Grandfather builds Web browser for autistic boy

By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, AP Technology Writer, Technology / Software

Six year old Zackary Villeneuve, who is autistic, uses the 'Zac browser' at his home in Saint Remi, Quebec, Sunday, June 1, 2008. The Web browser was developed by his grandfather John LeSieur for use by autsitic children. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

(AP) -- John LeSieur is in the software business, so he took particular interest when computers seemed mostly useless to his 6-year-old grandson, Zackary. The boy has autism, and the whirlwind of options presented by PCs so confounded him that he threw the mouse in frustration.

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Posted by Arikin 06/03/08 23:26

Rank: 4.33/5 after 3 votes

My compliments to such wonderful innovation. Study a problem, find a solution, make it a reality, and share. More often than not, our good solutions can be solutions for others too.

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Posted by lowbatteries 06/05/08 12:58

Rank: 4/5 after 1 vote

Sadly, its Windows-only. It seems that almost all of this could be implemented as a web site, not an entire browser. Or, a special web site in a site-specific-browser technology using Safari's Webkit or Mozilla's Firefox, then it would be cross-platform and easier to maintain. And it would be open source.

I don't know much about autism, but from what I read here it sounds like Windows is a bad choice. It makes any user want to hit the computer. I wonder what his reaction is when the virus blocker pops up 20 windows at once?