New Technology Eases Social Impact of Developmental Disorders

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New Technology Eases Social Impact of Developmental Disorders

> Tuesday September 13, 10:15 am ET

> Speech pathologists' interactive software programs teach critical

> social skills to adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

>

>

> LEESBURG, Va., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Social Skill Builder, a

> company that creates educational software to help developmentally-

> challenged children acquire social skills, today announced the

> availability of the new CD-ROMs School Rules! Volumes 1 & 2. The

> program teaches acceptable behavior and appropriate social

> interaction to adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and

> other learning difficulties, assisting with structured activities

> related to the classroom, group work, and physical education, and

> unstructured scenarios in places like the hallway and the locker

> room.

> ADVERTISEMENT

>

>

> ASD, which is usually diagnosed during early childhood, represents

a

> group of developmental disabilities that includes Autism, Pervasive

> Developmental Disorder, and Aspergers Syndrome. The US National

> Institute of Health estimates that one American child in 250 is

> affected with ASD, compared with one in 10,000 a decade ago.

>

> Unlike their peers, children with ASD do not acquire basic social

> skills, such as sharing conversation and maintaining eye contact,

> through general experience and observation. This inadequacy often

> results in anxiety, depression, social avoidance, academic

> difficulties, and problematic peer interactions.

>

> " Adolescence is one of the most difficult times to teach social

> communication due to the subtle social cues associated with this

> life stage. Non-technology based training methods do help kids with

> ASD to some extent, but our clients' needs required that we take

our

> approach to the next level, " said Laurie s, a practicing

speech

> pathologist and co-founder of Social Skill Builder. " Programs like

> School Rules! are more effective because they imitate real life

> situations where teens interact with peers. "

>

> Social Skill Builder's series includes five CD-ROMs and is designed

> for speech and occupational therapists, educators, counselors,

> psychologists, and parents. " The software's interactive video

> sequences provide opportunities to pause, replay, and discuss

> information so teens can understand the scenarios and carry

learning

> into everyday life, " said Austin-based public school speech

> therapist Vinson. " The lessons hit home, and kids can have

fun

> with them in a safe, non-threatening environment. "

>

> A 2004 Virginia Public Schools study proved that Social Skill

> Builder software dramatically increased children with ASD's

> socialization, daily living skills, and communication. The results

> of a national study will be released later this year.

>

> ABOUT SOCIAL SKILL BUILDER

>

> Founded by speech pathologists s M.S. CCC-SLP and

> Laurie s M.A. CCC-SLP in 1999, Social Skill Builder provides

> interactive software tools for teaching social skills to children

> affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other

> language/learning difficulties. The programs, which include the CD-

> ROMs The Birthday Party, My School Day, My Community, and School

> Rules!, instruct children on the " rules " of social communication

and

> address everything from appropriate social touch and body space and

> speech volume to appropriate classroom behavior and lunchtime

> interaction. For more information, please visit

> www.socialskillbuilder.com.

>

>

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