Improving Day-to-Day Organization for People with Autism Through the Power of Visuals
Thanks to the folks at DropTask for sharing this info and special reader offer (see below):
Visuals, whether it’s icons, logos, symbols, colors or shapes, play a very significant role in the world around us. They help draw our attention to certain objects, areas or even bits of text, and above all else, visuals have the ability to convey information with great speed – especially in comparison to text which challenges our brain to ‘decode’ before we can understand. Did you know that it’s said to take 1/4 of a second for our brain to process visual cues? It’s undeniable, therefore, that visuals go much further than just their aesthetic appeal.
For those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, visual supports can be of help with seeing and understanding as they provide an opportunity to communicate with less difficulty. Encouraging communication and development can have a great effect on self-esteem as well as independence, and there are a number of great tools and learning aids available for people of all ages and abilities. One visual tool that aids with organization and day to day productivity, is DropTask.
DropTask: More than your regular to-do list
From scheduling and sequencing activities, to starting and finishing them, DropTask is a colorful and user-friendly tool which helps to bring structure and routine to daily life. The user experience is elevated by combining powerful collaborative, time-management, and scheduling features - plus many more, with the benefits of visual thinking.
Naturally, we’re biologically wired to process the world visually, and this can greatly aid in the realm of organization and productivity. Let’s take a closer look at how DropTask can help those with ASD:
Communication
With many autistic people being non-verbal, alternative means of communication, such as symbols, are often preferred. DropTask allows for a lot of information – from Status and Importance, to Effort and Assignees, to be communicated through visual representations and icon displays. Tasks and information are clearly presented, which can increase the independence of individuals with ASD as it reduces the need for continuous intervention.
You can also collaborate and communicate with others on a project in real-time, allowing you the option to track a particular individual’s progress on a task. This helps to keep everyone on the same page and forms as a great indicator to provide help when needed.
Instructions and reminders
For anything that needs to be done, a Task ‘circle’ can be created within DropTask – allowing for all of the steps required in order to complete an activity to be clearly mapped out. With concepts more tangible, it can help to reduce anxiety.
You can even back-up instructions with visual supports by uploading Cover Images to Tasks. Images are easy to identify and help us build associations - for example, most people recognize that a green man at a crossing means it’s safe to cross. So, these associations provide valuable information and make it easy to remember what needs to be done.
Scheduling and sequencing
By assigning Due Dates to tasks you can instantly see when an activity finishes. Having these dates visible makes it easy for people - particular those with ASD, to move on to another activity as it eliminates confusion or uncertainty. You can even create visual links between tasks using Dependencies, which help to define the order of upcoming activities.
Scheduling and sequencing tasks in this way gives structure and routine to activities, and helps to make daily life more predictable for autistic people as they know what is coming next.
Learn more by signing up for a free DropTask account today.
Exclusive Reader Offer:
If you’d like to give DropTask a go, we’ve got an exclusive reader offer available for a limited time only: OFFER ENDS MAY 6, 2016.
Sign up to DropTask and purchase any annual subscription to the premium service, DropTask PRO, and get 2 months free*. (That means you’ll receive 14 months for the price of 12!)
To claim your exclusive offer, send an email to contact@droptask.com with your name, quoting the code ‘AUTISM_AWARENESS_MONTH’. a
The only thing that helps with brain injury is biomedical treatment.
We need more medical treatments.
Posted by: duk | April 26, 2016 at 07:44 AM
Horrors! This looks just like my gas bill, and I can't make head nor tail of that. Perhaps they're not applying the method correctly?
Posted by: Grace Green | April 26, 2016 at 06:32 AM