iPad in Special Education:

Useful to Everyone Right from the Start

http://wiki.canby.k12.or.us/groups/ipodusergroup/

Seven million students with disabilities are supported with federal funding. The bottom line is that these students are in your care.

Bookmark these websites: 

http://mobilelearning4specialneeds.wikispaces.com/

http://teachwithyouripad.wikispaces.com/Special+Education+Apps

http://ipadacademy.com/2010/12/ipads-as-assistive-technology-30-apps-for-augmentative-and-alternative-communication-aac

http://ipadacademy.com/2010/11/ipad-helps-special-education-student-to-learn-a-video-tells-the-story

Description:

The iPad has proven to provide a wealth of possibilities for assistive technology with their brilliant graphics, audio and multi-touch interface. Participants in this workshop will learn about applications that could make a difference for their students.  Participants will learn how to use iPad and learn about hardware and applications solutions.  The content focuses on iPad operations, device features, native apps, and third party apps from iTunes.

Overview:

•Understand iPad basic navigation, native applications, and accessibility features.

•Discover the role of Applications in the special education classroom.

•Practice using iPad as a personal learning device to improve student achievement.

•Learn how to download applications on the iPad

•Learn about resources available for the use of iPads

Introduction to the iPad

Native Apps

Accessibility features

• Learn to use Safari as a resource for you and your students
• Learn to use Mail for you to communicate with parents/teachers/administration           
• Learn to use Photos and help students use digital literacy to improve their learning.
• Learn to use You Tube as a resource for students
• Let Your Fingers Do the Walking as you become familiar with gestures
• Learn to use Notes, a simple but powerful word processor
• Learn to use Maps in the classroom
• Learn to use iPod on the iPad to manage spoken words
•             See how the iPad can Improve reading fluency
• Learn to download and use Apps
• Learn to use iBooks, a most powerful tool for your students
• Learn how to help your students become organized with Calendar

 Apps to download before the workshop:

Dragon Dictation - tutorial http://mobilelearning4specialneeds.wikispaces.com/file/view/Dragon_Tutorial.pd

• DragonGo
• IEP Checklist
• Popplet
• SonicPics Lite
• QuickVoice
• Dragon Dictation
• QuickVoice® Recorder
• Dropbox
• Doodle Buddy 
• iBooks
• Whiteboard Lite: Collaborative Drawing 
• •iBooks
• •ShowMe 
• •StoryKit 
• •Dictionary.com 
• AudioNote Lite 
• iPrompt 
• Scan 
• Translate 
• Talking Tom Cat for iPad 
• QuickVoice or Reader or any free voice recorder.
•  Download this PDF of a recommended Special Ed Applications

24470331-iPhone-iPad-and-iPod-touch-Apps-for-Special-Education.pdf

What should special ed teachers know?

http://web.me.com/janekeyes/ipad/SPED_Apps.html

Tutorials:

Here are some tutorials:http://www.proloquo2go.com/Manual/article/downloadable-tutorials

Another product in the iPad mix is Pictello...Here are some tutorials:http://www.assistiveware.com/pictello.php

Special Ed Apps

Special Education Overview

Resources

From Apple:  http://www.apple.com/ipad/apps-for-ipad/

Overview of Accessibility features on the iPad:

http://blog.govdelivery.com/usodep/2011/01/the-accessibility-features-of-the-ipad-.html

http://momswithapps.com/2010/08/04/characteristics-of-great-apps-for-kids-with-autism/

http://mobilelearning4specialneeds.wikispaces.com/

Autisitic Resources

http://www.gadgetsdna.com/10-revolutionary-ipad-apps-to-help-autistic-children/5522/

http://janeandsusan.pbworks.com/w/page/29697519/Autism?SearchFor=Special-Education&sp=1

Asperger's kids

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/51702302.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

Math Resource

http://www.khanacademy.org/

http://www.ipadcurriculum.com/

http://www.poodwaddle.com/clocks/worldclock/

IEP Checklist

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iep-checklist/id348702423?mt=8

Story worth sharing.

      As many of you know Chase our 11 year old son has a syndrome that caused early onset of deafness, is progressive and has caused dystonia in his hands and jaw which has worsened over the last 3 years to where he cannot sign or speak inteligibly. His communication with others has been severely limited. As a result, we had been looking at some communication boards which a person can touch a picture or word and the board speaks! We were researching these options and the representatives from these companies brought models for Chase to try at school. They were exciting but they were big and heavy and not very transportable in a backpack to and from school. They also were running about $8,000 to purchase. Chase brought one home one day and we were working with it trying to decide if it was what was needed. Our friend who is very computer oriented looked at it and what it could do and said, "They can do better than that!"  Due to other medical costs $8,000 just wasn't in our budget either, so we were looking for other options.

The weekend before last, Scott and Chase were at the Boy Scout campout and Scott met another father who had a daughter at home with autism. He stated that they had used some of the communication boards, but what they were using now and liked the best was an iPod with a program called Proloquo2go. Scott came home and found out that application could be used on the iPad which would be better for Chase due to the size. We checked out the program on the computer and started to get excited! It looked like just what we needed. I happened to remember my cousin worked for Apple computers and we gave him a call.  He encouraged us and we decided to go for the new IPads that were being released on Friday at 5:00. Friday arrived, anticipation mounted, and we planned to leave for Wichita as soon as Scott could get away from work.

That morning, a man from our church came by and stated that the church had heard what we were attempting to do and that they wanted to support Chase in his effort to communicate. He handed us a check that helped purchase the IPad and  program that we needed! We were so bown away! Scott had a cancellation in his schedule that allowed us to leave 30 minutes earlier for the 1 hr. 45 minute drive to the Best Buy store in Wichita. We arrived at 3:15 and were 3rd in line. We made it!! The wait in line seemed shorter as we had interesting conversations with those around us. I called my brother to let him know we made  it as he was on call in Manhattan if the line was too long in Wichita. 5:00 arrived and were glad that we had gotten there early due to the lengthy line that had formed in the meantime.

After purchase and the drive home,we all marveled as we got it up and running. It could do so many things that Chase and the whole family enjoyed! Scott stayed up until 3:00 am playing with it and by the next afternoon, Chase was composing a message that our 93 year old neighbor lady understood clearly!  Sunday morning Chase stood up in church and with the IPad said, "I praise God for my new IPad!"  Thunderous clapping and tears of joy on my part came in response. We will be working with Chase to make the program more personalized and to learn how to use it faster but wanted you all to hear about this exciting news!   Love, Debbie

P.S. Forward to whoever you wish.  Thanks.