New DVD Helps Young Children with ASD Recognize and Understand Emotions
Thursday, December 4, 2008
By: Robin Gurley

"Transporters" series teaches 2- to 8-year-olds about 15 key emotions

The brainchild of Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, a leading world authority on autism at the Autism Research Center at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, the “Transporters” DVD is an animated series that teaches children with ASD about emotions. Eight lovable vehicles (trains, trams and cable cars), specifically designed to appeal to children with autism and Asperger’s syndrome, have adventures based around 15 key emotions. The vehicles have real human faces so the children learn to recognize emotions on real faces rather than cartoon ones, which helps them to generalize what they learn into everyday life.

A new study from Cambridge University, to be published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, found that after watching the DVD for just 15 minutes a day for 4 weeks, most children with autism caught up with other children in their ability to recognize emotions.

Parents who have used the DVD have reported noticeable improvements and stronger emotional bonds with their children. Professionals have noted children commenting on other people’s feelings, often for the first time.

The DVD includes:

• 15 fun 5-minute episodes, showing key emotions in context;
• 30 entertaining interactive quizzes to reinforce and test understanding; and
• a 36-page booklet explaining how to get the most out of the DVD at home and at school.

The DVD is available in the U.S. and Canada at http://www.thetransporters.com/; a special introductory price of $49.95 is available until 12 noon EST on December 31, 2008. Twenty-five percent of profits from the sale of the DVD go to autism charities around the world, including the Autism Society of America.