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Playing with a Purpose
Computer and Video Games for Special Needs Children By Teri Brown
Picking the Right GameDubbles says that parents can pick out appropriate games for their special needs children by being aware of their interests and developmental levels, as well as milestones that parents would like to help children achieve. "Although provocative games get the lion's share of press, there are many family-friendly games that are fun, as well as deep in potential learning," he says. "The key is being open to learning about the games your child is interested in. At the very least, you acknowledge the value of your child's interests, as well as open yourself to experience where you can reflect and share your values and appreciation for your child. Sometimes meeting a person halfway means trying what they like with an open mind and the experience to help them make sense of the experience."
James Haldy is the academic director for Game Art & Design and Visual & Game Programming at The Art Institute of Phoenix. With over 19 years of experience in the video and computer game field, he has seen games change from the simple to the complex and become very useful as teaching tools for special needs children. "Children with special needs can learn to do ordinary real-world tasks by repetitiously doing them in a video game environment where the results have no permanent consequences," he says. "Video games can also teach children to develop complex problem-solving capabilities and how to interact with other individuals."
Talk to your child's teachers and counselors, and ask them if they know of any good computer or video games appropriate for your child. Haldy says it's important to remember that not all video games will serve the same purposes or provide the same results. "If a child has a problem with hand-eye coordination, then games that emphasize hand-eye coordination through progressive levels of difficulty might serve as a good training vehicle," he says. "However, this same sort of game might not be very helpful for a child with attention deficit disorder (ADD). In this case, a good puzzle-solving video game might be more useful. Parents need to be aware of the type of play that is required for each video game they are considering purchasing."