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Game is first for autistic children

by Eve Dugdale
23/ 7/2008

AN ASHTON animator has come up with a cosmic way to communicate with autistic children.

Catalyst Video is the UK’s first studio to create a cartoon series computer game aimed at young children with autism.

The Space Place features 12 stories focusing on the link between emotions and facial expressions.

Lunar vehicle characters come to life after their space museum closes and their computerised faces form expressions that are central to the story.

The series is narrated by Rob Rackstraw, the voice behind Spud in Bob the Builder.

Nik Lever, managing director of Catalyst, says children with autism tend to have problems with recognising emotions and that his team have come up with a powerful learning tool to help parents and teachers develop empathy skills.

"With regular exposure to teaching tools such as this, children with autism can dramatically improve their awareness of expressions and the emotions that cause them and be able to transfer this learning to different situations," he said. "Children on the autism spectrum tend to love programmes with vehicles, such as Thomas the Tank Engine and Roary the Racing Car. We’re capitalising on this interest so that while they’re watching they can be advancing their social skills too. Any child can enjoy The Space Place, though, that’s what’s so great about it. We’ve made a product which is inclusive rather than exclusive. "

The Space Place has been endorsed by development psychologist Dr Janine Spencer who established the Centre for Research in Infant Behaviour lab based at Brunel University.

She said: "The Space Place is fantastic - the characters’ animated facial expressions show important emotions in the context of an engaging storyline."

Nik is hoping The Space Place will be a big seller in schools.

For more information log on to www.spaceplace.tv   or phone 339 3353.