Dutch Autism Dad Creates Free PictoSelector for Autism in Several Languages
I'm Martijn van der Kooij from Stadskanaal in the Netherlands. As parents of a wonderful seven year old boy with autism, we've been using visuals for several years now and last year we started working with the free Sclera symbols. They're a great resource and my wife was using Word to create the schedules.
Being a software developer, I saw how time consuming this task was becoming and created a tool to make the search easier. I quickly added a way to create the schedules in my application. And so Picto Selector was born in September, 2009.
This year I've been polishing the tool and adding more symbols. Using symbols from other providers, the full download now contains 14000 symbols in all. These symbols are translated to English, Dutch, German and French. A Spanish set is also available in Catalan.
Recent updates to the software have made it possible to use your own photographs, text, clock and timer as a symbol or to change the color of symbols.
In the visualizations, we often want to show that something is "good" or "wrong" and every picture can be overlayed by a "good" or "wrong" graphic.
Learning and communication resources for children with autism are far too important to ask money for, but any donation to the project can help us keep this tool free for everyone.
Picto Selector is available for free at PECS FOR ALL
Picto Selector is a free windows application to create picto sheets. This way it helps to structurize the daily tasks of autistic children
Would you recommand any other free picto database version for max os 10.7?
Or anyone using mac has an alternative?
I work with a man with sever autisme and we are about to make a wall board to organize his journey.
Thanks for any recommandations
Posted by: daniel | March 30, 2012 at 09:11 AM
The application can be run on a MAC using the Crossover emulator, you can find more information about this on the Picto Selector website.
After several updates Picto Selector is now using a database which support network installations. It also contains now over 16000 symbols and very soon 17000!!
Greetings
Martijn van der Kooij
Posted by: Martijn van der Kooij | February 06, 2011 at 01:15 PM
thank you. My adult, college-graduate son has Asperger's and I taught k-3 children with severe "classic" autism. I just shared information on pecs for all on Facebook after learning about it from Talk about Curing Autism (TACA). I used Boardmaker back in the day. I wish your program was mac-compatible. Thank you again.
Posted by: monica sharp | August 25, 2010 at 07:19 PM
I'm glad you like the tool. I'm not the only warrior dad :-) The http://www.autiplan.com autiplan tool is also designed by a dutch parent and free for personal use.
They use the same sclera symbols.
Best wishes to you all
Posted by: Martijn van der Kooij | August 25, 2010 at 03:24 AM
This technology does currently exist in the United States. My grandson uses one.
His picto board was free, but he has great support services from the county in which he lives. My son took his digital camera and made copies of those things from his environment at home and elsewhere. He has made great progress and the goal will be for him to communicate thoughts and needs in complete sentences.
Posted by: DSO | August 24, 2010 at 08:49 PM
Your sacrifices and work is truly and deeply appreciated. May the blessings be returned tenfold to you, your family and your wonderful boy --
Thank you again.
Posted by: camilla | August 24, 2010 at 06:11 PM
AWESOME! On my way to download right now! Thanks for developing and sharing with us! Your hard work will help so many of us!
Thanks!
Angie
Mom to Ethan, Alex, and Megan
Posted by: Angie | August 24, 2010 at 06:01 PM
You are an awesome warrior dad! THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS WITH ALL OF US!!!!
Posted by: Lisa In Texas | August 24, 2010 at 01:57 PM
THANK YOU!!!
Posted by: Dolores | August 24, 2010 at 12:28 PM
Excellent resource. Parents know their kids-- being able to design the details of the images so they appeal to children better is a great feature of this application. Thank you Martijn!!
Posted by: Gatogorra | August 24, 2010 at 10:36 AM