Did you know that your old iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad can give a child with Autism or developmental speech delay a way to communicate exactly what they want? We collect old iDevices - if you want to upgrade your current iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone to the latest model - please email [email protected] and we will organise collection. We also collect any old mobile phones in order to link in
with Irish Autism Action's mobile phone recycling scheme and get some iPads/mini iPads to help children with Autism (and Special Needs.) Here's the history of this campaign as explained by the founder, Lisa Domican:
Many kids with autism or speech delay use pictures attached to a board to ask for what they need or say how they feel. These boards are stored in a book which the user carries around with them. Even when they begin to speak, they may be difficult to understand, so they rely on a growing picture vocabulary which can become very unwieldy. Lisa says: As a mother of a little girl with autism with few words but a lot of pictures, I wanted to keep encouraging her speech development, but I wanted to be sure we always had the pictures we needed, wherever we went. Developed by Steve Troughton-Smith, with the support of O2 Telefonica, Grace App stores a basic picture vocabulary of Foods, Things I like, Places, Colors, Sizes and Shapes on an iPhone/iPad or iPod Touch with a function for creating a sentence that can be read together. There is also a facility for finding and taking photographs of all the other things that each individual user may need. It is a portable means of supporting the communication development of the user, wherever they go and is proving invaluable in improving vocalisations through consistency of use over time. Grace and the other children have also learned to share what they see and photograph independently, as a result of using the App. You can learn more on www.graceapp.com
There are a lot of families that could benefit from trying out the Grace App - but they need the device to use it. It is a big commitment for a family who may have limited means, and a lot of demands on their income due to the pressures of raising a child with Autism. But here is a way you can help;
If you are considering upgrading your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch - you could think about giving your old one to us. We can restore it to Factory Settings, install the App and donate it to your local Autism School or Community Support Group - for all their members to try. You can email me on [email protected] to arrange collection or call 0860486249. We are also donating the devices to families of Adults with Autism - giving them the chance to experience the benefits of Independent Communication for the first time. Everyone should have the right to say what they like and don't like - maybe you can find a way to help them out? Thanks for considering our campaign, Lisa Domican
