, , , , , , , , ,

These Parents of Autistic Twins Are Helping Kids All Over the World with Social Skills

When Marc Zimmerman’s twins were given an autism diagnosis, he decided to create something to make their lives better.

By Jamie Pacton

Zimmerman family Courtesy Marc Zimmerman

Marc Zimmerman has been a rockstar, composer, real estate broker, and software startup entrepreneur. But his latest project—founding and running the company responsible for the incredible social situation simulator The Social Express—is the one closest to his heart and home.Marc and his wife Tina are the parents of 14-year-old autistic twins Jared and Jason. When the boys were younger, Zimmerman wanted to create something that would help them navigate tricky social situations, reinforce what the boys were learning in therapy, and be something they could watch and learn from together. With this seed of an idea, Marc invested his life savings, made concrete plans, and now, with the help of Tina and many others, The Social Express is a reality.

So, what exactly does The Social Express do? According to its website, it, “provides an opportunity for the user to become more socially competent and have successful social interactions.” Or, put in simpler terms: It helps kids practice a variety of social situations in a low-stakes setting. Through colorful, expertly-animated videos and thoughtful storylines, kids can learn more about self-management, group participation, conversations, attentive listening, conflict management, relationships, non-verbal communication, and more. Kids watch the videos, then make choices that move them further along in the storyline. There are webisodes, e-books, music, and a “clubhouse” for social networking. It’s available for the computer or as an app, and Zimmerman notes that his sons and many other autistic kids really appreciate using technology as a vehicle for practicing social rules and conventions.

Social Express Social Express

Although I was skeptical about how much my children—a neurotypical 5-year-old and a non-verbal autistic 7-year-old—would take to the videos, I’m happy to report they were both enthralled by them. Together, we watched several in which kids tried to figure out which social choice was the most productive—and all of us appreciated the interactive aspect of The Social Express. We were also able to have a bit of conversation about the scenarios and why one way of acting was more positive than another in that social situation. I appreciated the conversation starters and the fact that this was low stakes, since social interactions in the real world cause both my children a lot of anxiety.

And my kids aren’t alone in appreciating The Social Express. Zimmerman reports that it is being used in homes and classrooms in more than 70 countries around the world, and it’s won quite a few awards, including being a part of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Education Technology Plan. Some schools are even using it with entire populations of students—not just autistic ones or those with special needs—and they’re seeing tremendous positive gains in social engagement. In fact, based on this success across student populations, Zimmerman is working on an anti-bullying program, similar to The Social Express, that will help kids figure out how to stop bullying in a variety of situations. He’s also planning on rolling out simulation programs to help with life skills and job training for older kids who are transitioning out of school.

The Social Express is a great program, and I love that it was inspired by the Zimmermans’ desire to help thier sons move more easily through the world. I’m hoping that with time, patience, and through practicing in many social situations both simualted and in the real world, my kids can see similar benefits to the Zimmerman twins, who are now artists, play in a band together, attend school, are good friends, and who are beginning to think about what the future might hold.

You can buy The Social Express here, and use this discount code at checkout to take 30% off the annual subscription: COOLTOOL. The code expires April 30, 2016.

Jamie Pacton lives in the Pacific Northwest where she drinks loads of coffee, dreams of sailing, and enjoys each day with her husband and two sons. Find her at www.jamiepacton.com and Twitter @jamiepacton.

/by
,

Follett School Solutions’ President Tom Schenck Joins Brighten Learning Board Of Directors

Encinitas, Calif. – Sept. 15, 2015 – Follett Schools Solutions’ President Tom Schenck has joined Brighten Learning Board of Directors.  Brighten Learning develops web-based interactive education software, including the award winning social skills program, The Social Express®.

 

Schenck joined Follett in 1989 and was appointed president of the Follett School Solutions’ Group (FSS) in April 2014.  Schenck has overall responsibility for preK-12 products and services, including marketing and selling, product management, development, services and product distribution.  FSS employs over 1,300 associates and serves over 70,000 K-12 school institutions with its school management systems and content and services offerings daily.  During his 26-year career at Follett, Schenck has served in many roles, including president of Follett Software Company in 1998, and in 2014 he pioneered the merger of four of Follett’s preK-12 businesses into one organization, Follett School Solutions.

 

“I have seen numerous innovative companies in my many roles at Follett, and what Marc Zimmerman has created with Brighten Learning taps into the very direction of the future of education” says Schenck.  “My mandate has always been to create and provide education solutions that help administrators, educators and students achieve their goals.  Brighten Learning is the type of forward thinking company that realizes this by leveraging technology with learning in a clear, responsible and highly engaging way.”

 

Marc Zimmerman, CEO of Brighten Learning, added, “I have been fortunate to know Tom for many years and with his valuable experience and expertise, he can help Brighten Learning navigate the education market and continue our path to deliver the best education products to schools.”

Schenck has extensive experience in software product development, data analysis, and information technology.  Prior to joining Follett, he co-founded Library Systems and Services Inc., a company that specialized in public library automation software and services.  After selling Library Systems and Services in 1985, Schenck joined the software development team at The Library Corp. and played a key role in the development of product line extensions to Bibliofile. In 1987, he was appointed director of R&D.

 

 

About Follett’s PreK-12 Business | Follettlearning.com

Follett is the largest provider of educational materials and technology solutions to preK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States, and a major supplier to educational institutions worldwide. Follett distributes books, reference materials, digital resources, ebooks and audiovisual materials, as well as pre-owned textbooks. Follett also is one of the leading providers of integrated educational technology for the management of physical and digital assets, the tracking, storing and analyzing of academic data, and digital learning environment tools for the classroom focusing on student achievement.

 

About Follett Corporation | Follett.com

Since 1873, Follett has served as the trusted partner in education for students and educators at all levels of learning. Today Follett delivers physical and digital learning materials, retail services, school content and management systems to more than 70,000 early childhood, primary and secondary schools, and on more than 1,000 college campuses. Headquartered in Westchester, Ill., Follett is a $2.7 billion privately held company.

 

About Brighten Learning Inc.

Brighten Learning™, founded in 2008 by parents of autistic twins, is a privately held company based in Encinitas, Calif. The company develops The Social Express™ and other interactive social learning software. The company’s mission is to help children with ADHD, Autism and Asperger’s to improve their lives by teaching social skills using video modeling. Visit the company at http://thesocialexpress.com/

 

For more information visit http://www.TheSocialExpress.com

 

Media contact:

Leslie Eicher, APR

314-965-1776

Leslie@EicherCommunications.com

/by
, , , , , , , , , , ,

Social Express named in Common Sense Media Power Up Special

Common Sense Media has officially launched its updated Power UP Special Needs and Learning Difficulties Guide for Kids; and The Social Express II is included!

Being featured in this guide is a meaningful milestone for us. The Common Sense Media team spent months diving deep into research, interviewing experts and educators, and testing products with families and field leaders. Their goal? To identify high‑quality, thoughtfully designed tools that can genuinely support kids who benefit from learning in non‑traditional ways.

We’re proud that The Social Express II was selected as one of those standout resources. It reinforces our mission to help all learners build the social‑emotional skills they need to thrive through engaging, interactive experiences that make skill‑building feel natural and fun.

If you’d like to explore the full guide, it’s available for free on Common Sense Media’s website:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/guide/special-needs

At Brighten Learning, we’re committed to creating tools that meet diverse learners where they are. Being recognized in this guide motivates us to continue innovating and supporting educators, parents, and,most importantly, kids.

/by
,

The Social Express App Now Available for Windows 8

Expands Opportunity for Educators to Help Autistic Students Learn Social Skills

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) May 16, 2014

Windows ProductsBrighten Learning®, makers of engaging, online interactive programs for students learning social skills, is pleased to announce The Social Express® App is now available in the Windows Store. Social Express software is designed to teach children and young adults with high functioning autism and other special needs how to manage social situations, helping them to develop meaningful social relationships and succeed in life.

The award-winning program has recently expanded its content and moved to an online SaaS subscription model. As with its original release, The Social Express uses relatable characters and video modeling to provide a visual model of targeted behaviors and skills. The Social Express aligns with Common Core Standards and supports educators who are teaching K-6 children how to think about and manage social situations with tools and reports.

WindowsStore_badge_en_English_Green_med_258x67

“Our approach at The Social Express is to leverage technology to create digital content and curricula that is easy-to-use, fun and engaging,” said Marc Zimmerman CEO/Founder of The Social Express. “We are truly proud of this collaboration with Microsoft, as our new app will increase our reach to additional Windows 8 devices, integrate fully with Office 365, and make it easier for educators to help their students learn social skills.”

“Microsoft has long been committed to developing innovative accessibility solutions for students of all ages and all abilities which is why we are excited to support The Social Express app that will allow educators to create a truly immersive, personalized learning experience for students with autism,” said Margo Day, vice president, U.S. Education, Microsoft Corp. “We know that communication is the most in-demand skill for jobs of today and in the future and this app will enable students with the inter-personal skills they will need to communicate effectively and succeed in the future.”

Since launching in November 2011, The Social Express has received supportive testimonials from across the globe. Hundreds of stories of progress and success have poured in from Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), behaviorists, educators and parents.

For third quarter, 2014, The Social Express will expand its learning content to include e-books, workbooks for educators as well as additional Webisodes addressing social skills.

About Brighten Learning, Inc.:
Brighten Learning®, founded by parents of autistic twins in 2011, is a privately held company based in Encinitas, California. The company develops The Social Express® and other interactive social skills software and learning management systems. The company’s mission is to help special needs children with social-emotional deficits to improve their lives. The company’s video modeling social skills learning programs help children with ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s, and related disorders to improve their interactions with others. Visit the company at http://thesocialexpress.com/

/by

Chantal Sicile-Kira Founder of Autism College and Award Winning Author, Endorses The Social Express

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Social Express is a great program in many respects. First, the aesthetics: Often programs have so much going on visually that it is too distracting from the actual lesson – but not Social Express. The background is a beautiful calming yet happy blue, with only the necessary visuals for the lesson at hand. The quality of the images  are amazing – just like a Pixar movie. The music and the voices are very enjoyable to hear as well – and we all know how important these sensory aspects are to our loved ones on the spectrum.

Secondly, the lessons are interesting and move at a nice pace.  They cover social skills that many of our children and students do not pick up by osmosis, including identifying emotions, self-regulation coping strategies, perspective taking and reading non-verbal cues to name a few.  The lessons all contain visual cues, and teaching tips, learning points, pacing controls, and preference options – all easy to use by a parent or professional without prior training on the program.

Thirdly, there are worksheets or printables – so the lesson can continue off the computer, and provides the opportunity for the parent or professional to generalize the lesson to other possible situations before practicing them out in a real social context.

I wish this program had been available when my son Jeremy was younger (although he enjoys this program now). I can’t wait to see the teen and young adult version!

I highly recommend this program for parents and professionals.

Chantal Sicile-Kira,

Author of 5 books on autism including A Full Life with Autism

Founder, AutismCollege.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

/by

Lessons for Kids with Autism from Google’s 3D Software

I just came across a great article that talks about a 12-year-old boy named Chris with high functioning autism using a program called Sketch Up. Chris participated in a  University of Utah study that was  published in the December issue of Family & Consumer Sciences Research Journal.

For the past year and a half Chris participated in workshops at the University to teach 3D modeling software developed by Google called SketchUp.

What I found interesting in this article is something I am always promoting with other parents. How do we get kids on the spectrum engaged?  Once kids with autism are engaged, we have an opportunity to see things happen that were completely unexpected.

In this study they used a tool to teach children life skills using a really cool interactive program.  The kids got a lot more out of this than just life skill lessons.

What happened is the children who were learning the program Sketch Up actually were taking pride in their work and sharing it with others. They communicated effectively not only with their peers in the study, but also at home with their parents and grandparents.

Technology Works for Kids with Autism

In our experience with our twins, we learned 3 key lessons about using technology.

– Kids really can learn from quality technology tools

– Limit their use of computers as they may have a tendency to play too long

– Use technology as a way to interact with your child.

I strongly believe we need to continue to develop engaging activities for these highly intelligent children with autism so they can reach their full potential. Flash cards, and other old school methods of trying to engage these children has proven over and over again to be less effective compared to when we apply today’s technology.

 

 

/by

48 Countries in less then 30 days!

We are proud to announce that The Social Express has been downloaded in 48 countries in less then 30 days! We are so excited to begin hearing success stories around the globe!

/by