At Support Autism Typing, our goal is promote creative strategies to help special needs children acquire the ABILITY TO TYPE and truly express themselves. Current communication strategies frequently fall short in allowing nonverbal, motor challenged students to output the amazing thoughts that are trapped inside.  Let's try new approaches, such as the arm support device pictured above which simulates a supportive adult arm, but is non-biased.  This forearm support device was simply purchased online and repurposed from its original use by swinging the metal arm to hover over the keyboard instead of behind it.  Though typing may seem straightforward to those without neurological issues, it actually requires the complex coordination of gross motor and fine motor movements, proprioception, visual tracking, and tactile input. As a physician, I appreciate the large number of systems that must work together in perfect harmony to perform these movement.  I will share how we taught my autistic son Shaun to type independently at age 12 and offer additional ideas that can help others be successful.  Let's share our ideas and together enact change in our schools! Typing in schools needs to begin in Kindergarten and can start even earlier in the home. No one should be trapped without a voice like my son was for so many years.   

                                                                                                                                    --Shannon Canas, M.D.

Take a look through our site to learn more about how we can forge new approaches to typing and promote change.