Getting a Grip on the iPad Mini for Little Hands

Posted on July 13, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS
Bluey Case for iPad Mini

Bluey Case for iPad Mini

One of the preschool students at school has an iPad Mini dedicated for his communication. Using a dedicated device differentiates it as a specific tool for communicating as opposed to devices that may be used for multiple activities (e.g. a educational activity, self-regulation tool, timer, a reward or leisure activity). Although there are typically many tools used to support communication (visual schedules, signing, visual supports, speech generating device, etc. ) a dedicated device such as the iPad with an AAC app provides more flexibility and options and supports for communication for a student with complex communication needs (images, text, speech, levels of displays, etc.).

For youngsters with small hands and developing motor skills, finding a safe and manageable iPad Mini case was important. One of the many cases out there that seemed to fit the bill was the Kay’s Case KidBox Mini for Apple iPad Mini (Bluey) (also comes in an array of colors, Orange, Limey, Mr. Black and Pinky) to protect, position and allow the student to carry his communication tool around. At $18.95 (at Amazon) compared to OtterBoxes or Griffin cases, I thought Bluey was a bargain.

Here are some pictures of Bluey:

Kays case pic1 Kays case pic2

This case was easy to carry and also provided a stand for easy viewing by the student. The protective case was adequate for the students’ use with supervision by staff when used for communication.

 

Another case worth considering is the Snug Case for iPad mini, offering handles around the protective case. It is offered in blue and pink with a slightly higher cost (24.95) but seemingly offers a Lifetime Guarantee.  It does not offer a stand but does seem well protected and very easy for kids grab, hold and cart around with the handles on all sides.

Snug case for iPad mini

You might not be the Speech and Language Pathologist who decides on devices for AAC, but you might be the one who helps determine the case or recommends cases to parents of small children. Here are just a few cases that might suit the needs of your clients with little hands!

Are you using or recommending any particular cases for your iPad Minis? Share your experiences and recommendations!

Interested in iPad and iPad Mini accessories, equipment and apps for your school based practice? Join OT’s with Apps @ School Workshop August 11 & 12. For more information contact me at otswithapps@gmail.com or here for OT’s with Apps at School workshop description and registration information.

More for your teaching, parent or OT mTool Kit!

Carol

Posted in Accessories, Augmentative Communication, Early Childhood, Elementary School, iPad, iPad Management | 2 Comments

Project Kids Card App – Free!

Posted on July 12, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS
Project Kids Cards app

Project Kids Cards app

The folks at Smart Apps for Special Needs are marvelous curators of app deals and reviews for iOS and Android apps. I am not sure how they do it, but they daily feature apps on sale for students with disabilities. What gets tricky, is sifting and winnowing apps that truly are better than currently downloaded apps, are price worthy or useable content. Now, years later with so many apps available,  a boat load of downloaded iPad(s), finding worthy apps seems to be a little more tricky with more discrimination used for selection.

One of the many apps they listed for Free App Friday is Project Kids Cards app (regularly 1.99, currently free until 7/17/14; iPhone/iPad).  It’s a simple app, it requires users to sequence and order numbers and letters without a lot of bells and whistles. I believe this is a good extension activity for learning to write letters and numbers, something that students who like order and a pattern like to do (my students with ASD liked this kind of concrete task).  Certainly learning the order of numbers is an important foundational math  skill.  Learning letters in order may not be imperative to learning to read, but provides a system of learning letters and later ability to organize information in a standard manner.

Project Kids Cards iconProject Kids Cards app features basic identification of letters and numbers with ordering tasks or games requiring the user to drag  letters or numbers in alphabetical or numerical order. A game of pairing lower and upper case letters is also provided. Pretty simple and straight forward, this app speaks the name of the letter/number out loud while presenting the task. Not a lot of bells and whistles, no data collecting nor is in-app purchasing present either. Here are a few screenshots of the app:

Project Kids Cards pic1

Pretty straight forward with just skill and drill, not a game format. Project Kids Cards is worth downloading for free, there are few apps I have seen that include ordering numbers and letters in the same app.  One reviewer comment cited contrast being an issue for students with low vision challenges.

Although I downloaded the app and find it stable and an easy to use app, I might think carefully about downloading it at 1.99, as it lacks options of multiple users or collecting data, important for assessment of student progress.

More to consider for your teaching or OT mTool Kit!

Carol

References:

The Importance of Learning Alphabetical Order, March 22, 2014, retrieved on 7/12/2014 from: http://www.bubblews.com/news/2710405-importance-of-learning-alphabetical-order.

Ordering Numbers, n.d., Retrieved on 7/12/2014 from: http://www.mathsisfun.com/ordering-numbers.html. 

Kosur, Heather Marie, 2/8/2012. “Teaching Numbers to Kindergarten Students”, Retrieved on 7/12/2014 from: http://www.mathsisfun.com/ordering-numbers.html.

Posted in App Reviews, Apps for OT's, Apps for Special Needs, Early Childhood, Elementary School, Emergent Literacy, Free apps, iPad, iPhone | Leave a comment

Osmo – A Interactive Educational Tool for the iPad

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS

Osmo game system logo

I can’t believe that I have not posted about the Osmo Game system – a truly interactive device for the iPad. The Osmo Game system was demonstrated by Lisa Reas, Professional Development Extraordinaire  at an edcampMKE this past May.  I was really WOWED by her virtual education activities including this iPad game system. The Osmo Game activities provide interactive, manipulative activities using real blocks, markers or tiles as a learning activity. As an OT, the games provide true fine motor, manipulative and visual perceptual engagement using the iPad and real manipulatives! (I want one!)

How does the Osmo Game system work?

Imagine blocks manipulated in front of an iPad that are sensed for their position in space using a device attached to the iPad. When blocks are manipulated and positioned appropriately according to the design presented on the iPad screen, visual placement is recorded by the device and app associated with the Osmo Game system. Visual feedback is given to the user on their production.

A little hard to imagine? Here is a video showing how the Osmo Games work to help you wrap your brain around the system …

Here are the activities or games that come with the Osmo Game system at present:

Newton is a problem solving drawing activity

Osmo Newton pic

Tangram Puzzle
Osmo Tangram pic

Tiles for Spelling
Osmo Words pic

 

 

 

All apps associated with the Osmo Game system are available for free.

Seem a little much for just completing a block design? Yes, perhaps, but consider the possibilities and engagement by students or adults for that matter. Our students are so used to electronic game systems and attaining engagement with our tech-savvy kids just isn’t what it used to be. So here is a mix of electronics, visual perception and manipulation! Further, just think of the potential if this could record and give feedback for letter formation, spacing perhaps handwriting, or better yet give feedback for tasks performed for individuals with visual impairments?  No, it is not there yet, but think of the potential. It certainly is beyond me!

Currently, the Osmo Game system can be pre-ordered for a reduced cost of $49. + shipping. The next shipping is projected for October (I am so sad I missed the August order date!!). Pre-orders can be made at the following link:

https://www.playosmo.com/?r=5022660920606720

Will this be in your OT mTool Kit? I can’t wait for mine to come…

Carol

Posted in Accessories, App Reviews, Apps for OT's, Apps for Special Needs, Drawing, Education, Fine Motor Development, Game, iOS, iPad, Virtual reality apps, Visual Perception | 2 Comments

Using Twitter as Assistive Technology

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS

Twitter as AT 2

Twitter as AT?

A recent post on The Assistive Technology Daily, “Preserving Memories 140 Characters at a Time after Traumatic Brain Injury” describes Thomas Dixon’s use of Twitter as an AT support for his episodic memory loss sustained in a closed head injury while running. Can social media be considered assistive technology?

Dixon reported he was familiar with handheld technology since middle school, but after using a notebook as a tool to assist with memory loss he changed his strategy and created a private Twitter account to record memories to assist with his recall. He describes Twitter, with only 140 characters allowed, as mimicking how episodic memory works. Using Twitter, to log experiences in a linear timeline, with recent events posted on top and the ability to search by keywords made providing the appropriate cognitive support.

Here is a video interview created by Temple University OT Students with Thomas Dixon, “Twitter as Assistive Technology” with basic instructions of use of Twitter:

Considering that any device or tool that supports individuals with improved functional capability, Twitter services on a mobile device with Wi-Fi could definitely be considered as assistive technology.

More information on Thomas Dixon’s strategies can be found by searching YouTube with Traumatic Brain Injury? Technologically Beyond it! Part 1, 2 and 3.

What a great example of the application of social media as an AT , innovative use of technology by the client to meet their unique needs. Universal design for living!

References:

“Assistive Technology Act.” National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 1 Apr. 2013. Web. 02 July 2014. <http://nichcy.org/laws/ata&gt;.

Wishnick, Emily. “Twitter as Assistive Technology.” YouTube. YouTube, 12 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 July 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HXbVNTf_Ks&gt;.

Woods, Jeanette. “Preserving Memories 140 Characters at a Time after Traumatic Brain Injury – NewsWorks.” Preserving Memories 140 Characters at a Time after Traumatic Brain Injury – NewsWorks. NewsWorks, 12 July 2014. Web. 02 July 2014. <http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/68974-preserving-memories-140-characters-at-a-time-after-traumatic-brain-injury&gt;.

H/T to The Assistive Technology Daily.

Carol

Posted in Medical, Memory, Mobile Device Use, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation, Traumatic Brain Injury | 2 Comments

Assistive Technology Blog: iOS 8 Accessibility Roundup: More Accessible Than Ever

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS

iOS 8 Accessibility Roundup: More Accessible Than Ever

As scooped from The Assistive Technology Blog through Scoop.it

 

Source: bdmtech.blogspot.co.uk

The Assistive Technology Blog reviews some new features slated in iOS 8 expected to debut this fall. Word prediction is one of the proposed features integrated into the iOS keyboard with context a part of the formula. That is exciting news as an assistive technology specialist – Apple is finally catching up to Android on that feature – at last!

For OT’s working in home health or rehab, a new iOS 8 Health app will be featured. It will be interesting to see how this app might interface with information used by or for patients and how it complies with HIPAA regulations.

Other new changes for iOS 8 include more accessibility features: hand free commands with Siri, more Guided Access options and text to speech voices. Exciting new features to consider for students and clients.

Check out Assistive Technology Blog post for more information on these new iOS 8 features.

Carol

Posted in iOS, iPad Management, Scoop.it | Leave a comment

Bug Art App – Another Little Bit Studio App – On Sale!

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS
Bug Art pic1

Bug Art App

Familiar with the Little Bit Studio Apps, Bugs & Buttons, Bubbles and Buttons, Bugs & Buttons 2, Bugs and Numbers, often favored apps of OT’s?

Bug art iconBug Art app (iPad/iPhone; on sale for 1.99) is their newest app that provides some fun summertime visual motor activities. Not as educationally geared, this app provides drawing and designing bugs along with interactive bug requiring visual motor skills. Used for fun, fine motor, bilateral motor control, visual motor skills, this app can easily be used as a reward during a therapy session.

Activities in Bug Art:

  • Bug Designer – design your own bugs using paint, glitter, pencil, marker tools. The bugs designed are used in the activities or you can choose existing bugs
  • Free Paint – paint on picture pallets provided
  • Butterfly Valley – Fly your butterfly on a pathway. Requires bilateral control and motor planning to tip and direct the butterfly down a pathway. The pathway is visually subtle, requiring fair figure-ground discrimination to follow the path. Rewards are gathered along the path to as frequent targets and keep you going.
  • Bug Race – Use your custom designed bug or existing bugs in a race. Requires tapping buttons to race your bug
  • Playground – Use your designer bug or existing bug to collect pearls through mazes and activities. Requires exploration and practice for navigation. Bug Art pic2

Other features of Bug Art includes ability to create multiple users, turning off background music, a camera to take pictures and resetting game data. No connection with social media, in app purchases, or collection of user information is present in the app. I believe this app is suited for students 5 years and older.

To understand the app features here is a video showing the app activities:

Whether for summer fun, OT intervention or reward in therapy, Bug Art app (like the other Little Bit Studio apps) is a worthwhile app for a school based OT mTool Kit!

Enjoy!

Reference:

“Your Therapy Source : Ways to Motivate Children. Your Therapy Source, 9 Nov. 2009. Web. 02 July 2014. <http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2009/11/ways-to-motivate-children-in-therapy.html&gt;.

Carol

Posted in App Reviews, Apps for OT's, Drawing, Elementary School, Finger Isolation, iPad, iPhone, Just for Fun, Occupational Therapy, Primary Grades, Visual Figure Ground, Visual Motor | Leave a comment

SnapType App for Occupational Therapy – A Tool for Dysgraphic Students

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS

snaptype icon

I am always excited to see OT created apps, such as SnapType app geared to OT practice. My admiration goes to those that not only have an idea for an app, but also have the persistence to see it to fruition in iTunes or Google Play Store – much less offer it for free. SnapType for Occupational Therapy (iPad; free) has done just that – currently in the iTunes Store and offered for free. Huge Kudos to the creator, a 2nd year OT student, Amberlynn Gifford at Springfield College in Massachusetts.

SnapType  for Occupational Therapy app is described as an Occupational Therapy app that helps students who have difficulty writing. Students can take pictures of their worksheets in class and use the iPad keyboard to type in answers.

snaptype pic1
It is an easy to use app. Here is how to use it:

1) Use the on-screen shutter button to take a picture.
2) Tap where you want to add text.
3) Start typing using the iPad keyboard.
4) Tap and drag to move the text boxes.
5) Resize the image by pinching using two fingers.
6) Resize the text using the slider at the top of the screen.
7) Save your work by pressing the iPad home button and power button at the same time (this saves as screen capture to your iPad’s camera roll).
8) Start over by flipping the iPad face-down for 2 seconds.

SnapType Trial:

After downloading the app (which only demands .4 MB on your device – a good thing for those of us with an abundance of apps), it is an easy and intuitive app to use. It was simple to use with very  few bells and whistles – not a bad thing at all- offering a straightforward app for young students or users who may get easily overwhelmed or distracted by lots of app buttons and tools. It worked intuitively, first offering the camera buttons to take a picture immediately after opening the app, then creating a text box where you touch on the screen. The keyboard is offered as soon as you touch within the text box and expand to the size needed for the text inserted. Text can be wrapped by inserting an enter and the voice recognition tool on the keyboard also works with Wi-Fi support. A slider tool is offered to increase the font and text boxes size.

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The app allowed zooming the image for an enlarged view. Text boxes can easily be moved around the image with drag and drop. In order to hold a text box (to further support completion by students), a keyboard character must be inserted. If you have Speak Selection turned on as an Accessibility option, (Settings>General>Accessibility> Speak Selection) text to speech is available for the user when the text is selected.

App Summary:

SnapType for Occupational Therapy is an easy to use, intuitive app allowing completion of  worksheets using the camera on an iPad to create an image and type answers on it. Images taken are not particularly clean or clear, but offer a quick and easy way for students with good reading and spelling skills to complete worksheets using word processing or speech to text if supported with Wi-Fi or accurate speech recognition. This app would be appropriate as a quick answer for elementary students who are familiar with mobile technology and have some level of support from teaching staff. Requirements for independent use by a student include:

  • Ability to take picture of a hard copy document
  • Ability to tap and create a text box
  • Ability to read the worksheet text
  • Reasonable typing and spelling skills to support producing text or accurate speech to text capabilities (with Wi-Fi)
  • Ability to take a screenshot of the completed worksheet

Pros of the app:

  • Extremely fast and easy to use for young, inexperienced or cognitively challenged users
  • Few tools available that can be confusing
  • Requires few steps to complete the task
  • Text boxes are easily created and deleted for the user
  • Workflow to Photo Album for printing or sharing

Cons:

  • Would like the text size slider to offer smaller font size for small worksheet fonts and blanks
  • Can only do one worksheet at a time
  • Users need to be able to read or understand worksheet independently
  • Must have good speech or spelling abilities
  • Users must be able to do a screen shot for storage

Adaptation Possibilities:

  • Worksheets could be modified to user ability level using pictures, multiple choice or word banks to copy from or providing simplified vocabulary
  • If answer choices are offered, X’s or voice recognition capabilities can be used to complete the worksheet
  • Instructional support can be provided to take the picture, create text boxes prior to completion, perform the  screenshot or shared using AirDrop capabilities

Summary

SnapText for Occupational Therapy app is an easy to use app for elementary or beginning writers who can use a keyboard, but infrequently need to complete worksheets. Its intuitive tools and ease of use provides students a method of producing text on worksheets with few steps. For those who need to complete worksheets more frequently in different curriculum areas may benefit from apps that provide organization methods and easy workflow to share completed tasks via email or to other iCloud tools. SnapText for OT app is definitely an app that is suited for a teacher or OT mTool kit for the appropriate student – and it is free!

A huge kudo to Amberlynn Gifford for her  commitment to her students and drive to develop an app based upon need!! Amberlynn Gifford can be contacted at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberlynngifford for more information.

Carol

 

Posted in Accessibility, Activity Worksheets on Your iPad, Apps for OT's, Apps for Special Needs, Dysgraphia, Elementary School, Free apps, Handwriting, iPad, Mobile Device Use, Occupational Therapy, Special education, Writing | 11 Comments

OT’s with Apps – Apps and Applications for Your School Based OT mTool Kit

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS

OT's with Apps Promo image

Interested in learning about apps mobile device equipment related to school based Occupational Therapy intervention?

Join OT’s with App’s for “Apps and Application for Your School Based OT mTool Kit” August 11th & 12th!

Prior workshop participants received over $60 of free app codes and iPad accessories.

Course Information

Register by July 15th for a discount!

Registration Information

Hope you can join us! OT’s with Apps – Carol & Erin

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil by Leap Frog

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS

Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil icon

Learn to Write with Mr Pencil stylus and app created by Leap Frog is an emergent writing app featuring tracing lines, shapes and letters using the Leap Frog stylus for ages 3-6 years. The Mr. Pencil stylus is available online as well as in stores where Leap Frog toys are sold. Available online from Amazon, LeapFrog Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil Stylus & Writing App (works with iPhone 4/4s/5, iPod touch 4G & iPad) costs 9.49 which unlocks activities in the Learn to Write Mr. Pencil app. Unfortunately only four different areas are provided with purchase of the stylus, with an in app purchase of 14.00 to unlock all of the 24 activities, making it a very pricey app and stylus.

Purchase of the stylus, a chunky, hexagon stylus, unlocks four activities which features practicing basic shapes starting with single lines to curved lines and progressing to circular shapes, squares and rectangles and associated letters and numbers that utilize those strokes. The shapes, letters and numbers presented provide a dot where to start and animation with direction of the stroke requested in a step by step method for all lines required. Three trials of the shape or letter/number are provided to practice.

Learn to Write pic 1Tracing the shape, letter or number allows some error however if the stroke goes entirely off the line, animation is provided to start again with the stroke. Positive prompts are provided to encourage trying again or to complete the task.

Learn to Write pic 2

Although the app provides quite a bit of verbiage in the app and initial explanation would not hold the attention of most 3-4 year olds, it does provide rewards and interactions within the app encouraging users to explore in each activity.

Learn to write provides a developmental approach to shapes and letter formation starting with straight lines and advancing to more complex shapes and letters. No options for changing line sizes are offered within the app which provides ball and stick instruction to the letter formation. Due to the in app purchase, I did not have a change to trial the remainder of the letters, numbers (1-20) and remaining shapes.

Initial instruction in the use of the stylus during introduction of the app promoted use of a mature pencil grasp. The hexagon shaped stylus was comfortable in my hand, not too heavy, but which may be quick large for a toddlers small hand. Despite its size, the slight curve to the stylus did have a balanced feel to it.

Learn to Write stylus pic

 

Three users can be entered to play Learn to Write with the ability to modify users within a menu. Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil has some positive features however the in app cost of $14.00 is high for what few options are available. Other apps such as Ready to Print, Shelby’s Quest provide many more features to grade the task for emergent writers. Other styluses also may fit young writers hands better than the Mr. Pencil.

Have you used the Learn to Write with Mr. Pencil stylus or app? What has been your experience?

Carol

 

Posted in Accessories, App Reviews, AT for Handwriting, Early Childhood, Elementary School, iPad, Letter Formation, Occupational Therapy, Stylus, Visual Motor | Leave a comment

HeadFoams the world’s first mono-body foam headphone.

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Carol Leynse Harpold, MS, OTR/L, SCLV, ATP, CATIS

HeadFoams from MarBlue – Check out more about them on their website!

As scooped on Scoop.it – OT mTool Kit

The MarBlue HeadFoams are durable, kid-safe headphones for children ages 3 to 8.

Carol Leynse Harpold‘s insight:

The folks at the QIAT listserv shared this new headphone set. What a great headset for kids and students. Allows controls for the sound levels to protect kids hearing!

Carol

See on www.gomarblue.com

Posted in Accessories | Leave a comment