Did your child receive an iPad for Christmas? We have compiled a list of APPS you made find helpful. Let us know if there are any others the community should know about in the comments!
http://www.cpfamilynetwork.org/blogs/the-best-apps-for-children-with-cerebral-palsy
Showing posts with label apps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apps. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
iPod & iPad May Ease Transition Into Workforce For Those With Disabilties
iPod & iPad May Ease Transition Into Workforce For Those With Disabilties
As more people with autism and other disabilities enter the work world, a new case study suggests that arming them with specially-programmed iPods may go a long way toward achieving independence on the job.
Researchers looking for new and innovative ways to help those with disabilities adapt to the demands of employment used the Apple iPod Touch as an assistive device with three adults with the developmental disorder. The results of the small case study — published this week in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation — were quite promising, they said.
For “Jeffrey,” 21, who struggled with transitioning from one task to the next as a custodian at Hardee’s, a series of alarms on the iPod helped keep him on schedule. The notes function of the device was also used to provide a checklist of responsibilities and remind him of calming techniques.
After just one week, Jeffrey was adept at using the iPod independently, researchers said, and no longer needed constant prompting from his job coach. He also stopped displaying behaviors like spinning, humming and stomping. A year later, researchers say that Jeffrey is still successfully using his iPod and is considered a reliable employee.
“This is an exciting time for anyone in the fields of education, physical rehabilitation, and vocational support, where we are seeing a long-awaited merging of consumer products and assistive technologies for all,” said Tony Gentry of Virginia Commonwealth University who led the research.
For the study, each person with autism was assigned a job coach and an occupational therapist who programmed their iPod to meet the specific employee’s needs. Researchers focused on the iPod Touch because it was the most suitable pocket-sized device on the market when the study was designed. The names of the participants were changed for the purposes of the report in order to protect their privacy.
In the case of “Grace,” a 60-year-old with autism, mild cerebral palsy and epilepsy, introducing the iPod Touch allowed her to independently and safely navigate her way to and from work. Before she had her iPod, Grace would often step into the street to look for the bus if it was late. Now, specially-programmed reminders and an instructional video prompt her to call the transportation company instead. Grace was also helped by having music at the ready to calm herself while she waits for her ride, the study said.
The third person to try the iPod Touch was “Lily,” a 20-year-old with autism and Down syndrome who is unable to read or tell time. Before receiving the iPod, she often became frustrated at her housekeeping job at a Virginia hospital when prompted by her job coach and was known to throw things, stomp, cry or call her mother.
Lily’s iPod was programmed with a series of apps to provide verbal alerts to prompt her throughout the day and customized picture books to help her cope with various scenarios she might encounter. Another app was also used to track her progress toward earning rewards for good behavior. By using the device, Lily soon needed her job coach to spend significantly less time with her, researchers said.
The participants are part of a larger four-year randomized trial. Though it’s not possible to draw firm conclusions from the case study since it involved such a small sample, researchers say that given the promising results so far, they are hopeful that they’ll soon be able to assess how beneficial iPods and similar devices are for workers with autism.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Disability & Technology: Using an Ipad to Communicate
As technology improves, it has greatly influenced the disabled community. For those that don't have the ability to communicate, using an APP on an IPad can be the bridge that was missing for so many years. With touchscreens only needing the simplest of motor skills to operate, it has opened up a whole new world to those who previously had no way of communicating. Check out this story of one little boy and how his IPad has changed his and his families lives.
http://www.cpfamilynetwork.org/in-the-news/disability-technology-using-an-ipad-to-communicate
Thursday, August 2, 2012
10 Ways to Optimize Your iPad or Tablet for Kids With Special Needs
10 Ways to Optimize Your iPad for Kids With Special Needs
August 2nd, 2012
By Zoe Fox
When we think about ways the iPad has changed the world, our minds usually shoot to publishing, entertainment, or mobile communication.
For the community of people living with disabilities, the iPad may have broken even more ground. The iOS device is not only cool, but provides education, therapy and, of course, entertainment.
Last summer, Mashable explored ways iPads are making these changes. Now we’re following up with Sami Rahman, the father of 4-year-old Noah and co-founder of BridgingApps, the Internet’s largest database of special needs app and reviews.
Noah began using his iPad when he was two and was assessed to be 12 months behind with language and cognition. Within four months, he was on par for his age. Now, two years since he began using the iPad, he is 15 months ahead developmentally, can read English and Arabic, and is learning Mandarin.
Rahman recently released his book Getting Started: iPads for Special Needs. Rahman shared some of his insights for preparing an iPad for people with disabilities. Most of the tricks are tailored for parents or educators working with children.
1. Pick the Right Specs
One of the biggest differences between the iPad 2 and the new iPad is retina display, which can create an incredible visual experience. Most special needs iPad users will not appreciate it at all, Rahman says, unlike artists or photographers. The reason to choose the new iPad would be if you want or need 4G connectivity.
The iPad 2, however, offers a major advantage over the original iPad — cameras. A major problem for many people living with learning disabilities is learning to associate an abstract concept with the physical object. In other words, recognizing that an illustration of a tree is related to the tree outside of the window. Taking photos on the iPad can be helpful for learning to associate food as an icon with food as an item, for instance.
This can be useful in the classroom environment, where a teacher can create content on the go without going back and forth to the computer.
When it comes to choosing the right size, Rahman says most social needs apps are not too large. If your iPad is just going to have one primary user, you won’t need any larger than 32GB. However, if the device is going to be shared in a classroom, 64GB could be worthwhile.
2. Volume Control
Rahman says his wife’s favorite tip is to cover the speaker with masking tape. His son Noah, who has cerebral palsy, loves to jack up the volume on his iPad to be “blood curdling loud.”
“Because the iPad is a platform I can’t install software on to regulate the overall volume, we literally put cellophane tape over the speaker,” Rahman says.
Another option is to get a big case, which can muffle some of the sound, if you don’t want to restrict control over the tablet.
3. Explore Accessibility Features
The iPad comes with a lot of accessibility features already included, which you should explore.
Voice over is one great feature for the visually impaired, which reads what you swipe out loud when it’s switched on. You can also try “white on black” view, zoom (for the visually impaired) and assisted touch (press a button instead of shaking your iPad).
Rahman recommends setting the triple click on the home button to turn on the accessibility feature you use most regularly.
4. Try an External Keyboard
While some special needs users are great with the touchscreen keyboard, there can be two advantages to attaching an external keyboard to the iPad. First, it’s easier for people with fine motor issues to get an accurate touch.
Second, if you’re trying to work with multiple languages with different alphabets, you can attach character stickers on to keys rather than flipping between the iPad’s language options.
5. Make Time for FaceTime
For people on the autism spectrum, learning to make eye contact can be incredibly challenging — it’s also one of the first warning signs that a child may not be inputting social interactions correctly.
Using FaceTime to chat with friends and relatives outside of your home can be a great way to build those skills. The facial close-up forces kids to look into the eyes of the person with whom they’re chatting.
“For any child that has a hard time with social interactions, FaceTiming with relatives can be fun and incredibly therapeutic,” Rahman says.
6. DIY Keyguard
Keyguards are a very inexpensive way to give a voice to people who are uncommunicative and can be purchased cheaply for $20 or made by hand from foam board and an X-Acto knife.
Rahman recalls visiting with a non-verbal student in one school who used a two-button keyguard to communicate yes and no. After answering a sequence of yes or no questions, expressing his preferences for different needs and likes, the boy told a joke. Humor is, of course, a huge indicator of intelligence, Rahman notes.
“Do you have fun in school?” Rahman asked, expecting a yes, following a series of correctly answered questions.
The boy smiled, placed his hand near the yes, and then slid his finger over to the no button.
The boy again hit down the no.
“Really?” Rahman asked a final time.
The boy moved his hand over and pressed yes, indicating he in fact enjoyed school.
7. Set Boundaries
It should come as no surprise that iPads can be lots of fun for the special needs population, so parents need to set boundaries from the start.
“The iPad is totally useless without a plan,” Rahman says. “Everyone owns a hammer but few people can use it to build a building.”
Comparing an iPad to a pacifier, Rahman says parents must draw lines to prevent the iPad from becoming just an entertainer, and to ensure it is used for education and therapy.
8. Make Photo Albums
Learning to associate pictures of objects with concepts can take years for some people with special needs, but the iPad can be an important learning tool if you take pictures and organize photo albums. The tablet can become a great communicator when you view 16 icons at once, and allow the user to choose what they want.
You can give people who are non-verbal and partially non-verbal the ability to express preference by showing them, for instance, pictures of foods that they can eat for a given meal. You can also show options of activities, clothes or people.
9. Keep Cleaning
While iPads can be great babysitters, if you want to use the tablet for therapy or education you’ll need to frequently mix up the types of apps your child is using.
“If you’re not removing apps on a regular basis, you’re focusing on entertainment, not education and therapy,” Rahman says.
Parents almost always tell Rahman that they’re not removing apps from their children’s iPads, meaning they’re not letting their children flex their muscles or learn new skills.
10. Lock Screen
The constant rotation of the screen can be incredibly frustrating for some individuals with special needs. You can choose to lock the screen to prevent the display from reorienting as the device moves. This will give the user a greater feeling of control over their experience.
Rahman notes that for his own son, after two years with his iPad, it was a big moment when he learned to navigate with an unlocked screen.
“I don’t want him to just settle, I want a kid that forces the world he wants,” Rahman says.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Special Kids’ Worlds Open Through Mobile Apps
Special Kids’ Worlds Open Through Mobile Apps
By John Hartford
Mobile communications technology for use by children with disabilities is exploding. New applications for children with movement, speech, hearing and visual challenges seem to appear daily on the market. As a result of these new technologies, new worlds are opening for these children. These devices and apps are providing children who experience movement and communication challenges with incredible tools for academics, communication and socialization
Most of these applications run on iPads or iPhones, although they also are available for other tablets and smart phones. Some encourage wrist and finger movements to help develop small motor skills; others make it possible for young children with speech challenges to communicate through the use of pictures. Word and picture-to-sound applications give voice to older children and open up social interaction. Already in use by many schools and therapists, applications to assist children in cognitive skills building abound.
Most of these applications are fairly inexpensive. But you’ll need a device like an iPad, which costs about $500 new, to get started. While sifting through the many available applications can be frustrating, especially if you’re a “newbie” to the technology scene, there are a number of helpful websites that offer reviews and video demonstrations to help you choose. Here are some of the best:
Momswithapps – This first-rate site run by moms includes a section on apps for special needs. The moms work with software developers to fine-tune their products and encourage parents to give them feedback to make products better.
Apple Special Education – The special education section of Apple’s website lists 72 applications for the iPhone and 13 applications for the iPad in 10 categories ranging from communication to emotional development and life skills
About.com Apps for People with Special Needs – This site offers reviews from parents and users of applications for iPads and iPhones.
Apps for Children with Special Needs – This site provides videos of many applications, allowing parents to see how they work before buying. It also offers an extensive list of free applications.
Babies with iPads – Focuses on infants and toddlers with developmental delays and how technology can help build basic skills. A recent article lists a therapist’s top 10 applications for children with cortical vision impairment.
The Friendship Circle – Offers a wealth of resources for special needs community, including a list of applications for Android devices.
Of course one of the best ways to choose an application is to ask your child’s therapists and teachers what they recommend. But no matter what you choose, today’s mobile software applications are making it possible for children with cerebral palsy to interact with their world better than ever before.
For more information please visit:http://www.cpfamilynetwork.org/
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