Day 3: Class from Home, More AAC, Free Apps, and Apps to Support Fine Motor Skills and Autism

Let it snow, let it snow...

Thanks to assistive technology, Blackboard Collaborative, for saving us from having to go out in the snow. It also meant that I was able to attend class considering how ill I was all weekend. This got me thinking about students, who for various reasons such as: anxiety, allergies, epilepsy, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, kidney disorders, cystic fibrosis, cancer, hepatitis, lupus, sickle cell anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome and HIV/AIDS would not regularly be able to attend school or know that they will be out of school for an extended period due to surgery. They could attend via Blackboard Collaborative. Having this available could mean an easier transition back into the classroom when able and would help reduce the anxiety of catching up to classmates.

We also had the opportunity for three fantastic,and informative presentations; adding to our knowledge of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).  Thank you Tarah, Nancy and Mandy.

I liked that Tarah's presentation focused on sign language. Two years ago, I subbed mornings for a month in a classroom that included a student with Down's Syndrome who was extremely hard of hearing. Although this student spent most of her time in the Learning Center, the classroom teacher had taken the time to learn some sign language and taught them to the other students as well. I learned as well and also wore a clip-on amplification device when she was with us, but it never felt like I was doing enough.

Founding out about the Signed Stories app made me think of her, and I thought what a great way to experience learning with the class. Signed Stories would allow this student to feel less isolated because she would be doing exactly the same thing as everyone else; watching the monitor and learning. So inclusive for her and highly engaging for everyone.

I also enjoyed Nancy's informative presentation on Tango; another AAC device.

I really like that Tango provides another option for people in need with the eye-scan advantage something that the iPad, iPod and iPhone do not offer. However I do agree with Barb and Nancy, when the need allows - an iPad and Proloquo2go does offer more usability and versatility - more bang for far less buck$. 

Mandy nicely wrapped up the information session with iComm another cool app from the Apple store. It is an easy to use, can be tailored to specific needs and is inexpensive AAC for young children. Unfortunately, it has some limitations. It seems to me that this would be an assessment tool or the perfect app for someone who is not quite ready for the level of Proloquo2go. 

After class, while the snowstorm raged on, I watched the webinars:

Top Free Apps in Special Needs: Some children may possess especially advanced or well developed abilities and skills in one or more areas. These children are usually referred to as gifted or talented. Gifted students fall into a classified group of exceptional children not normally associated with at-risk (acting out because of boredom) or having to cope with anxiety unfortunately this is not the case. One way to meet their needs is to provide students with additional intellectual stimulation and opportunities for independent projections in their areas of interest. I chose the three apps below because I believe that they are a great way to extend learning and allow gifted students to delve deeper into areas of interest.

1. iTunesU - Free for iPad, iPod and iPhone; requires IOS5. This app offers extensive resources and courses on any subject from some leading universities, including: MIT, Oxford and Yale. 

2. TED - Free for iPad, iPod and iPhone. This app presents talks from remarkable people all over the world; these talks are never more than 20 minutes long and they cover a diverse range of topics. The app is updated daily with talks for events all around the world.

3. Howcast: Free for iPad, iPhone and iPod. This app provide user with how to information and videos on just about any subject. 

Fine Motor Skills: In the past I have worked with a reluctant writer, a student with Asperger's Syndrome and a student who is globally delayed. The one thing that they all had in common was that they all had interesting things to say but it was never reflected in their writing due to issues with fine motor skills. Through working with an occupational therapist, I learned finger stretching techniques and have used pencil grips, etc. but they are not as cool or as motivating to use as an iPad. So it was these students that I kept in mind while watching the webinar. My three favorite apps are:

1. Dexteria - $3.99 for iPad and iPhone. It promotes dexterity, finger sequencing isolation and control. It supports the Handwriting Without Tears principles. A stylus may be used to reinforce pen tasks. The app includes therapeutic hand exercises to support and enhance fine motor skills, and writing readiness. There is tracking and data collection for teachers.

 

2. Bugs & Buttons, Pinch and Grab - $2.99 for iPad and iPhone. Students will practice thumb and index finger control, appropriate pressure and controlled drag. The app emphasizes hand eye coordination, attention to task and task completion. Activities progress into more complicated task sequences. Creative imaginative play is used to pinch tarantulas and drag them to a jar.

 

3. Touch & Write - $2.99 for iPad and iPhone. Students touch the screen with their finger or stylus and learn letters, numbers and words.A  stylus encourages engagement and handwriting skills, control grasp, letter recognition and basic writing. Children learn to write in a fun and engaging way using shaving cream, ketchup, lemon gelatin, pencil, chalk, etc choosing from 28 paper styles.

 

Apps that Enhance Performance of Individuals with Extreme Autism: The school were I substitute teach the most has two learning centers and in each are students with varying degrees of Autism. With those students in mind, my three favorite apps are the ones that I thought you would get the most bang for your buck.

1. Fun Deck, Following Directions: $2.99 for iPad, iPhone and iPod. The app has 52 picture flashcards of one-step directions, you are able to select the ones that you want students to use. Up to five students are able to play this game at a time, as a student completes the direction the teacher is able to score and track correct or incorrect responses, to continue with the game just swipe for the next card. The game can be customized to give more than one card at a time.

I really like this app because it boost memory, motor skills and processing skills but it also encourages turn taking and team playing which is often difficult for students with Autism. Also as students improve and you show more than one card at a time, the app supports enhancing attention to task, task completion and sequence awareness skills.

2. Pictello: $18.99 for iPad, iPhone and iPod. This app allows the user to create talking albums or books with up to five lines of text. The app may be customized to the needs of the use;r meaning they can upload their own pictures and voice instead of using the available pictures and voice options. 

I really like this app because it can be used to write social stories, model behaviours, model the steps to complete a task which then reinforces attention to task, task completion, memory and sequence awareness. Using Pictello for these activities reinforces the structure and routine that is important to students with Autism.

 

3. Injini: $29.99 for for the iPad. This app contains a large collection of learning game which fosters meaningful play. These games are designed to support children with cognitive, language and fine motor delays. 

I like this app because for students with Autism, the games reinforce fine motor skills, audio-visual processing, cause and effect, spatial awareness, inhibition sequencing, matching to practice visual discrimination skills, reasoning and memory sequence awareness, attention to task and task completion.