Story Builder is a new computer-based tool which can be used by parents, carers and teachers to create individualised stories for children with autism and Asperger syndrome.
Developed by Ruth Evans, of the University of Leeds, and David Moore, of Leeds Metropolitan University, Story Builder guides the user through the necessary steps to build a computerised story.
It contains a sample story which can be used in its own right. People can use the 'shell' system to write a story based on the sample story, write a new story from scratch or edit a story they wrote earlier. The program should run on any PC that uses Windows and doesn't need an internet connection once installed.
Ruth said:
The shell, we believe, gives the flexibility to present a wide variety of social situations. It also enables the parents or teachers to demonstrate the subtle differences between seemingly similar social scenarios by perhaps writing a set of similar but different stories to cover the various eventualities.
The system has been evaluated at different stages of its development. An initial design was evaluated by a teacher who works as the ICT co-ordinator in a special school (teaching a number of children with autism), a support group of parents of children with autism, and a group of clinicians who all have contact with children with autism. A prototype then underwent a usability evaluation which informed amendments to the current version of the shell.
David said:
The overall response to the system was very positive. Users seemed to find the shell easy and intuitive to use, even though some declared themselves 'non-technical'. The vast majority said they thought they would use the shell to write stories for their children and that it would enable them to write the sort of stories they wanted.
To download Story Builder, visit Leeds Metropolitan University's website.
If you have any queries or issues regarding the software, please contact David Moore at d.moore@leedsmet.ac.uk