This First/Then Visual Transition app aims to help educators, therapies and parents help people with autism transition smoother from one activity to another.
For some children, transitions can be difficult, especially if they don’t want that activity to end, or they don’t understand that that activity had ended. Even when we tell them slowly and nicely, those words very often do not reach them.
This is where a First/Then visual board, cards and apps come to play. The goal is to get the message to them, that once an activity has ended, they are going to transition to another activity, through visual instead of verbal.
Very often, people with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) respond better to visual message than verbal message.
Visual Schedule can prepare them of what’s coming next, instead of being suddenly pulled from whatever activity they are in at the moment, and people with autism don’t respond well with sudden changes.
For example, as part of morning routine, we could prepare them by putting on their shoes or boots now as we are about to wait for the school bus by using the first… then… visual schedule as seen below;
When people on the spectrum are in the middle of their activity, they need to be given time to prepare mentally to switch to their next activity. Using a bell, an audible timer or a visual timer as seen below certainly helps them.
More often than not, communicating with people with autism can pose certain challenges, especially when they are non-verbal or having problems communicating what they want/need.
When a non-verbal person with autism is having trouble expressing how they feel or what they need, it often leads them to a meltdown. Therefore, having a way for them to tell us how they feel or what they want is paramount.
This “First… Then… Transition Time” app is developed to help individuals with autism transition, express their feelings and communicate some of their basic needs to other people.
Click the link below to download this app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.firstthentransition
Head to our Google Play page and start installing our apps.