Adding content to your iPads to support students with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder need support in the areas of communication, behaviour and social development. It is important to match the right apps to suit the needs of individual students in your classroom. While the larger area of communication (and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)) is not covered in this section, you will learn about appropriate apps for your classroom to use the iPad to create visual tools, positive behaviour supports and social stories.
ASD Links to websites:
- Spectronics Online- Successfully supporting students with Autism
- Apps for Autism Spectronics Blog Post
Effective use of iPad for students with Autism:
Accessibility
More accessibility information via the Spectronics Blog: |
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Communication (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
Links to websites:
Visual Supports
App Suggestions:
Links to websites:
usevisualstrategies.com/visual-strategies/what-are-visual-strategies-for-autism
Positive Behaviour Support
App suggestions:
Links to websites:
- raisingchildren.net.au/articles/pbs_th.html?context=19
- Antecedent-Based Intervention to Reduce Challenging Behaviors
- Functional Behavioural Assessment (Education Queensland)
- Functions of Behaviour
Social Stories
App suggestions:
Links to websites:
- raisingchildren.net.au/articles/social_stories_th.html?context=19
- thegraycenter.org/social-stories/what-are-social-stories
- Spectronics Online- Successfuly using iPads to create Social Stories
Video Self-Modeling Research
- Video Self-Modeling Research – Siskin
- A Meta-Analysis of Video Modeling and Video Self-Modeling Interventions
Using your iPads to support literacy across the curriculum in mainstream schools – From early years through to secondary school-aged students
Students with diverse learning needs can struggle with the literacy requirements of school learning programs and curriculum content. They can find it difficult to access, participate and progress through the programs being provided, due to difficulties with reading, writing and organisational skills, and the way content is delivered.
The iPad can assist teachers to optimize and differentiate student learning, and while at the same time assisting students to manage their own learning. The use of the research based Universal Design for Learning Guidelines (www.udlcenter.org) is an important consideration when supporting students with learning support needs in mainstream classrooms, and was used as a framework to deliver the content of this session.
Apps for Literacy Support list
Universal Design for Learning
- CAST – Center for Applied Special Technology
- National Center on Universal Design for Learning
- SAMR Framework
Support Literacy in the Early Years:
App suggestions (Phonics):
Links to websites:
- Spectronics blogpost
- www.tarheelreader.org
- Spectronics Online Early Literacy Series of Webinars
- Reading – Breaking through the Barriers
Literacy Support Apps:
And try this: dotEPUB is software in the cloud that allows you to convert any webpage into an e-book
QR Codes
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Screencasting and Recording Apps:
Augmentative Reality Apps:
Creating customised content on the iPads: Students and teachers as authors
Traditionally students, and their teachers, have been consumers of content provided by others in printed or digital format e.g. via a text book, commercially available teaching resources or the web. Now teachers can for the first time be curators and creators of digital content to ensure access for ALL students, and students express themselves via digital media. The iPad makes it possible for ebooks to be created and customised, shared and published by both teachers and their students.
For a passionate view on the creation of the e-textbook see Greg Swanson’s e-textbook Manifesto
Workshop iBook:
Movie making Apps:
See Screencasting and Recording Apps (above)
ePub Creation Apps:
- iBooks Author
- iBooks Author Support
- iBooks Textbooks for iPad
- Maria Langer’s Guide to iBooks Author: Publishing Your First Book
- A simple guide for teachers to create ebooks on iPad using iBook Author
Other templates and Widgets for iBooks Author
Fun Creation tools:
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water
Are iPads and other new mobile technology being introduced into classrooms replacing all that has gone before? The answer is no! Technology is just one of the tools available to teachers and their students to ensure learning rich and engaging classroom for all students.
Desktop Software
- Texthelp R&W GOLD
- Co:Writer
- Clicker 6
- Boardmaker for creating printed visual supports and schedules
- Symbol set comparison chart
AAC devices
Web 2.0 tools such as interactive learning websites:
- mathletics.com.au
- dynamomathsonline.co.uk
- spellingcity.com
- tarheelreader.org
- readingeggs.com
- starttofinishbooks.com (Computer and iPad based book library)
- ozphonics.com
- helpkidzlearn.com
Apps to play FLASH files on iPad:
Apps to play FLASH files on iPad:
Integrate the iPad into your classroom – share your iPad screen to your VGA-equipped data projector, TV or monitor
Via a cable:
Apple VGA Adaptor or Apple Digital AV Adapter
Wirelessly:
Apple TV, Reflection, and Air Server
Using iPads with Interactive Whiteboards
- How to Use the iPad with a SMART Board – Connecting the iPad and SMART Board
- SMART Notebook App for iPad
- Ways to have the iPad interact with the Smartboard
- Doceri – The interactive whiteboard for the iPad
Inclusion Study
Today is just the beginning… taking your learning further!
So you have the appropriate assessment and implementation tools in place, but keeping up with the range of apps available and the successful strategies for effectively applying them in diverse learning support and special education classrooms can be difficult. Which ones do you choose for your students? These links will help.
- Apple and Apps related blog
- Apps for Special Education list
- Apps for Literacy Support List
- Apps for AAC list
- Apps feature matching
- Sources for quality app review sites
- Spectronics Online
- Volume Purchase Program
- Vimeo
- Weally Wonderful Apps List by Gerry Kennedy
Discover new apps via an app:
Websites:
- Quixey
- Apps for Learning
- Educational app reviews
- APPitic
- Appy Mall
- iPodsibilities
- iTunes – Special Education Apps
Need to find more? Want to connect with others who are implementing iPads in their schools and exploring the use of the wide range of apps available? Using the time-honoured strategies of occasional conference attendance, as funds are available, or listserve participation or surfing the net is simply no longer enough
However the collection of freely available resources and valuable time-sensitive advice for special education teachers and those supporting struggling students has grown exponentially on social media channels – supporting building of powerful Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) without geographic boundaries.
A comprehensive overview of these online resources and networks, including Facebook Groups, Twitter hashtags, blogs and key influencers in the field around special education and learning is available via this link bit.ly/Ss4e28
In the past special educators and learning support teams have been less enthusiastic than their mainstream peers in embracing social media to build powerful, extended PLNs. It is time to accelerate and expand the adoption of these tools by special educators, to connect with like-minded colleagues globally.
