In the presentation linked below, Lauren Meatty of the Schwartz Center for Children in Massachusetts, describes a variety of IPad apps that offer effective educational tools for autistic and nonverbal students. Throughout the discussion, Ms. Meatty shows how IPads can be an excellent tool for children who are unable or unwilling to engage with other learning methods.
IPad Apps for students with limited mobility:
Magic Piano-This app enabled a young girl with spastic quadriplegia to gradually open her hands to manipulate a piano keyboard to play a song and vocalize. The IPad enabled this girl to operate something on her own for the first time.
Duck Duck Moose-This interactive app is for preschoolers and contains a variety of favorite children's songs like "The Wheels on the Bus," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and "Old MacDonald." During the songs, students can make fun things happen on the screen with just the touch of one finger.
Music Program-This program helps teach students how to point and "sweep" on the IPad through the use of real musical instrument sounds which encourage them to explore to learn and hear more.
IPad Apps to facilitate and promote communication:
IPad-Ms. Meatty shares a story about a middle school student in a wheelchair with limited communication ability. The big communication box on her desk was unappealing because it made her so different from the other students. When she started using the IPad, it was considered to be "cool" and it drew students to her rather than away from her.
Sign Language-This app is helpful for both students and parents as it offers a word bank of common words and shows a picture of an actual person signing the word.
Model Me Going Places-This app offers "social stories" of children going places like the barber shop as a way to explain what will happen in certain circumstances.
Yes/No-This app is appropriate for students aged 3 to 22 who need a way to say yes or no. You can program in additional choices like, milk or juice, stop or go. Words or pictures can be used for the choices. This apps helps kids understand the concept of choice and communicate their own choices.
Sonic Pics-This app can be used to take your own pictures to make your own stories. Ms. Meatty described a living skills group taking a trip to the grocery store. After the students view the "social story" of a trip to the actual grocery store, they are better able to visit the store.
Speak It-This inexpensive app ($1.99) was recommended by a college student with a very quiet voice who couldn't be heard when she answered questions in class. She was an excellent typist and by using this app, she could type her answers and they would be spoken aloud for her.
Tap to Talk-This app is built into the IPad and it allows students to pick from two choices but it is not customizable. There is a more expensive program ($200) for children who really need a more in depth communication system.
Moms With Apps and Babies With Apps-Both have free Friday morning downloads for apps like Sonoflex which can be set with themes such as "About Me."
Animal Pictures, Real Instruments, Household Items-Ms. Meatty shared an example of 2 year old triplets. One was verbal, one had receptive language, and one was working on both. These interactive apps worked well with each of the triplets as they offer options for verbal and nonverbal response.
Leonard the Furry Friend-Ms. Meatty described an intelligent 9 year old child who had suffered a brain tumor which significantly limited his speech. The student knew he sounded different and was reluctant to talk until he worked with the Leonard app in which Leonard repeats everything the child says. This great form of play therapy prompted the boy to practice his speaking skills for an hour "with" Leonard.
Vocal Zoo-This app shows pictures of real animals and produces real animal sounds and can also show spellings of animal names.
IPad apps for writing:
Little Sky Writers-Ms. Meatty shared a story about an 8 year old student with Down Syndrome who did well at school but hated writing until she used an IPad. This app allows a student to follow letter formation with their fingers, then a stylus, then move into actual writing.
Doodle Buddy-This app allows students to draw with their finger and create their own picture cards at holidays.
Games-Games appropriate for a variety of ages such as a puzzle game can enable students to play a game on the IPad that they may not be able to play physically.
Elmo's Monster Maker-This app teaches body parts.
Sesame Street Restaurant Game and Maze Game-Students actually have to lift the IPad and use hand/eye coordination to play these games.
IPad apps with games:
Shapes-This app teaches students to correctly identify shapes.
Food Game with Monkey-This interactive game is good for students with a short attention span as the activities keep changing.
Laugh Out Loud-An app version similar to the old "Simon Says" game which teaches students to follow directions.
Angry Birds-This app can build geometry and physics skills in older students.
Cut the Rope-This app focuses on logic skills in older students.
IPad apps with books:
Toy Story-This app shows a movie version of Toy Story with words on each page. The student must swipe to turn the page and the pages also turn into coloring pages.
Dr. Seuss Sam I Am-A variety of apps allow teachers or parents to download libraries for children to view.
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