Robotics Program To Assist With ASD Students

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – A program involving robots was featured at the John McIntire Elementary School.

For more than twenty years, the Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center has been running programs for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. They developed a program with the Robotics, Automation, and Design program at Mid-East Career and Technology Center to help students with specific social skills using robots.

“It teaches these students how to interact with others, with the robots. Maybe they can use these skills that they’re interacting with the robot then can follow through and do it with peers, communicate more with them,” said Autism Program Teacher, Kim Martin.

Mid-East students program the robot to assist with skills introduced through lessons in the classroom. Step by step instructions are significantly needed for the children to learn each social skill. The program is not just rewarding for ASD students but the Mid-East students as well.

“I really started to like doing it because everytime you walk in the kids just smile cause they already know what’s going on. They love the robots here. So for me it’s rewarding because I get to help make a difference and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do. And you always have to start small before you move big,” said Mid-East student, Jared Reed.

Implementing the robots into the programs are still at its early stages, but the goal is to use the skills in real world situations.