5:05am April 6, 2012

This is certainly interesting.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from my iPad. I’d worried it would be just like my laptop only without a keyboard. But it’s not. The thing that makes it easier for me to use is that all the interaction is with the screen itself. Keyboards and trackpads are distant from the screen and it adds an extra layer of abstraction to using the computer. With an iPad you’re touching what’s on the screen directly.

This does two things. It removes the layer of abstraction. But more than that. It also directly cues you on where to put your hand. With my movement disorder – which is merely an exaggeration of cognitive and motor issues most autistic people have – each one of those things is huge. Any tiny barrier in user friendliness can create a huge barrier for me. And the way the iPad functions both removes a barrier and pulls me further in. I can see why they’re so popular with autistic kids. I can only imagine what it would have been like to have this when I was a child. It’s a far cry from a VIC-20 or an Amiga 1000, which are what we had. It’s also a different experience than an iTouch – both harder and easier depending on what you’re doing. I didn’t expect it to be this different. I’m certainly very glad I got it. My only real issue is the keyboard.

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