SOCIAL STORIES CREATOR AND LIBRARY
App Info
Name of app: Social Stories Creator and Library for Preschool, Autism and Special Needs by Touch Autism
Cost: App is free in the Apple Store; Pre-made stories available for purchase in Apple and Google Play stores (for Apple and Android devices)
Target Audience: Ages 6-8, or students with Autism who are at the developmental age of 6-8.
Where to get it: Available in the Apple Store; Stories available in the Apple Store and on Google Play.
Create and share social stories and visual schedules
This app is useful for students who need support with appropriate social skills and behaviour, and who may require the app to read a social story to them. The app allows students to create their own social stories and visual schedules, share them with others, and receive stories or visual schedules from others. Students can personalize the stories with photos, text and audio to be used at any time. There are also pre-made stories available for purchase. The app has an easy-to-use interface and a simple design featuring bold, clear text and some diverse characters.
Classroom Applications
Social stories were created in 1991 by Carol Gray, who describes them as describing “a situation, skill, or concept in terms of relevant social cues, perspectives, and common responses in a specifically defined style and format. The goal of a Social Story is to share accurate social information in a patient and reassuring manner that is easily understood by its audience” (Gray, 2010).
Oftentimes, students with autism need explicit explanation of why their behaviour was inappropriate. This app allows educators and support teachers to customize the social stories so that they directly respond to a student’s behaviour.
Having the student help create the story can also provide opportunities to practice literacy skills (writing a narrative, recording their voice for oral language, reading others’ stories, etc.). In creating the story, students can also develop web skills in searching the internet for appropriate images, saving them and then inserting them into their story.
Anecdotal Review
While there are many story creator applications available, this one is specifically designed for students with Autism. Even if the pre-made stories are not purchased, the titles are visible and can be used as a guide for developing personalized stories. It would be nice for more than one story to be made available for free, but Touch Autism (the developer) has many other related apps that are available for free to support students with Autism.
