Special Needs Apps: from Augmented Communication to Social Cueing
Adaptive technology is nothing new, but the iPad has made it a little more kid-friendly and a little more affordable. Special needs apps -have gone mainstream, and there are more options than there used to be. It's exciting -- and it can be a bit confusing as well.
Autism is not a single disorder. Children with a range of processing differences are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. They have unique disabilities and sometimes unique strengths. Some iPad apps are designed to give a voice to those who have trouble speaking. Other apps meet the needs of children who are verbal, but have processing difficulties that affect their social and communicative abilities. And then there are the general basic skills apps -- many, but not all, children with autism have general learning disability.
On this page, I have gathered resources together, and arranged them by general category. I have included some notes about level of difficulty and appropriateness for different populations. I have also included links to reviews by parents and educators.
Autism is not a single disorder. Children with a range of processing differences are diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. They have unique disabilities and sometimes unique strengths. Some iPad apps are designed to give a voice to those who have trouble speaking. Other apps meet the needs of children who are verbal, but have processing difficulties that affect their social and communicative abilities. And then there are the general basic skills apps -- many, but not all, children with autism have general learning disability.
On this page, I have gathered resources together, and arranged them by general category. I have included some notes about level of difficulty and appropriateness for different populations. I have also included links to reviews by parents and educators.
Video: Verbal Victor
We may think of the app designers and the special needs parents as being two separate groups of people, but sometimes they're one and the same.
Victor has Pitt-Hopkin's Disorder; it has prevented him from developing speech normally and also caused other developmental delays. When Victor's augmentative communication device broke, his dad ( and his dad's students) designed an app especially for learners at the emergent communication level.
It's a simple design, but it does allow families to add add you to add their own images and voices.
Victor has Pitt-Hopkin's Disorder; it has prevented him from developing speech normally and also caused other developmental delays. When Victor's augmentative communication device broke, his dad ( and his dad's students) designed an app especially for learners at the emergent communication level.
It's a simple design, but it does allow families to add add you to add their own images and voices.
curated content from YouTube
Language Development
for High Functioning Autism
Some children are verbal, but have language development that lags several years behind other academic skills. What is available to give needed practice -- and make it engaging?
- Language Builder
- This is another app designed by a dad.
- Conversation Builder
- For pragmatic language.
More Apps Developed by Family Members
Of Individuals with Autism
Parents have often created apps with their own children in mind. In other instances, siblings have.
- Student Designs App
- A nineteen-year-old designed an app with his younger brother in mind.This app is designed to teach routines of daily life.
- Father Creates Language Development App
- After noting his preschool son's fascination, this father began work on a sentence-building app.
- Mom Develops App... For Parents of Children with Autism
- Parents have a lot to juggle -- the iPad may help keep it organized.
- Labor of Love: Autismate
- Another app designed by a brother for a brother.
More Assistive Communication Apps
Videos and Discussion
Augmentative communication devices have traditionally come in two types: rudimentary and expensive. As an educator, I can say it's not long since I saw a laminated tagboard speech board on the table in front of a young child. While such tools can give some assistance to children at the emerging stages of communication, they are not as engaging as an iPad. And of course children grow beyond them when they exit the emergent stage. This isn't to say that the best is necessarily the most complex, however.
These videos allow you to see the different augmentative communication apps in action. Some are produced by the makers; others show children using the app in a real-world context. You can see an elementary school child give a book report on his Prologuo2go app (Video 2) . Apps for Communication (Video 3) is a third-party introduction to a number of apps including some very rudimentary ones and some that you can try for free to get a sense of how they'll work for you.
These videos allow you to see the different augmentative communication apps in action. Some are produced by the makers; others show children using the app in a real-world context. You can see an elementary school child give a book report on his Prologuo2go app (Video 2) . Apps for Communication (Video 3) is a third-party introduction to a number of apps including some very rudimentary ones and some that you can try for free to get a sense of how they'll work for you.
curated content from YouTube
Resources: Augmentative Communication Apps
The following are factors to take into consideration:
*How easy is the app to use (from a physical standpoint as well as an intellectual one)?
*Does it have the ability to grow with the child (if it costs significant money)?
*What level of vocabulary and structural language is it appropriate for?
*Are the pictures engaging and easy to understand?
*Are there opportunities to customize the program with your own pictures and voices?
*How easy is the program for the parent to customize/ manage?
*How easy is the app to use (from a physical standpoint as well as an intellectual one)?
*Does it have the ability to grow with the child (if it costs significant money)?
*What level of vocabulary and structural language is it appropriate for?
*Are the pictures engaging and easy to understand?
*Are there opportunities to customize the program with your own pictures and voices?
*How easy is the program for the parent to customize/ manage?
- Prologuo2go
- A popular assistive communication app for autism.
- Tap 2 Talk
- Another communicative device from the iPad store.
- Grace App
- This one is designed by a mom -- you can hear her speak in the video above.
- Verbal Victor
- A simple iPad app, designed by a dad.
Social Skills and Communication Apps
Even if a child is verbal, they may have serious difficulties communicating. They may understand the literal meanings of words, but not the tones in which they're spoken. They may have trouble processing nonverbal cues like facial expressions. They may not look at people's face's at all because, at a neurological level, they are overstimulated by eye contact. Additionally, they might crave predictability and routine -- and indeed need it. In addition, their confidence levels may be quite low. Here is an introduction to some apps designed to develop communication skills and social interactive ability.
Popchilla (Video 2) is built around research that autistic children feel more comfortable working with robots than realistic human faces. It is designed to teach skills like recognizing emotions or imitating physical actions.
Stories2Learn (Video 1) allows families to create stories that teach routines and social conventions. Click n Talk also allows to create talking photo albums that teach routines.
First Then is a visual schedule that provides predictability. Speech with Milo (Video 3) helps children increase utterance length and build basic storytelling skills.
Popchilla (Video 2) is built around research that autistic children feel more comfortable working with robots than realistic human faces. It is designed to teach skills like recognizing emotions or imitating physical actions.
Stories2Learn (Video 1) allows families to create stories that teach routines and social conventions. Click n Talk also allows to create talking photo albums that teach routines.
First Then is a visual schedule that provides predictability. Speech with Milo (Video 3) helps children increase utterance length and build basic storytelling skills.
curated content from YouTube
Social Skills Apps
- Model Me Going Places
- Free app helps children prepare for difficult places and challenges to their routine. There are six locations including the doctor, the grocery store, and the playground.
- Look in my Eyes
- Here is a game to help children develop comfort looking in another's eyes. You can choose different themes like dinosaurs or trains.
- First Then
- This app teach routines and increase predictability.
- Click 'n Talk
- The developers tout this app for creating social stories, sharing personal information, and developing independent living skills.
Pragmatic Speech: Conversation Builder
Conversation Builder is designed for students who are verbal, but have difficulty with pragmatics. The app helps elementary students recognize and practice socially useful (and appropriate) conversation. It includes photographs to spark conversation. Children can select the best conversation starter (multiple choice style) and then select the best responses to what they hear. They can record each sentence and save the conversation to play back and practice later.
One part of this interview that's particularly moving: a reference to parents who were distressed about their child's difficulty making friends, but couldn't understand why until they watched the child select inappropriate or irrelevant conversation choices on Conversation Builder. When they watched the child repeatedly try to start conversations with a line like, "You have a red shirt," a light would dawn.
This video is part of a series.
One part of this interview that's particularly moving: a reference to parents who were distressed about their child's difficulty making friends, but couldn't understand why until they watched the child select inappropriate or irrelevant conversation choices on Conversation Builder. When they watched the child repeatedly try to start conversations with a line like, "You have a red shirt," a light would dawn.
This video is part of a series.
curated content from YouTube
Tablet Computers
We're grateful to Apple, but it's not just the iPad children can use. Other tablets like the Android are also making special needs apps.
Autism Apps: Reviews
These reviews come from a variety of sources including parents, teachers, and therapists.
- Bookroom Reviews
- The mom of a child diagnosed with high-functioning autism shares some favorite apps -- many of which are free or cheap.
- Teachers with Apps
- These teachers indeed have apps. They give a favorable review to Language Builder, which may be useful to students with high-functioning autism.
- iAutism
- This is a wonderfully detailed exploration! Just remember to translate the posts from Spanish -- Google will be happy to do it for you.
- Squidalicious
- This mom has been instrumental in the iPads for autism movement. Here she shares a spreadsheet of apps... and resources from around the web. Many of the apps her son uses areor learning basic academic skills.
- Apps for Children with Special Needs
- This site is devoted to special needs apps.
- Combining Apps and Robotics
- This pilot study uses an ipad-controlled Popzilla to encourage communication and identification of feelings.
- Communication Therapy
- A private practitioner describes her experience using iPad technology to address articulation and phonology issues. There are a number of related reviews on this blog.
- Apps List from Lincoln Schools
- Huge list of educational apps, organized by category.
- New York Times Gadgetwise
- More sites to check out for apps.
Free iPad Apps
Some learning apps are indeed offered free.
Special Needs iPad Apps in the News
- iPad gives voice to kids with autism
- A search for "autism apps" for the iPad in Apple's App Store brings 764 hits. About 142 were released this year. Similarly, dozens of assistance and education autism apps have sprung up on tablets and other devices running Google's Android operating ...
- iPad, apps key to unlocking communication barrier with autistic students
- As the mother of an autistic son, Marlena Odon says she used to worry about sending Kharon off to school into the hands of others who might not be able to interpret what he was trying to say. But now, thanks to the integration of the iPad into Kharon's ...
- iPad Gives Voice to Kids With Autism
- A search for "autism apps" for the iPad in Apple's App Store brings 764 hits. About 142 were released this year. Similarly, dozens of assistance and education autism apps have sprung up on tablets and other devices running Google's Android operating ...
Thoughts to Share?
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bjslapidary
Jan 14, 2012 @ 10:39 am | delete
- Thanks for sharing this great info.
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patsydoo
Oct 27, 2011 @ 6:48 pm | delete
- Thanks for this great information.
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ThomasJ4
Sep 16, 2011 @ 1:13 am | delete
- Its great to see people lending a hand to those in need, thanks for sharing
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nuestraherencia
May 22, 2011 @ 12:40 am | delete
- great information...thanks for sharing! I will give these a try with my son!
proud mom of autistic 9yr old
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alyssa87
Apr 20, 2011 @ 5:21 am | delete
- great ideas, simply awesome work
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Credits
- iPad in Child's Hands
- easylocum, Flickr
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