower.
• Contact Jacob's Dad
• Learn to use the mouse with the simplest of coloring books.
• Receptive Labeling
• Matching Pictures
• Matching Colors
• Matching Shapes
• Matching Category
• Perspective Skill Game Watch the frog's eyes
• Reading and Phonics
  

Nintendo Wii Therapy for Autism?

Real workout, virtual world
Autistic students take to Nintendo sports at Patterson Mill Middle/H.S.

By Cassandra A. Fortin Special to The Sun

Jean Tyrrell wanted to find activities that would allow students in the autism program at Patterson Mill Middle/High School to be more physically active during the school day.

After researching some ideas, Tyrrell said she purchased a Nintendo Wii video game console with a grant that she received.

"The kids really like Wii," said Tyrrell, a physical-education teacher. "And I think it's great. It gives the children with autism an age-appropriate leisure activity to do."

Since the game was purchased, the children have all learned to play it, said Carolyn Trovinger, who teaches the middle school autism program.

On a recent afternoon, Trovinger's students played baseball on the Wii, which features digital sensors and allows people to virtually play sports and games.

Journey Phanouvong, 12, of Belcamp made a base hit, and then clapped and cheered.

Daniel Quinn, 11, of Edgewood hit the ball and didn't want to stop playing when his turn was over.

"Some of the students would love to play Wii all day long," Tyrrell said. "We can't let them do that. So we put Wii on their daily schedule right after lunch time. That way, they know exactly when they can play."

The game is simple, so all the students can play, said Robin Yates, who teaches the high school program for autism. Each student has a different level of autism - a developmental disorder that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication - and a different level of play. And the game allows the autistic students to play at their own pace, she said.

Despite the limited time the students have to play the game - one period a day - there are benefits for autistic children, said Trovinger.

[FULL STORY]

Related:

• Autistic Children like to Wii
• Consider the Nintendo Wii for Kids with Autism - Autism Spectrum
• Nintendo Wii and Autism
• Using the Wii Therapeutically in a School Setting
• Real workout, virtual world - Baltimore Sun
• Why Not a Wii?