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Saturday, October 23, 2010

iTunes Apps Store Now Has Special Education Section

A couple of weeks a go I had the opportunity to work with a student who was having difficulty in the area of fine motor skills and decided to bring my iPad along. I had downloaded a number of apps to trial with the student but was counting on using the  iWriteWords app to see how the student would do with it. To say the least it was incredible to watch the student use the app and to see just how focused he was while working with it. His special education teacher and some of his therapist who watched the demonstration were amazed at his task engagement and attention.

It has been really exciting to see the iPad move into the realm of special education and I know for myself that it will find a place that is dear to the heart of special educators. There are lots of stellar apps out there that have the potential to change the way we think about assistive technology and the delivery of the services that we provide. Apple has always been at the forefront of accessible technology and recently added a Special Education section to the iTunes App Store. So check it out and let me know what apps you plan on trying with the students you work with.

3 comments:

joren4 said...

The iPAD is making it's way quickly into the hearts of educators and parents of special needs children and this is why.

Thanks to the amazing support of parents in my school we hope to be getting iPADs for our classroom before the end of this year.

iWriteWords is one of the many apps I can't wait to try out. I'm looking forward to using proloquo2go and open communication for our students throughout the school. No more carrying schedules and "first then" cards, everyone can use the same symbols and language to support our students!

A great list of apps I found is available at

http://speechlanguagepathologysharing.blogspot.com/2009/12/iphone-and-ipod-touch-apps-for-special.html

Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D said...

Hi

Thanks so much for sharing your ideas and it is great to know that schools are beginning to explore how iPads can be used in special education. The more I use my iPad the more I see all of the possibilities.

Regards
Brian

smith said...

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