This first video doesn't focus on a specific application as much as it speaks to the iPad as a platform for assistive technology. This video is a firsthand overview of the size, use and capabilities of an iPad. What attracts me to this platform, as well as other apple platforms like the iPhone and iPod Touch is the ease of use, it's "intuitiveness" as our reviewer states, and it's prevalence within the population of our students. Take a survey of your students at some point, or just observe them when they are allowed to access their devices and if the individuals aren't using one, one of their friends are. While initial reactions mind lend itself to, "Wow, that's pricey", when compared to traditional assistive technology devices the price is quite reasonable. Best of all, because the programs to be added are classified as widgets, to add additional capabilities will be a fraction of the cost of traditional computer programs purchased by schools.
This video introduces a few apps that are available to be used with different apple platforms to make life easier; the definition of what assistive technology is. This video gives an overview of five applications that would aid a student with disabilities in written expression. These types of programs would be useful in research, composition or communication for our students. As I stated in my earlier reflection, the platforms available for these applications are easy to use, portable and amazingly affordable. They are also inconspicuous and devices that our students wouldn't shy away from, a situation that I have to navigate frequently with my middle school students.
Can you tell that I'm a fan of iPad and apple devices? While this video is an advertisement for the device, it also highlights the multiple functions that it is capable of. We design and plan accommodations for our students with special needs, to differentiate how they access the knowledge, how they demonstrate their learning. What better way to present these to our students then within a light, attractive device that doesn't require hours of use before the student is comfortable using it? I know it's a logical fallacy but I wonder how many things we overlook that would help our students be more successful in the classroom, to engage them because we are not the individuals with the disability? There are apps available for our students to download, for a cost or for free, that our students could discover and help us to understand and learn their needs.
This is a powerful video that demonstrates how powerful assistive technology can be. I think this video outlines for us not only the ease of use of these devices but how quickly it can be assimilated into our students lives and be used. I don't want to keep harping on prices but it definitely is a factor that faces both parents and school districts. This particular program, that is available for many different apple platforms, costs less than $200.00. Even if you include the cost of the device, the beauty of it is that it can be used with other programs and is multi-dimensional. Dyna-vox, a long standing producer of AAG equipment, has noticed the need for these types of devices and has tried to produce a similar product for communication needs. While it is attractive, and more cost-effective then traditional equipment, it still limits the use of their products outside of the use as a communication device. Cost, ease of use, flexibility of use; it is hard to argue against the practicality of the apps available assistive technology.
This is an application that is available to help those students use other apps and functions available on their device. Again, it is available for many devices, is practical and easy to use. With the success of Apple and it's many popular handheld devices, we are seeing competitors stepping up to challenge apple with similar products. This will only help in the research and development of different and more advancement of accessibility and the capabilities of these apps. For those of you who are reading this and have your own smartphone. What do you use it for? Scheduling, calendar, reminders, communication. Which of these aspects doesn't fit what many of our students with special needs struggle with? The realm of possibilities extends beyond just what is typically thought of as assistive technologies uses as described in IEPs but also in helping our students remove barriers to their success.
This first video doesn't focus on a specific application as much as it speaks to the iPad as a platform for assistive technology. This video is a firsthand overview of the size, use and capabilities of an iPad. What attracts me to this platform, as well as other apple platforms like the iPhone and iPod Touch is the ease of use, it's "intuitiveness" as our reviewer states, and it's prevalence within the population of our students. Take a survey of your students at some point, or just observe them when they are allowed to access their devices and if the individuals aren't using one, one of their friends are. While initial reactions mind lend itself to, "Wow, that's pricey", when compared to traditional assistive technology devices the price is quite reasonable. Best of all, because the programs to be added are classified as widgets, to add additional capabilities will be a fraction of the cost of traditional computer programs purchased by schools.
This video introduces a few apps that are available to be used with different apple platforms to make life easier; the definition of what assistive technology is. This video gives an overview of five applications that would aid a student with disabilities in written expression. These types of programs would be useful in research, composition or communication for our students. As I stated in my earlier reflection, the platforms available for these applications are easy to use, portable and amazingly affordable. They are also inconspicuous and devices that our students wouldn't shy away from, a situation that I have to navigate frequently with my middle school students.
Can you tell that I'm a fan of iPad and apple devices? While this video is an advertisement for the device, it also highlights the multiple functions that it is capable of. We design and plan accommodations for our students with special needs, to differentiate how they access the knowledge, how they demonstrate their learning. What better way to present these to our students then within a light, attractive device that doesn't require hours of use before the student is comfortable using it? I know it's a logical fallacy but I wonder how many things we overlook that would help our students be more successful in the classroom, to engage them because we are not the individuals with the disability? There are apps available for our students to download, for a cost or for free, that our students could discover and help us to understand and learn their needs.
This is a powerful video that demonstrates how powerful assistive technology can be. I think this video outlines for us not only the ease of use of these devices but how quickly it can be assimilated into our students lives and be used. I don't want to keep harping on prices but it definitely is a factor that faces both parents and school districts. This particular program, that is available for many different apple platforms, costs less than $200.00. Even if you include the cost of the device, the beauty of it is that it can be used with other programs and is multi-dimensional. Dyna-vox, a long standing producer of AAG equipment, has noticed the need for these types of devices and has tried to produce a similar product for communication needs. While it is attractive, and more cost-effective then traditional equipment, it still limits the use of their products outside of the use as a communication device. Cost, ease of use, flexibility of use; it is hard to argue against the practicality of the apps available assistive technology.
This is an application that is available to help those students use other apps and functions available on their device. Again, it is available for many devices, is practical and easy to use. With the success of Apple and it's many popular handheld devices, we are seeing competitors stepping up to challenge apple with similar products. This will only help in the research and development of different and more advancement of accessibility and the capabilities of these apps. For those of you who are reading this and have your own smartphone. What do you use it for? Scheduling, calendar, reminders, communication. Which of these aspects doesn't fit what many of our students with special needs struggle with? The realm of possibilities extends beyond just what is typically thought of as assistive technologies uses as described in IEPs but also in helping our students remove barriers to their success.