Use the iPad as a supplement, not a replacement, for socialization

The site Education Apps Review brings up an important point in choosing apps for special needs children: these apps aren’t meant to replace a real life person, but should be used to guide a child with some activities neurotypical folks take for granted.

Apps that simulate common social situations won’t guarantee that your child on the ASD will be a master at navigating those areas of difficulty…they will, however, guide them in what to say. I often hear from adults with Asperger’s that they go through a mental script when interacting with others. These apps can help form the basis of those mental scripts that children with autism spectrum disorders can use when interacting with peers, dealing with sticky social situations, but they aren’t necessarily a replacement for real life training.

Many tools these days that help kids become better readers, mathematicians,
problem solvers…they aren’t there to completely replace a teacher or a parent. At least, that’s not how I see it. They’re supplemental. It’s not just a matter of what tools you use in the classroom, after all, it’s how you use them.