“There are times when taking a note in a written format is not a practical option. You might for instance be attending a lecture or a conference or you might simply prefer to listen to your recorded notes instead of reading them, in these cases apps such as the ones below are what you will use for audio note taking. While keeping the basic note taking features, all of these apps are fantastic for recording notes and adding audio to your notes. I invite you to check out the selection I have below and share with us what you thin about it.”
Carol Leynse Harpold‘s insight:
Just in time! – I will be working with an individual in the next few days that is interested in methods of note taking. Althought there are handheld tools such as the Livescribe Smartpen, handheld digital recorders and recording tools in computer based software as OneNote or Sonocent’s Audio Note taker, the iPad, iPod or iPhone also becomes an options with audio note taking apps!
Interested in a literacy app for students who benefit from modified text and supports? Attainments Access Language App (for iPad only, regularly 39.99) provides access to frequently read books in a modified format. iTunes description of the Attainment app states:
“Access Language Arts app is based on the curriculum Teaching to Standards: English Language Arts, which was created by Attainment Company and the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Research has shown both the app and curriculum to be highly effective in teaching language arts skills, that are directly aligned to the Common Core Standards, to students with an intellectual disability or autism.
The four literature pieces chosen for read alouds in Access Language Arts app are among those typically used in the middle school curriculum. The adapted stories in the app are Neighbors, Sadako and a Thousand Paper Cranes, The Diary of Anne Frank, and We Beat the Streets.
Components of systematic instruction are embedded in the app’s script are: constant time-delay procedure, system of least intrusive prompts, and feedback.”
Although this might not be an app for your OT mTool Kit, for those OT’s who supply AT support or if you share resources with parents and teachers, Attainment’s Access Language Arts app looks like a great literacy support for students who require a modified curriculum.
Writing Wizard app for iPhone and iPad (2.99) developed by L’ Escapadou.com (developer of Word Wizard app), is another letter formation app (how many can you have??) that provides great options to support practice of specific curriculum fonts:
Zaner Bloser
DeNealian
Handwriting Without Tears
This app provides many of the best practice features of letter formation (Koenke, 1986) and many customizable features to support the needs of a wide variety of students and curriculums.
Writing Wizard also provides modes of writing for students that is fun with:
26 different animated stickers and sound effects
After completing tracing, 4 games that animate letters is offered
Tracing their name with customization within the app
Collect stars for completion of letter completion.
Along with upper and lower case letter formation, numbers and words, Writing Wizard also provides more than 40 different pre-writing patterns for users:
Simple pictures to draw (house, cat, smiley face, etc.)
All of the numbers, letters and shape practices provide a demonstration of stroke direction. Arrows, stopping points and dotted lines are provided for the user in a step by step manner. Customization within in each task provides the following options:
Administrative options of this app provide entering multiple users, viewing tracing histories and exporting tracings page and using a free mode of participation or 5 star mode requiring multiple trials with reducing supports. Additional settings are also offered within the app including applying sounds at different points of production/tracing, choices of the 5 star parameters during practice of each letter, locks on administrative setting and six different language choices (Espanol, Deutsch, English, French, Italian, Swedish).
This app provides great options for supporting the acquisition of letter formation for students, data collect as well as customization for students. Well worth the 2.99.
Positioning your iPad with a stand or using a stylus to emulate use of a writing tool may also be considered. Check out possible stands or styluses at : OT’s with Apps Amazon Store.
How long apps go free is always a mystery, but if you are interested in an early word making app, Word Wizard app (regularly 2.99) is currently free.
Described as the Speak and Spell for the iPad Generation, this app lets kids hear the sounds of letters and words using a talking movable alphabet. Featuring advanced text to speech capabilities, the app can pronounce and spell-check an unlimited number of original words and sentences built using a phonics movable alphabet.
Word Wizard also provides spelling practice with a list of more than 1,400 questions and answers, and the best is that you can add your own words to create any spelling quiz, and track the progress of your kids thanks to detailed reports.
Interested in a video review of it?
This might not quite be the tool for an OT’s mTool Kit, but a great app for a Teacher’s mTool Kit. Well worth it at its original cost of 2.99, a great deal for free. Share!
If you work with adults or pediatrics, the link below provides apps for only administrative tasks such as documentation, evaluation, patient/client education or utilities that may come in handy!
Apps for iOS (Apple) and Android devices for Occupational Therapy Practitioners are included in this list:
Here is a tip regarding use of the Skill Training App from Margaret at Your Therapy Source :
“I do enjoy this app but just a tip – need to use it on the iPad. Way too small for iPhone for me.” Margaret also adds additional free resources from her website:
Hard copy tasks are a typical option and may be preferred for choice of tools used, size, positioning and tactile/kinesthetic/proprioceptive options afforded with hands on tasks for many students/clients. Another option available with mobile device use, is to import the image of of online documents or images into apps as Doodle Buddy, Draw Free, Educreations, Explain Everything (using screen shots ) and use the drawing tools to complete the visual motor task. Saving the picture within the app, emailing the completed task or taking a screen shot and printing or sharing through Wi-Fi, Air Print or Cloud service will allow you to print from a portable device or computer if connectivity is available.
Thank you to Margaret from Your Therapy Source for her tip and resources.
Decide Now! app for iPhone and iPad is free today (typically 1.99). I have blogged about this app before, but with it going free today, I thought it was worthy to mention again. This app provides a customizable spinner with text ( no pictures or audio) for generating questions and ideas to create a game like activity. This app has many educational uses as well as can be used to generate choices for some therapy activities. Here are a few images of possible uses as suggested on Digital Kindergarten Blog:
Decide Now! can be used for a wide range of students (with some text identification) to create letter, number, reading, copying, or math activities to name just a few. Decide Now! app provides customization of the labels create simple curriculum activities. Attach it to a projector with a VGA connector can create a whole class activity.
Used in therapy sessions, this can be a fun tool offering letters, numbers or words for handwriting practice, generate a sentence starter or choice making. I currently use it as a spinner to practice determining sensory strategies a student might employ given choices of scenarios on the spinner:
The student spins to a text-based scenario then determines what sensory strategy they might use based how they would identify their feelings on a 5 point scale and identify and share what strategy they would use. This provides continued practice and review of strategies identified with them in the classroom. This has been a fun way to reinforce strategy choices and practice. Used along with our 5PointScale expanded , which is individually created for a student, this allows practice and coaching of the strategies individually created with the student .
This app is helpful when used with students who can read what is entered on the spinner. Draw back of the app is there is no audio or image capabilities, limiting differentiation for non-readers. It is easy to spin by spinning it or tapping the middle green button. Options for customizing include eight different color schemes, reducing or adding labels on the spinner and unlimited number of spinners created and saved within the app.
For those students who need picture and audio support the Image Spinner app (.99) for iPhone and iPad is available. Image Spinner app only saves one spinner at a time, unfortunately, requiring recreating a spinner for each activity.
Happy New Years!
Do you have a spinner or choice making app you use with students? Please share if you do!
The Taptool is a unique wearable accessory designed to protect our fingers and joints from potential issues caused by prolonged touchscreen use.
Carol Leynse Harpold‘s insight:
Taptool is a new Kickstarter invention developed by Matt Weiner, PT. As with most inventions, it was created out of need due to the high impact on joints when using mobile devices. A mother of necessity, the Taptool’s purpose is to reduce the repetitive stress caused by frequent tapping on tablets.
Check out the video onTaptool and Matt Weiner’s story about his invention.
Apps to improve organizational skills for students with learning disabilities – but we wanted to add 9 MORE for students with learning disabilities.
Carol Leynse Harpold‘s insight:
Here is a re-scoop from Kathleen McClaskey’s Scoop it!. The scoop is an updated list of organizational apps for LD students from inov8 website . Read on for their helpful post.
Per the National Center for Learning Disabilities, using Tunewiki is a great way to increase reading fluency. Tunewiki plays popular music in the background while displaying and scrolling through t…
Carol Leynse Harpold‘s insight:
AT Daily shares Tunewiki as a tool to help LD student increase their reading fluency. Check out AT Daily for more information about this iOS app.
OT's with Apps & Technology 