Wii is used with autistic children in several ways, said Jim Ball, co-chairman of the panel of professional advisers of the Autism Society of America.
First, it's used as an educational tool, Ball said.
"Nintendo Wii is often used as a reinforcer - like a certain food or computer - for children with autism," Ball said. "It helps to reinforce the skills that children already have."
Second, Wii helps autistic children modulate their skills, he said.
"When they play the Wii sports games, they actually have to make the motions they would if they were actually bowling or hitting a baseball," Ball said.
Finally, the game is predictable, he said.
"The machine works the same every single time," he said. "The kids can predict what will happen next. Once the autistic children figure out the routine, they can play even better."
And Wii is easy to learn, said Tyrrell.
"Unlike other game consoles like Xbox and Playstation 3, we don't have to teach the kids how to use the buttons on the controller," said Tyrrell. "This program is a building block for when students want to play alone."
Despite the positive review from the teachers, Wii could have negative effects on autistic children if they aren't monitored when they play, Ball said. Some children might become overstimulated, while others might become obsessed with the game.
"Some children want to play Wii all the time, and they might develop behavior issues when they aren't allowed to," he said. "But if the teacher or parent notices the problem early on, they can usually address it so it isn't a problem later."
The students aren't the only ones who find Wii intriguing. The teachers have to assist the students when they play Wii, Trovinger said. For some teachers, it has improved their game; for others, there's no hope.
"I'm terrible," Trovinger said. "I just can't do it at all."
Tyrrell and Yates have noticed improvement when they play Wii.
"My nephew brings his Wii to my house, and we play, so I'm getting practice outside of school," Yates said. "I'm getting better and better. But it's weird to play by myself. Here at school, I play to help the students."
The Wii is also popular with other teachers in the building. One teacher came and said he needed the Wii to teach calculus. The teachers in the autism program couldn't see how that would work and respectfully turned him down.
Plans for the future include purchasing Wii Fit, a game where the students complete a fitness workout, and maybe Guitar Hero, a game where users play music based on notes indicated with colors.
"We could use it to teach the kids music," Tyrrell said with a smile.
