Video - "iPad Apps for Autistic and Nonverbal Children"

If you visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGU1ELjS7bQ, you can watch a great video about using iPad apps for students with autism and nonverbal students. In the beginning of the video, the woman talks about a 2 1/2 year old girl with spastic quadriplegia (cerebral palsy) who typically had closed fists. When given an iPad to use, she started to open her hands and use just ONE finger to play beautiful songs on the piano!

The speaker mentioned that some kids who won't engage with other things, will engage with an iPad. She mentioned a middle school girl, who was bright, but couldn't speak well, who had a big communication box on desk that made her stand out and get embarrassed. She started using an iPad and became the "cool kid" in middle school.

The main focus of the woman's lecture was about using iPad apps with students. She mentioned that the apps should not replace social interaction or actual processes (writing, puzzles, mazes, etc.).

Introduction:
-Duck Duck Moose: Use touchscreen to interact wit early childhood songs
- Drum App: Helps students point with an isolated finger

Communication Apps:
- Going Places: Social stories to teach about social interactions, such as getting your first haircut
- Yes, No: Use for choices (i.e. milk or juice) can use pictures instead of words
-Sonic Pix: Make social stories about life skills (i.e. grocery store and ordering at a restaurant)
-Speak It: Type words, and the app will speak what you typed
- Tap to Speak: Not customizable (i.e. "I want fruit, please" Then click desired fruit)
- Proloquo2Go: $200, very customizable for communication, can change the kind of voice, and you can program your own voice.
-Sono Programmable: Customizable ways to communicate
-Sound Touch: Used with triplets around age 2 with very different communication levels. One was verbal, one had receptive skills, and one was nonreceptive. App teaches about generalization (i.e. dogs can look very different, different animals and instruments)
- Leonard: Used with a 9 years old boy who had a brain tumor and speech difficulties. He was bright, age-appropriate, and knew he sounded different. Leonard is a voice-back app that repeats what you say to him. This motivated the boy to speak more clearly.
- Vocal Zoo: Teaches about animals and sounds

Writing Programs:
-Little Sky Writers: Used with a 2nd grade child with down syndrome who was working on handwriting. She could spell and read. Used app to trace letters correctly. Thi s helped her work up to 20 mins nonstop handwriting. She was motivated by writing letters on iPad
- Doodle Buddy: Write free form letters and create pictures with stamps
- Various: Puzzles and connect the dots

Apps for Younger Students:
- Elmo's Monster Maker: Teaches about body parts
- Grover's Restaurant: Move iPad to catch food. Teaches eye hand coordination and motor skills
- Maze: Move iPad to make ball hit the numbers
- Monkey Preschool Lunchbox - Teaches about size, puzzles, fruits, colors, letters
- Following Directions Fun Deck - Teaches children how to follow directions
- Matching- Match pictures

Apps for Older Students:
- Angry Birds and Cut the Rope: Teach finger isolation and physics

Books:
- Toy Story- Read words, look at pictures, then swipe finger to turn the page
- Disney books can also become coloring books for students!

Closing:
- iPad apps are NOT for everyone
- Think about skills- Communication? Writing? Motor skills? Physical skills?
- Can be used as a reward or motivator for many students

I would love to use iPads with my second graders, but I think the biggest hurdle is money. iPads cost a lot of money, so it would be difficult to get them for my students. My students love using technology, so I really think they would LOVE to have access to them during the school day. Some of my students struggle with the physical act of writing, and I think being able to type on an iPad might make writing easier for them. One thing I would like to learn more about is how to set up parental controls, so students could only access certain apps and certain websites. After viewing the video, iPad Apps for Autistic and Nonverbal Children, I would love to learn more about ways I could get iPads for my students.