Mike Wolanin | The Republic Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. Autism Coordinator Amber Wolf, left, and Registered Behavioral Technician Chelsea Smith set up a demonstration for a robot named Milo that is designed to help children on the autism spectrum learn social skills stands on a table at Rockcreek Elementary School in Columbus, Ind., Friday, Jan. 20, 2023.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. is purchasing two more robotic helpers for students on the spectrum.
BCSC has been awarded a 2023-2024 Senator David C. Ford Educational Technology Program Grant from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and is receiving $80,600, said autism coordinator Amber Wolf.
“This grant allows corporations and charter schools to purchase robotic technology and provide professional development endorsed by the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) to improve the social and behavioral skills for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD),” said IDOE Director of Special Education Nancy Holsapple in a release.
Wolf said in a previous interview that BCSC was able to purchase five bots from RoboKind through a prior grant from IDOE. The latest award will bring their total count to seven robots, she said.
RoboKind, an education technology company headquartered in Dallas, produces robots that are designed to help autistic students learn social-emotional skills.
“Our comprehensive social-emotional learning curriculum is delivered by advanced, facially-expressive robots in the classroom environment,” the company states in its LinkedIn profile. “The robots4autism program is specifically tailored to autistic learners, but all children are engaged and excited by the robot, and can benefit from this program.”
RoboKind’s models include bots known as Milo, Carver, Veda and Jemi.
Wolf said that BCSC’s use of the technology has been a success so far, with many schools requesting use of the bots. Additionally, school officials have observed that many students who have been working with the technology now interact and play more with their peers.
“I just think it’s great that the state is providing this opportunity,” she said.
