Useful Site #5. iPad Forum.net: iPad as a tool for those with learning disabilities
15 NoviPad Forum.net: iPad as a tool for those with learning disabilities
Some people discussed on using an iPad as a tool for students with disabilities in the iPad Forum.Net. They pointed out some important points: 1) it can be used as an organizational and learning tool for students with LD, 2) in comparison to the PDAs and smart phone such as iPhone, iPad has a wider screen and it also allows these students to have more natural touch more experience, and 3) it has a huge potential as a learning tool for students with LD, but there has been a lack of good quality applications. I totally agree with Robertt’s point. A lot of number of educational applications have released so far, but the majority of them have crappy quality. I believe companies should develop good quality application based on research-based contents/theories. Moreover, we need to conduct research on effects of using iPad applications for teaching students with LD. There has been no research published on this topic yet so far. Since iPads just have released in 2010, so I believe many researchers have been conducting research recently. I am expecting we can read several research articles on using iPads for teaching students with disabilities in a couple of years.
Video Clip #2: iPad for Learning Disabilities, Elevating our children’s potential!
15 NovPlease watch this Youtube video clip that shows how the student with disabilities uses an iPad for learning.
It is an interesting video!
App Review #7: Story Builder
14 NovStory Builder application is designed to support children to improve their ability to create a story. It reads aloud some helpful questions to help children to develop their stories. They do not need to write their answers; they record stories in their own voice. They are asked to record their answers to several questions provided. Once they are done with recording, they can play a whole story they created. They can save and share it with others. They can chose different level of play (3 levels) and reinforcement status. It can be used as a supplementary tool for students with LD to practice organize their ideas and build their narrative stories. Its speech-synthesis and recording features will be helpful for them to write a story.
- Apple site for Story Builder
- Price: $3.99
News #2: Is the iPad Good or Bad for Dyslexia Children?
11 NovIs the iPad Good or Bad for Dyslexia Children?
” We believe that using an iPad will, without a doubt, help dyslexic children to improve their literacy skills – providing – that they are encouraged to play an equal amount of literacy type games to the fun type games that we are sure the iPad has in store for us.
And, one of the great features of the iPad is the iBook application where you can buy books, read them and then put them away on your very own bookshelf – it looks really good and will hopeful encourage children to read more – well that is if the books aren’t to expensive to download.”
<Quoted From Dyslexia Brain re-Inventing Dyslexia>
Useful Blog #1: Learning and Teaching with iPads
11 NovLearning and Teaching with iPads
This interesting blog provides useful information how to learn and teach with iPads for students with and without disabilities. You can download their app review excel file in their blog. They review almost over 1oo application according to name, cost, category, age group, and review. It would be very useful for teachers/parents who are looking for applications for their students/children.
Useful Site #4: Apps for Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities
11 NovApps for Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities
Dyslexia Help Success Starts Here site provides a list of applications for dyslexia students and students with other learning disabilities. They noted an important point that these applications are useful supplementary tools but cannot replace direct intervention! It is so true! Personally, I believe iPad applications can be great supplementary tools for practicing skills/knowledge.
Useful Site #3: iPad Apps for kids with LD
11 NovShelley Lacey-Castelot (ATACP, M.S.) suggested various helpful applications for kids with dyslexia and other learning disabilities in this website. She categorized them into different areas such as books, reading, phonics, text-to-speech, math, calculation, money skills/time, handwriting, graphic organizers, note taking and etc. GOOD information for teachers/parents who are looking for effective applications!
How Can We Use iPads for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities? 