Teacher uses SWTOR to connect with autistic student

by **TheHidden01** Mon Jul 02, 2012 7:21 pm

Through Reddit comes one of those truly touching stories that show us just how video games can and do make a difference for the better in the real world. Special Ed teacher Lyobel was having difficulties connecting with an autistic student. After learning that the student was into Star Wars and Star Wars: The Old Republic, she went to Reddit to ask for help in mastering the lingo and game. With her new-found knowledge, Lyobel met her student in SWTOR and found that he opened up through this medium:

"This was after all a kid who for the last six months hadn't talked to anyone except over a computer, hadn't left the room except for food and toilet for the same amount of time, and had kicked out and ignored the last teacher to enter his domain.

But aha! He is PvPing! And by the looks of it, he is getting his ass kicked. 'Get out of line of sight!' I shout, smoothly positioning myself next to him so I can see better. It looks slightly humorous while he runs around a rock, and when he dies I proclaim a masterful 'stupid smugglers!'

Now, I'm not entirely sure if it was a smuggler that killed him, but the ice is broken, and as he runs back for revenge he starts telling me about how long he played, why he is on the dark side, and how the server is PvP-wise.

Seriously! We didn't shut up! When the PvP was over, he handed in a few quests, logged out, and focused on my tasks. I hadn't brought much, to keep the first time short and sweet, but when that was done we talked about dogs, games, and made a plan for our next lesson."

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TH