I keep finding more and more excellent resources around using iPads, iPods and Apps in (Special) education and wanted to share some of my favourite links with you.
The first comes from the great Victorian Government site called Ipads for Education. There are a number of resources in the support section, including the handout ‘iPads in Special Education’. Apps are grouped into topic areas, such as Organisational Apps, Writing Apps and Maths Apps and are rated at different levels. This handout is a great resource for considering a range of apps and the website also provides excellent information, case studies and ideas about using iPads as an education tool.
Another good resource is a handout from Bridget Gilormini at the Simon Technology Center. This handout ‘iPod/iPad for Education: App 101‘ covers resources for finding App reviews, accessories and blogs which provide information about Apps. It even covers basics, such as the differences between a iPod touch and an iPad. This handout is a good starting point for those just starting to think about using Apps and iPods/iPads in an educational setting. This handout includes a link to my own Apps for AAC list as well as Jeremy Brown’s list of App Recommendations for Students with Autism.
Another resource, which I was very excited to find, is a series of excellent handouts by the people at inov8 Educational Consulting. They have an excellent series of articles called “There’s a Special App for that“. Each article covers a different topic area, such as organisational skills or mind mapping. They provide an in-depth review and analysis of a number of apps in each area, which really give you a feeling for how each apps works.
And if you want further information about how apps work – you can’t go past the collection of over 185 videos at “Apps for Children with Special Needs“. The videos aren’t rated – they are just intended as a way to give you a sense of what each app is about. A good way to get a feel for an app before you purchase it. You can also request that an App be videoed and added to the site.
And finally, the Joan Ganz Cooney Center has published a report called “Learning: Is there an App for that.” This report discusses trends in mobile device learning, three studies undertaken to try and determine the feasability of using apps as part of an early childhood or early primary educational program, and the implications of these studies. Definitely worth a read.
I am sharing lots of these resources as I find them via Twitter – so please feel free to follow me on Twitter @janefarrall – and I would also love to hear about your favourite resources too via this blog or through Twitter.
Cheers
Jane
Awesome – thanks Jane. Great links and lists. As always, love your work!
Thanks John!
And BTW – Apps for Children with Special Needs now has videos of 210 apps available.
Jane
Hi Jane,
I was at the Broadmeadows SDS inservice last night and I was wondering if you explain your comment of the $100 reimbursement for Apps on the ipad. Also the list of Apps that can be chosen from and the process involved.
Cheers Michael
HI Michael,
The $100 reimbursement only applies if you purchase the iPads through the National Secondary Schools Computer Funding (NSSCF) – you’d need to speak to your principal about how your school is handling this funding. We’ll have the list of Apps up on our site in the next few days (probably early next week) and the process involved in this should be being distributed to principals in school eligible for the funding soon – although some schools said in today’s workshop that they have the details already.
Cheers
Jane
Hi, I was at your Ashwood presentation and I asked about apps for higher order thinking. I know the focus seems to be on lower levels however you suggested what I am after is available. I have been searching the web, Apple education and special Ed section etc and have not found much. I teach secondary level students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. Can you suggest any particular apps or sites?
Many thanks, John.
Hi John,
Jane Farrall, who presented at the Ipad workshop at Ashwood, has let me know about your request for apps for your secondary students. I think you might find our list of Apps for Literacy Support useful. The list can be found at http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/article/apps-for-literacy-support or at our Apple and Apps-Related Resources page – http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/blog/apple.
Cheers
Greg
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Thank you for sharing this important information. Do you have any particular apps you find useful for young adults with special needs?
Hi there. There are so many fabulous apps out there for supporting young adults with special needs, and many of them are actually featured in our apps for Special Education list http://www.spectronics.com.au/apps-for-special-education. Depending on what you are looking for, we have divided the list up into topics such as apps for visual supports, apps for social stories, apps for positive behaviour support – and many of these can easily adapted and used with anyone of any age. There is also a webinar on apps for visual supports available as part of the Spectronics Online subscription http://www.spectronics.com.au/online/ which may interest you. I would also take a look at the apps for literacy support http://www.spectronics.com.au/apps-for-literacy-support if that is relevant, depending on the individual’s abilities.