A tutor asked the other day what Tablet PC might work best for a student with autism to use while attending a regular class. Wow, that brought back memories. In my second year of teaching, i had a fifth grader that fit the same description. I didn't know enough then to treat him any differently from any of the other 35 students in the room.

I checked with Lora, then we suggested the tutor should look at the Lenovo Thinkpad x60 Tablet PC. It has an option for a "multitouch" display. When the pen is in range you can write, or if the pen is out of range you can point and touch with your finger. Lenovo also offers a carry case that slings over the shoulder and has extra protection. This might be good for a student carrying the Tablet around. Plus, Lenovo has an aggressive support for use of their Tablets in schools. That should be of special interest to teachers.

A second option we suggested is a TabletKiosk eo. It's smaller and lighter to tote around, with the touch and pen functions, if ultra mobility helps a student.

The school should pay for the Tablet when educators include it in the student's Individualized Education Plan.

What Tablet would you have suggested the tutor consider for this student?

Tablet PC Education Blog