Monday, February 16, 2009

The Transporter DVD Brings Faces and Feelings to Children with Autism


The Transporters is a fun and effective way to build understanding about emotions. I showed it to 3 first grade children who were glued to the screen the whole time. It was definitely a hit.
Each episode has a short quiz that asks students to pick which of two faces from the story was mad, sad, happy, etc. The style reminds me a lot of the Thomas the Train series and the animation and story lines are terrific.
The setting is a bedroom and any kids dream of a center play table area, with a cable car tram, water, a ferry, etc. The developers share that the mechanical nature of the toys attract children with autism and the faces on them teach the emotions. With regular viewings, the video has increased children's expression and ability to recognize emotion.
Developed in partnership with The Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University, this DVD has been designed incorporating the latest research on what works with autistic children to help them develop accurate reading and expression of emotions. The Transporters website says that just 15 minutes of viewing a day over 4 weeks can make a big difference.

If you work with or have an autistic child, you need to check this one out.

All the best to you,

Lon
Lon Thornburg is an assistive technology specialist and professional development trainer who lives in Oregon and serves 12 districts in 7 counties. He hosts the No Limits 2 Learning Blog and The No Limits 2 Learning Live Talk Show on Blog Talk Radio. He is sharing as a contributing writer on LD LIVE!

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