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www.myblindside.com

Want to find crafty ideas to make your own assistive technology solutions?  How about ways to adapt play for your child with special needs?  You can find these tips and more, shared by SNEAK, via the colorful, fun, and visually easy interface of Pinterest!  Here's how!

Check out SNEAK's Pinboards


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Happy Pinning!

Software & Online Games for Children with Visual Impairment

Not everyone has a mobile tablet (iPad, Android tablet) and for some kids with special needs, especially those with visual impairment, tablet activities may not be the best choice for all occasions.  Personal computers are readily available in many classrooms and homes and there are lots of great software programs out there for kids with special needs!  I often hear parents and professionals say "Why would I spend $200.00 on a software program when I can get an App for $2.99?".  This is true, many of these software programs require a bit of an investment.  however, more often than not, the programs available will grow with your child and can be used across his or her development.  Furthermore, the development of these products involves extensive educational research and product support and in my opinion, that often justifies the cost!  Lastly, for kids who use switches, personal computers offer a much wider variety of educational programs and games than mobile devices.  Here are a few resources to find software and online activities/games that can be used on laptops or personal computers for children with a variety of special needs, including visual impairment: (PS:  Some of these are free!! :)

Software

7-128 Software for Blind & Visually Impaired Kids
This company makes simple, low cost games that you can download directly form the site or obtain on a CD.  The games were developed to be accessible to children with special needs at a variety of ages and stages.  The company uses an accessibility rating system that is helpful when choosing the right program(s) for your child.  There is also some free stuff on the site, definitely worth checkin out!

Inclusive Technology
This company offers a variety of accessible software for entertainment and education and also has some great Apps for iPad and Android tablets.  Many of their software programs and apps are also switch accessible.

Intellitools Products
A great source for educational programs like the Intellitools Classroom Suite.  This company also offers an activity exchange area where users can share the activities they have created for Intellitools programs.  One of the things that makes Classroom Suite a great tool is your ability to create custom activities for your child's needs.  They also have a braille learning program, IntelliBraille.
Free trials are available for download on the company's site.

Laureate Products
These programs focus on language and communication development.

Softtouch Products
Switch accessible programs for cause-effect learners and academic subjects (reading, match).

There is also a great list of Switch Accessible Software at Marblesoft

Online Activities

Starfall
Focus on literacy with activities for kids at all stages of reading development.

HelpKidzLearn
Free online games from cause and effect to problem solving.  Most games are switch accessible and all visually simple with high contrast.

Symbol World
Online newspapers for kids and adults using symbols to enhance literacy.  Free to access and the site offers accessibility settings like high contrast and large print.  Unfortunately, no voice output yet. :( But they're working on it.  Read more about it here.

News-2-You
Another symbol-based newspaper with a variety of reading levels (even appropriate for really young children).  This one is subscription based and comes with companion activities in each issue.  Also has voice output :)


Kneebouncers
Fun learning games for tots and preschool kids.

Looking for resources for older children and teens?
For some great resources for teens and adults, visit Wonder Baby's list!

What software and online activities do you enjoy?

SNEAK's Peeks #4: Hands-on Interactive Play with Sifteo Cubes

 Sifteo Interactive Game Cubes were one of the coolest tools I saw at ATIA 2012 this past weekend! Check out this quick demo  the rep from EnableMart gave me of this awesome new learning modality!
  


These high-tech "manipulatives" interact with desktop software on your computer to display and play fun and educational games! You can create your own games using the Sifteo Creativity Kit, or play a variety of games from the Sifteo Game Studios, suited for a variety of ages and interests!
I had a blast playing with the cubes and saw so much potential for use with kids with special needs. The cubes have a high color display, are extremely lightweight and easy to push along th table or grasp, and easily connect and interact with each other to give feedback to the player.  What a fun way to incorporate manipulatives into simple counting, math, colors, or matching game!  The rep assured me that they re pretty durable too. Can't wait to see where this technology goes!  Check out Sifteo Interactive Game Cubes on Amazon!

iTunes U App Announced — For Both Students and Teachers

So cool!  I wish they would have had this when I was in high school and college! Would have made reading the tiny print materials a lot easier!

iTunes U App Announced — For Both Students and Teachers
http://appadvice.com/appnn/2012/01/itunes-u-app-announced-for-both-students-and-teachers

More Great Webinars on Apps and the iPad!

Closing the Gap is offering some great, entry level Webinars on the iPad and Apps for special needs.  I think these would be awesome for therapists just getting onto the iPad scene, and also parents looking for some structured, therapeutically relevant information.  They do cost some money, but it isn't much, and pros can get continuing education credit for participating!  Closing the Gap offers new Webinars often so check back regularly.  :)

 

Apple Safari "Reader" Button

Some of you savvy iOS users might have noticed something new hanging out in your URL box these days.  I'm a bit slow when it comes to things of the visual nature so it took me some time but a few weeks ago I noticed that every now and then, a small grey "Reader" button will pop up in the URL box of my Safari Browser and what happens when I click on it is music to my eyes!  

The Reader function translates the text of the open web page into a text only screen that pops up with options to change the text size.  It also creates a clean, text-only (i.e., no fancy web page backgrounds etc...) platform upon which to use the VoiceOver or Speak Selection feature to read the text aloud.  You can also share this text-only "article".

This tool is very useful for me as a visually impaired reader, however, most of my current students are unable to read so I have not been able to try it in the clinical setting.  This feature has great potential for literate students with visual impairments, and is also a nice way for professionals to create clean looking handouts to give to parents and colleagues in print or via email.

Check out Autism AppsFREE

Find Autism Apps in the App Store

There are so many Apps out there with reviews in so many places, it can be quite overwhelming taking it all in!  Some developers are writing Apps to organize the search for Apps!  Crazy, I know, but I happen to like these sorts of Apps, especially if they are free!  Autism Apps is one of those free gems that does some of that tedious legwork of finding appropriate special education Apps for you. 

Autism Apps is a “comprehensive” list of Apps considered appropriate for special education and therapeutic applications for children on the Autism Spectrum.  The list is updated periodically and you can even suggest Apps to be added to the list from within the App itself.  Autism Apps organizes the list in helpful categories (e.g., ABA, Creative Play), allows searches within the App, and even showcases new  and popular content in the “New” and “Featured” tabs. 

Each listing in Autism Apps offers the App store icon for the App, to allow for easier identification when purchasing/downloading.  Other helpful information is also included, such as the platforms the App will run on (i.e., iPhone, iPod, iPad), the full description of the App features (as presented in the App Store), screen shots from applicable platforms, and detailed reviews (from sources outside of what you see in the App Store). You can even link to demo videos (for those Apps which have them) and purchase the Apps straight from the Autism Apps interface. 

This is a simple, free resource to help gather information about Apps for special kids in an efficient way.  However, it is by no means a full list of appropriate Apps for children with ASD,  as new Apps are added daily to the App Store and some Apps that are not specifically designed for children with special needs can be used for a variety of educationally relevant functions with a bit of scaffolding and creativity. J

Do you have an App finding tool that you like to use?

Free Webinar Trainings on Teaching Kids Switches

Spectronics is offering free webinars on a variety of topics for the new year, including a few on teaching switch use!  Check out the link below:
FREE Online Training | The Spectronics Blog

The first two topics are:

Jan 18th 2011: Getting the most from your switches AWAY from the computer
Ideas for using switches away from the computer. Examples will be shown which match the key milestones and small steps from Ian’s Switch Progression Road Map.
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=l3iycnibki6x

Feb 15th 2012: Communication Devices in an Inclusive Classroom
This webinar looks the use of single and multiple message communication devices and how they can be used as an integral part of the school day.
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/showReg?udc=h0sos2oupxnl

These webinars are FREE and also recorded, so you don't need to be signed on at the time to take advantage of them.  Follow the links above to register!  Thanks Spectronics!

Cool Speech Therapy Tool: Little Printer available in 2012!



Little Printer by Berg Cloud

 I know everyone wants to get info about Apps, but I just had to shift gears for a minute because I saw this and I really thought it was cool! Then, the more I thought about it, the more my mind raced with how I could use this really cool gadget to help kids with special needs!  Well, maybe indirectly, but humor me for a moment.

Little Printer is a pint sized, thermal printer that uses similar technology to a receipt printer you might see at a retail store. The Berg Cloud company have integrated this technology with formatting software so that you can print different news articles, blog posts, and more in a visually appealing, pint-sized printout!  This product isn’t available for initial use until 2012 (L) so full exploration of its application in educational and therapeutic settings isn’t quite possible at the moment. However, I had a few brainstorming ideas that I hope to see through when I get my Little Printer (hopefully in early 2012)!

I love using my iPad and other mobile technology in therapy sessions, classroom lessons, and training sessions with parents and colleagues.  BUT, sometimes I really need something in print! 

• Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to link a parent to an online resource for information on a clinical topic and then print out the website, article etc... right there in your session? 
• How about locating an evidenced based research article on a technique you are trying in your session for the first time and being able to print the abstract for your client's parent to review as you implement the technique in session?
• What about loading data and progress stats from your favorite Apps like ArticPix and being able to send a quick, printed progress note home to mom straight from your mobile device?
• And wouldn't it be cool to create little "mini handouts" at the end of your session where you can capture what you've discussed with mom and dad and provide bulleted tips in print for them to hang on the fridge? Or even integrate photos from your mobile device's photo library (of oral-motor exercise examples or products you'd like them to try etc...) to provide a visual to go along with your verbal home practice suggestions!

I can only hope that Little Printer is just the start of this cool technology and that more companies bring similar, cost effective and useful resources to the therapeutic arena.  I hope to be able to try out many of the ideas above when I get my hands on a Little Printer-I'll let you all know the CAN's and CANNOT's of this cool little gadget as soon as I try it!

The Magic Carpet Interactive Projector

Spectronics Blog shared a great post on this new technology! 
Amazing Sensory Guru technologies now here in ANZ | The Spectronics Blog

I have used projectors with my iDevices before, especially to share books, videos, and pictures with my preschool class during Circle Time.  But I've never used an interactive one!  So cool-I hope this type of technology emerges in a manageable, affordable way (especially for iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch) for therapists and parents to use at home with special kids.  :)

SNEAK's Peeks #1: " I Like Books" by Grasshopper Apps

 

I Like Books

I Like Books (developed by Grasshopper Apps)includes 37 picture books for kids (in 1App!) with high quality, colorful photos, simple embedded text, and voice output!  Many elements of the stories are also fully customizable so you can change the voice output, change the story text, and even create photo "hot spots" that speak when they are touched! 

Check out our SNEAK's Peeks video demo below (or click here to view on YouTube) for a quick introduction to this really cool storybook App!

I really like the simplicity of this App and the photos are great!  I would like to see the ability to use your own photos added to future upgrades.  This feature would expand this App's potential as a platform for creating adapted stories and social stories for children with special needs.  For children with higher level language skills, I think this App is a great way to elicit simple narratives based on the pictures provided in each story.  The kids can even record their story retell or spontaneous narrative as they look at the pictures and then have the App read their own story back to them! 

Introducing "SNEAK's Peeks"!

SNEAK’s Peeks is a weekly video feature on SNEAK Outside the Box where we showcase a video demo of a new App each week!  Check out our first episode, a video demo and commentary of the new App from Grasshopper Apps, “I Like Books”. 

Check back weekly for new peeks! 

Have an App you’d like us to demo before you buy? Comment here and let us know!

FREE Online Resources | The Spectronics Blog

Here is a great online resource to find some of the best educational Apps currently on the market. (posted br Spectromics Blog out of Australia).

FREE Online Resources | The Spectronics Blog

I haven't checked any of the Apps out, but I plan to, and will give you my scoop as I explore. :). What do you think of the resource lit?

have you tried any of the Apps on the list with you kids? Let us know! :)

A Appy Holiday

from Moms with Apps

So you're a busy mom and you want to keep up to date on the latest educational apps for kids?  You might wonder, is there an App for that?  Well of course there is!  An App for finding Apps, how clever! :).  This week, Moms with Apps included an App called Apps for Moms in their App Review section.  This App is BY NO MEANS a comprehensive list of Apps that suit the categories presented; BUT, it's a cool way to get up to date information on SOME Apps, and even includes Apps on other "mom related" topics. 

Got another App finder App that you like to use?  Comment here to share it. :)