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Social Skill Builder My Community - Helping Kids with Special Needs

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

For the last two weeks, our parent bloggers with kids with special needs have been putting the Social Skill Builder “My Community” software to the test. Created by two speech and language pathologists, this computer software is aimed at assisting kids 5 - 15 with generalizing their social skills outside of the school setting. Utilizing various real life community and neighborhood scenarios, this computer program (such as Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and other spectrum disorders) addresses a variety of skill areas, including life skills, social skills, communication, and conversation.

Social Skill Builder My Community

This unique software differs from most of the products out there in that it provides real life situations for kids with special needs to learn from. Also, the software (specifically Level 5) allows for fill-in-the-blank answers, which is a unique and helpful way for kids to actually learn. In a similar vein, parents were impressed with the complexity of the software, including how it’s completely customizable based on what your kids need. Additionally, parents felt that the information was presented clearly and easily - for both the kids and the parents. The parents also loved that the computer program allows parents to track progress.

A couple of our parents had kids younger than the specific age range, but offered their opinions and how they might use it with their kids once they got older. Also, one parent with a younger child thought the CD-ROM would be great for any child having difficulties with social skills. Another mom agreed: “I highly recommend. Actually, I think even regular kids could benefit from this social skills software. It could even be an interesting tool to use in a classroom.”

Parents felt that the software helped open up dialog about specific issues, even for kids who weren’t diagnosed with a spectrum disorder. And because social skills have some many different nuances (it’s not like teaching the ABCs) the parents appreciated having this resource, particularly since it utilized real life scenarios. Plus, most kids are exposed to these skills in school and need assistance working on them in natural settings.

While the cost may be prohibitive for some families, if you’re spending money on therapy (or have these goes in your child’s IEP), a program like this can really help facilitate growth and provide you with the support you need outside of those settings.

For more information about My Community and their other computer software programs for kids with special needs, visit the Social Skill Builder website. You can also try out a free demo of their programs.