Visual organizers also have several academic support uses. A primary purpose may be to show a learner how different information is connected (Fisher and Schumaker 1995). Connections can be made in science as students use cause-and-effect, process-and-sequence, and compare-and-contrast graphic organizers (Grabe and Jiang 2007). Concepts that might be too abstract for individuals on the spectrum, such as the process of photosynthesis, can be made more concrete as the concept is broken down into steps in a process and sequence organizer. Graphic organizers can also help with comprehension as they activate a learner’s prior knowledge and compare it to what is being taught (Kim et al. 2004).

In teaching literature, graphic organizers and story maps are viable tools to help those with ASD recognize different parts of the story (Stringfield et al. 2011). The Common Core requires that students in the sixth grade understand how different events and people contribute to the various dimensions of a story. Maps help learners fulfill this objective by allowing them to actively search for and fill out the various sections of the map, including setting, characters, and plot (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.5). Grasping the sequence of a story allows the learner to undertake the literature that has longer and more intricate story lines (Gately 2008). Individuals who are deficient in executive functioning skills are described as unable to relay the sequence of a story (Cooney and Rood 2011). When those individuals can use a story map to understand and retell a story, their executive functioning skills are improved.

Graphic organizers can easily be generated on a computer (see Table 7.1). Grabe and Jiang (2007) provide many examples of graphic organizers that are made on a computer using text and text boxes. These include cause-and-effect organizers, problem-and-solution organizers, and comparison organizers. In a study done by Bethune and Wood (2013), Wh-question graphic organizers that were made on the computer were given to students to help with their comprehension skills. The paper was divided into four categories and the students were asked to answer the “who,” “what,” “where,” and “why” of a story (Bethune and Wood 2013).

There are also apps for the iPad that can help a student fill out graphic organizers (see Table 7.1). These apps allow learners to choose from multiple graphic organizer templates. The organizers can also be shared through email to their teachers or other peers. Various software programs can also be downloaded onto an iPad. Students are then able to use the iPad to fill out graphic organizers, create outlines, and complete different mind mapping activities.

A variation on visual activity schedules for individuals with higher reading levels is a checklist. To help a student stay on task for classroom assignments, different Web sites that facilitate checklist creation can provide some focus. Checklists can help to get ready for an activity (e.g., a list for everything I need to go to lunch, write a paper, or get ready for the bus). The checklist can also help students to monitor their progress and plan for their time accordingly. Checklist applications are available on phones, iPads, and online (see Table 7.1).

Another application of technology for supporting planning, organization, and self-monitoring is to use cameras on phones and iPads or tablets to capture videos or images of tasks in preparation (get ready—what materials are needed), in progress (what is next, how much time will it take?), and in their finished stages (this is what “done” looks like). On many tablets, a stylus can be used to check off or circle items as they are gathered or finished (Ward and Jacobsen 2014). This technique functions as a visual checklist without the sequence that a visual schedule provides, so it may be more useful for individuals with higher levels of basic executive and cognitive function.