My HS kid is looking for a tablet that acts as a typewriter. No internet, no apps, just document processing and a way to extract docs. She knows herself well enough to want to minimize distractions...

My google-fu is weak; I can't find anything out there. Has anyone here seen any such device?

Or is there an idiot-proof and inexpensive way to roll one, perhaps using linux on a chrome book?

I'm stuck on this one.

-jk

I'm not aware of such a device, but I had an idea. Windows 8 should have some parental control options that let you lock down application usage. You might be able to lock it down so much that she can only open her word processor, which could be Word or any number of free applications like LibreOffice.

If that sounds ok, there are plenty of inexpensive Windows laptops these days, like the HP Stream. You only mentioned a tablet, but I'd rather have a keyboard if this is only for creating documents.

Will she be able to get by without access to the internet? Won't she need it for some projects?

She already has a laptop, but she tends to play instead of doing work. She wants some external discipline...

We use parental controls, but it's limited to apps and internet. And its apps controls are flaky.

She'll spend an hour rearranging her icons or changing her tweaking her desktop.

-jk

iPad + Pages (free) + Guided Access to lock the iPad down to just Pages.

That might work! Thanks...

You appear to be attempting to use a technical solution to a people problem. Have you looked into different techniques for improving focus and concentration?

For example, the Pomodoro technique helps me with concentration and self-discipline, by breaking up my time into really short sprints.

Another thought: Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware has some good stuff in it about focus and concentration.

I just can't help thinking that it's gonna be difficult to completely remove distractions from one's life, and that learning to deal with them more effectively is a good thing.

I get it. She's on the spectrum, so we're constantly trying to find ways she can help herself.

I'll look into those links. Thanks!

-jk

This will sound insane but I've used it for my ADHD and I know a few people who used it on their autistic children or students and it works fairly often to help improve focus - get her a koosh ball or a stress ball or some other textured hand sized squishable object and have her try working with that in her hand. I'd love to tell you why it works, but I have no idea.

She has tons of fidgets!

thanks,

-jk