Following the generous donation of eight iPads in September 2012 by the Montse Benitez, clients and staff at Wirral Autistic Society’s Community and Voluntary Service are in the vanguard of using new technology to communicate the needs and feelings of clients and deliver and receive training.
The Montse Benitez Foundation generously donated the iPads to The Society for use as an augmented communication tool for our service users with limited vocabulary or who are non-verbal.
Dave Smith, CVS Service Manager said: “We installed a software application called Proloquo2go on each iPad and set about training both the service users and staff in how to navigate around and create symbols for this fantastic new communication device. The initial pilot group was very successful with many of the first group using their iPad independently to communicate their needs and feelings.”
“Since then the iPad training sessions have gone from strength to strength and is now included in our staff induction process. Parents and carers of service users have seen the potential of this technology and many have bought an iPad for their child. The Montse Benitez Foundation has also donated a further 2 iPads this year so we now have a total of 21 clients using iPads as a communication tool. Many are also using them to provide visual structure for their days as well as other Autism specific applications such as timers, relaxation games etc.”
“Although there are plenty of examples of the use of iPads and Proloquo2go in schools and with children, there are few organisations using this technology for adults with ASC. WAS is a vanguard in teaching adults to use this form of communication and will continue to endeavour to provide these opportunities to all service users who would benefit from it.”
For more information about our Community and Vocational Service please click here.
