New iPads!

The Center’s Education Department has received a donation of 12 iPads to be used for our Exploring Artism program from Yale’s Instructional Technology Group in partnership with the Bass Library.

In the past, we have used one iPad in our Artism sessions. Realizing the difference that 1 iPad made with 12 participants with ASD, we began a search to acquire more electronic tablets. This fall, the stars aligned, Instructional Technology Group and the Bass Library iPad Borrower program came to the rescue. Now, Exploring Artism participants can each use an iPad, and we are excited to adapt our teaching and develop lessons more fully utilizing apps and the iPads for participants.

We’ve been in the prep stage where we are downloading apps in preparation of our next Exploring Artism on Oct. 18.

Autism Apps and Real Chalkboard are two apps we are working with. Autism Apps is a great resource which compiles a list of apps that work well with children and adults with autism or developmental disorders. Real Chalkboard takes the place of paper and pencil and participants will be able to draw in the gallery. We also were able to download our social story into iBook and the kids can read it on the iPad rather than a hardcopy printout – it is easier to swipe for those with fine motor control challenges than turn a paper page. We also have purchased Proloque2, a communication app that allows participants to use customizable buttons to communicate. We will add images relevant to the lesson.

We are very excited to start using our iPads in the galleries with our Exploring Artism participants. We hope this addition will enhance the museum experience and provide new avenues of learning!