Autism Light: Steve Jobs and the iPad

In Memory of Steve Jobs (1955-2011)


Steve Jobs and Apple Inc. created the iPad. It was first released on April 3, 2010. The second generation known as the iPad 2 was released in March 2, 2011. The iPad is an Autism Light because of the amazing way it is being used as a resource to help people with autism learn, communicate, and have fun. It is also being used by parents and professionals to improve teaching of people with autism. This is the first time an inanimate object has been made an Autism Light.


The iPad is a tablet computer-like device that uses various Apps to do different functions. It requires the user to touch the screen to interact with programs. The iPad can access the Internet through WiFi and and a high end model can also access it without WiFi through the 3G network. In less than two years there are now hundreds of Apps for the iPad being created to help people with autism.

The video below was produced by Apple Inc. and has two stories of how the iPad is being used to specifically help those with autism.



The truth be known there are hundreds of stories of how the iPad is being used for people with autism, because as Dr. Howard Shane said in the above video, the iPad is a game changer.  Here are links to three YouTube videos that feature families using the iPad to help their children with autism.

• This video demonstrates how the iPad is being used by a family to teach their autistic son Braden academics.
• This video is a news story of the great results that happened when an autistic boy named Coleman started using the iPad to communicate with his family.
• This video is a news story of the great results that happened when an autistic girl named Autumn started using the iPad.

Many leaders in the autism community have noticed the difference that the iPad is making for children with autism, including these three Autism Lights.

1. Gary James and his organization Apps for Children With Special Needs, specializes in demonstrating how the iPad Apps work. Gary James also has started programs where he is working on giving away an iPad to someone in each of the 50 states and to acquire 500 iPads for 100 schools. You may recall that Gary James was named an Autism Light on October 1, 2011.
2. Curtis Maybin and his website, Autism News Wire, has a section devoted to news on the iPad.  You may recall that Curtis Maybin was named an Autism Light on September 27, 2011. 
3. Laura Shumaker wrote a very helpful blog post called iPad for Autism: Selecting the Best Apps. You may recall that Laura Shumaker was designated an Autism Light on September 16, 2011.

Here are some resources for additional information on the iPad as it applies to autism.

• Is the iPad a 'Miracle Device' for Autism?
• The iPad: A Useful Tool for Autism
• Autism Speaks Autism Apps

Special thanks to Apple and Steve Jobs for creating the iPad. Autism Light was saddened along with the whole world to hear of the death yesterday of Steve Jobs, but there is a sense in which Steve Jobs will live on in the autism community through the iPad.

Autism Light is a daily look at diverse heroes to the world of autism.