Autism, Aspergers & Online Learning
Meeting the challenge of autism education
The US Autism and Asperger's Association is quick to point out teaching children with autism can be challenging. Children with autism or Asperger's sometimes seem to be on their own clock, and the social cues we use have little effect. These children need a patient, ordered learning system that breaks large learning goals into smaller tasks.
Many parents of autistic children have found K5 Learning to provide welcome support for math and language literacy. We suggest you take a 14 day free trial of our online reading and math program.
Children with autism benefit from computer based learning
More prevalent in boys than girls (1 in 70 boys in the US have some form of autism spectrum disorder), autism has been the subject of a vast array of research. Julie Balderston, a specialist in Autism Spectrum Disorders, advocates for children with autism or Asperger's syndrome. While noting the high importance of social development, she notes that children with autism often feel most comfortable with a computer interface for learning. Further, children with Asperger's syndrome frequently experience problems with fine motor control which can affect handwriting, and computer based solutions remove the frustration of writing words out by hand.
K5 Learning & autism / Asperger's syndrome
Many children with high functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome simply learn better without the distractions of personal contact. K5 Learning provides a structured online environment with over 3,000 interactive reading and math activities. The program automatically selects lessons, marks quizzes and prepares reports for parents. The lessons themselves are animated but focused on education, not "edutainment". The program is designed for kindergarten to grade 5 students, and the student interfaces are very simple. K5 has been used by many special needs students with significant success, and while it will not work with every child, our structured approach may give your child the right amount of practice and graduated learning that he/she needs.
Customize K5 for your child
K5 students study at their skill level, not their grade level. If your child is stronger in certain areas (e.g. arithmetic) than other areas (e.g. phonics), then we will place your child at appropriate levels in both topics. You can also select lessons on an individual basis for your child, to give them help in specific areas.
K5 Learning helps organize learning for your child
Organisation of space and time is extremely important for children with autism or children with Asperger's syndrome. Studies show that giving children with autism a set schedule will increase their success. K5 Learning is available 24/7 at home, and thus can fit easily into any routine you establish. We provide a far cleaner, more structured and less distraction filled interface than most alternate online learning activities.