Awesome project for the AT&T Mobile App - Autism Speaks Hackathon.
MakingAFriend is a collaboration between experts in the technology and autism communities brought together for the single purpose of creating an app that makes life better for individuals living on the autism spectrum.
Making friends is one of the greatest lifelong challenges individuals with autism have. The everyday struggles to understand the complexities of social skills coupled with a varying dearth of personal hygiene make it monumentally difficult to meet and interact with new people.
MakingAFriend will give individuals with autism the practice and confidence needed to meet new people and build relationships. Through captivating, witty "game-like" activities individuals can practice; interpreting facial expression, body language, personal hygiene, self-regulation and the social pragmatic skills of initiating & maintaining appropriate conversations. Good personal hygiene and self-regulation tasks are made amusing and entertaining with an interactive bathroom scene. Relevant sound effects, realistic visuals and confidence points keep players interested and engaged.
MakingAFriend is the first in a series of apps designed to meet the needs of everyone, with three levels of play and multiple language choices.
Contributors (so far): Lois Jean Brady, Rachel Blue, Lance Vikaros, Gabriel Adauto, Jay Zalowitz