Children with autism seem to learn best when the instructional material is
presented in visual form. In this case it might be worthwhile to try different
educational programs via a computer. Using a computer is a fun way to learn. The
majority of educational programs are highly visual. Many of the games
available involve storylines, plots, and realistic human behaviors. Some of the
skills autistic children can learn from carefully selected video games are
language skills, reading and math skills, and social skills. Visual
learning devices are highly effective and can be accompanied by various rewards
to reinforce what is being learned. For instance, food and extended leisure
activities can be used as rewards that will encourage the child to want to
learn. In addition, the use of positive reinforcement will help develop
a bond between student and teacher, and create a sense of trust that will help
strengthen the learning environment. Social stories are another way to
make learning fun for children with autism. Since one of the aspects of autism
is the inability to interact normally in a social situation, social stories can
be utilized in a variety of different ways in order to model appropriate
behavior.