Customising the iPad to accommodate the needs of diverse learners
For students with diverse learning needs including students with special education needs, students with learning and literacy difficulties and students for whom English is not their first language technology can play a key role in removing barriers, differentiating instruction and providing tools to accommodate their learning needs and access to the school curriculum. During this workshop we explored the range of options using an iPad to assist teachers to optimize and differentiate student learning, and to support student engagement.
iPad Basics
Accessibility
More accessibility information via the Spectronics Blog: |
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Alternative Access
- Alternative access to the iPad
- Cha Cullen – How do you set up a switch interface with the iPad?
- Jane Farrall’s list of switch accessible apps
Accessories
Additional accessories such as durable cases, speakers, mounts, switch interfaces, keyguards and styluses can also help to make the iPad more accessible for your students. A range of links for these can be found on our Accessories Page
Determining which apps are appropriate
Assessment and Making informed decisions
Assessment and appropriate technology selection is essential to ensure we are addressing the specific needs of individual students. The selection of apps and the implementation of the iPad into the classroom should always be aligned to identified individual educational plan goals and targeted curriculum outcomes for students.
In addition to the curriculum assessment processes a school employs, other frameworks are also available to assist in making informed decisions concerning the implementation of the iPad and associated apps.
Evaluation Rubrics for Selecting Apps
- learninginhand.com/blog/evaluation-rubric-for-educational-apps
- treetops.org.au/groups/ipadagogy/wiki/224a5/Apps
- S.E.T.T. Framework
To assist in this decision making process, checkout these two blogs by Katie Lyon:
Adding content to your iPads to support students in special education classrooms
Special Education classrooms are busy and changeable places, and finding the right apps that can work to enhance the curriculum outcomes for students is important. This section will cover apps across a wide range of ages and ability levels to maximise the learning for those students with disabilities in our Special education classrooms.
Disclaimer for the apps we show:
The apps we demonstrate in today’s workshop and highlight in this resource are just some of the many available! We are by no means saying that these are the only apps within each category that you should consider, as each app should be evaluated according to the assessment processes and framework identified above.
Cause and Effect
App suggestions:
 Reactickles Magic |
 Somantics |
 Hidden grid |
 Cause & Effect Sensory Light Box |
 Finger Paint with Sounds |
 Hurdle Champion |
 Space Shooter |
 Stop and Go! HD |
 Dexteria |
Links to Websites:
Early Learning
App suggestions:
 Monkey Preschool Lunchbox |
 Bugs and Buttons |
 Bugs and Bubbles |
 SoundTouch |
 Alien Buddies |
 Play School Art Maker |
 Switch Accessible Puzzles |
 Complete Toddler Preschool |
 Pepi Bath |
 SimpleSort |
Help Kidz Learn Apps:
 Train Tracker |
 Bumper Cars |
 Inclusive Smarty Pants |
 Aunty Maggie’s Recipe |
 Peeping Musicians |
 Big Bang Pictures |
 Big Bang Patterns |
Speaking and Listening
App suggestions:
EARLY YEARS
 Cookie Doodle |
 My playhome |
 Clicky Sticky |
 Create-a-Car |
 Bag Game |
 Splingo! |
 Speech with Milo – Sequencing |
 Special Words |
Toca Boca:
 Toca Boca Tea Party |
 Toca Doctor HD |
 Toca Hair Salon 2 |
 Toca Kitchen |
 Toca Tailor |
 Toca Tailor Fairy Tales |
 Toca Kitchen Monsters |
 Toca Train |
 Toca House |
 Toca Boca Store |
 Parenting’s Birthday Party Playtime |
OLDER STUDENTS
 SentenceBuilderTeen |
 PuppetPals HD |
 Toontastic |
Links to websites:
Reading and Writing
App suggestions:
 Clicker Sentences |
 Clicker Docs |
Interactive Books:
 Adapted Play Book – EIEIO |
 When You Grow Up |
 Collins Big Cat: Playing Story Creator |
 Don’t Let the Pigeon Run This App! |
 I Like Books |
Early Literacy/Phonics:
 First Words Deluxe |
 Kids Crosswords |
 Montessori Crosswords |
 Alpha Writer |
 Word Wizard |
 Monkey Word School Adventure |
 Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 |
 Simplex Spelling Phonics 2 Syllables |
 abc PocketPhonics |
 LetterSchool |
 Starfall ABCs |
 iWriteWords |
 rED Writing – Learn to Write |
 Intro To Reading by Oz Phonics |
 Oz Phonics 1 |
Links to websites:
- Spectronics blogpost
- www.tarheelreader.org
- Spectronics Online Early Literacy Series of Webinars
- Children with Disabilities: Reading and Writing the Four-Blocks Way
Mathematics
App suggestions:
 Math Dictionary for Kids |
 iTeacher Cool Math for Kids |
 iBoard – Professional Whiteboard |
 Kids Numbers and Maths |
Early Maths:
 Five Sharks Swimming |
 Five Little Aliens |
 Monkey Math School Sunshine |
 Friends of Ten |
 Bugs and Numbers |
Number:
 Talking Calculator |
 MyScript Calculator |
 Panther Calculator |
 Panther Math Paper |
 Mathboard |
 1st Grade Maths: Splash Math |
 2nd Grade Math: Splash Math |
 Splash Math – 3rd grade |
 4th Grade Math: Splash Math |
 5th Grade Math: Splash Math |
 Everyday Mathematics Addition Top It |
 Everyday Mathematics Subtraction Top-It |
 Everyday Mathematics Tric-Trac |
 Sail Through Math |
Money:
 Jungle Coins |
 iCAN Count Money Australia |
Time:
 Telling Time – Photo Touch Game |
 Telling Time – Digital Clock |
 Learning to tell time is fun HD |
 Telling Time – Fun learn to tell time game |
 MathTappers: ClockMaster |
Links to websites:
- Maths Games
- Primary Maths Games
- Smartkiddies
Adding content to your iPads to support students with learning support needs in mainstream classrooms
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
Literacy Support Apps:
 vBookz PDF Voice Reader |
 Write&Say |
 ClaroSpeak Australian Edition |
 AppWriter English |
 iReadWrite |
 Typ-O HD |
 SoundNote |
 WritePad |
 Abilipad |
 Dragon Dictation |
 Knowtilus Pro |
 Prizmo – Scanning, OCR, and Speech |
 Qrafter Pro – QR Code Reader and Generator |
Clicker Sentences |
Clicker Docs |
 7notes HD Premium |
 Notability 4 |
 DropVox |
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:
 Explain Everything |
 Educreations Interactive Whiteboard |
 ReplayNote |
 ScreenChomp |
 ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard |
 iStopMotion |
 iTimeLapse Pro |
 Doodlecast Pro |
 Draw and Show |
 Doceri |
 Knowmia Teach |
 LivePaper |
Augmentative Reality Apps:
 Aurasma |
 String Augmented Reality Showcase |
 Dragon Detector + Virtual Toy Dragon |
 Stiktu |
 Morfo 3D Face Booth |
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
Communication (Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
Links to websites:
Visual Supports
App Suggestions:
 Visual Schedule Planner |
 Proloquo2Go |
 Choiceworks |
 Storyrobe |
 Custom Boards – Premium |
 Visual Routine |
 Week Planner for Kids |
 Kids Calendar |
Links to websites:
usevisualstrategies.com/visual-strategies/what-are-visual-strategies-for-autism
Positive Behaviour Support
App suggestions:
 First Then Visual Schedule |
 iEarnedThat |
 Token Board |
 Autism Tracker Lite |
 Time Timer |
 Sharing Timer |
 Calm Counter |
 Behavior Support for Autism and Special Education |
Links to websites:
raisingchildren.net.au/articles/pbs_th.html?context=19
Social Stories
App suggestions:
 Book Creator |
 Creative Book Builder |
 Pictello |
PuppetPals HD |
 StoryBuddy 2 |
 iMovie |
 Strip Designer |
 pixntell |
 Sock Puppets |
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
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:
| iMovie |
iTimeLapse Pro |
 myCreate |
iStopMotion |
See Screencasting and Recording Apps (above)
ePub Creation Apps:
| Book Creator |
Creative Book Builder |
- 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:
| PuppetPals HD |
Strip Designer |
Toontastic |
Sock Puppets |
 Mad Libs |
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:
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
Video Self-Modeling Research
- Video Self-Modeling Research – Siskin
- A Meta-Analysis of Video Modeling and Video Self-Modeling Interventions
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:
 AppStart |
 i.AM Search |
 Autism Apps |
 KinderTown |
 AppStar Picks |
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.
You lot are BLOODY BRILLIANT!!! You brighten up my SUNDAY even!! (when supposedly sensible people are having picnics on the beach or tramping in the hills and glades, or praying for forgiveness somewhere)
No! Here i am at my computer being inspired by YOUSE!!! AGAIN!!!!
Have to love you -so I will
Cheers, Hilz