See on Scoop.it – OT mTool Kit
Recommending apps that support struggling readers and writers when using Google Chrome as is the case in many schools using Google apps. Paul Hamilton reviews iSpeech as a Text to Speech option.
Carol
See on paulhami.edublogs.org
Image from Memory Apps for Dementia.org.uk
Alive! a charity project initiated in 2010 for residential care homes in UK researched methods of improving the quality of live of the residents through activities. One of the methods of activities utilized iPads with individuals with Dementia to research their effects:
Research data was gathered during a 6 month period with focused groups and individuals. Result of the research found:
Advantages of tablet use were found:
A wide variety of apps were made available on the iPads, many of them free. Favorite and recommended apps according to the Alive! program:
The website Memory Apps for Dementia supplies more information on the research, how they use the apps, and all you need to know about the project.
An extensive report from the University of Worcester dated December 2011 entitled ” Evaluation of the Impact of Touch Screen Technology on People with Dementia and Their Carers Within Care Homes Settings” provides more information on the research and is available at: http://memoryappsfordementia.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/University-of-Worcester-iPad-report-2011.pdf .
Working with individuals with Dementia? What has been your experience with the use of iPad for intervention or engagement?
Mobile technology can have its place in occupation throughout the life span!
Carol
See on Scoop.it – OT mTool Kit
The Assistive Technology Daily provides a quick look at what Georgia Tech is working on for alternative access to tablets.
It is like the wild wild west when it comes to a standardized method of switch access at the current time. Check out what GA Tech, a major center of research and design for computing and engineering is working on.
Carol
See on attraining.org
See on Scoop.it – OT mTool Kit
The Assistive Technology Daily Blog from the North Carolina Assistive Technology Program provides a steady stream of new tools, apps and resources for individuals with disabilities.
Here is a recent review on Android devices for kids, perhaps a more cost effective method of providing mobile activities.
Visit the AT Daily for more.
Carol
See on attraining.org
See on Scoop.it – OT mTool Kit
Student assignment management app. This looks like a possible answer to workflow challenges!
Has any one trialed this app?
Carol
See on www.showbie.com
Visual perception is often a skill that OT’s assess and work on with children and adults. There is also a high correlation between visual perception and mathematic abilities, skills students need to achieve in school (The Free Library. N.p., 22 Sept. 2004. Web. 26 Jan. 2013). Here is one app that works on basic spatial awareness involving spatial orientation and rotation as well as a few manipulative “hands on” games that would reinforce those skills primarily geared to children. See additional links to resources for adults at end of this post.
Tunnel Trouble app (.99) available for iPad and Android devices is a fun, progressive game requiring spatial reasoning. Created by Busythings, this app provides 25 progressive challenges of a creature navigating to a destination safely.
Tapping on the pieces that need to be rotated allow passage of the creature to his destination. An unlimited number of rotations can be made.
Upper level challenges provide an additional level of difficulty, presenting a monster that will interfere with the journey unless captured using spatial reasoning strategies.
Twenty five levels of progressive difficulty are available however any user can go back to any level to repeat a level. Tunnel Trouble does not enlist users. If needing to track progress of different users, annotating individual users or taking a screen shot of the users last level would be necessary.
Options within the app are limited. Music and sound effects can be turned off in the settings and the app progress can be reset to start again.
Quick animated instructions are provided to the user to understand how the app works.
Tunnel Trouble is a fun app providing graded spatial reasoning tasks in a fun and animated game format. Busythings.com also has several other visual perceptual apps as Block A Doodle Do, Line Up , Shape Up and Tanagranimals.
It reminds me of an educational matching game called Squiggles (by Creative Toys) that is a bit harder that I have used on occasion with students who have more advanced spatial reasoning skills. Probably not quite as fun as Tunnel Trouble, but Squiggles matching game is a hands on activity that students could physically manipulate the pieces to assemble the continues track. Certainly both electronic and manipulative activities help develop visual perceptual skills but electronic apps may lack the manipulative skill development children need.
Here are just a few available manipulative (3-D) games that also might be considered to work on spatial reasoning skills with a hands on approach:
ThinkFun Bug Trails
ThinkFun Serpentiles
Many fun choices of games and activities available pending the need of your student. For those students who have significant motor challenges where manipulative tasks are difficult, touch screen interaction may allow them access to tasks otherwise not available to them.
Looking for visual spatial awareness apps for adults? Consider these resources:
Tactus Therapy Apps such as Visual Attention TherAppy and Space Retrieval TherAppy provide both children and adults assessment and visual training.
Family Vision Care.org has an Apps for Visual Skills PDF list revised November 2012.
Apps such as Flow Free (available iOS or Android), Flow Free with Bridges or Word Search apps (for iOS or Android) provide visual perceptual challenges with ability to customize levels.
What visual spatial awareness apps or manipulative activities are your favorites for developing visual spatial awareness? Please share!
Carol
References:
“Are Visual Perception Skills Related to Mathematic Abilities in Second to Sixth Graders?” Web log post. The Free Library. N.p., 22 Sept. 2004. Web. 26 Jan. 2013. <http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Are+visual+perceptual+skills+related+to+mathematics+ability+in+second…-a0125948684>.
Are you in need of a photo editing app to put text on photos for your clients, students or children albums, social stories, instructions, or slide shows?
There are many of these apps available. iOSnoops had two photo editing apps listed as yesterday’s (January 24, 2013) free apps that you might want to check out (still free this AM):
Text Photo Editor – Add labels, text, frames and a few emoticons to photos in this app compatible with iPhone/iPod/iPad. Basic and easy to use.
Pictures with Words free – (Always free?) – Add text to pictures with this app. I successfully use this app to add text to pictures for slide shows, photo albums. Easy to use, it is compatible with iPhone/iPod and iPad. This version has ads listed, requiring an upgrade purchase – .99 to remove the ad.
Looking for photo editing apps for Android?
Visit this review of Top 5 Free and Top 5 Paid photo editing apps for Android from FreeMake Blog :
http://www.freemake.com/blog/top-10-best-photo-editing-apps-for-android/
More for your OT or mTool Kit!
Carol
Duck Duck Moose is having a birthday celebration!
It is Duck Duck Moose’s Wheels on the Bus app’s 4th birthday on January 27th. For the birthday celebration they are offering Wheels on the Bus for free on their Facebook page from Friday to Sunday!
Wheels on the Bus app provides the classic fun music, actions and interactive play as the song children for ages have listened and engaged with!
Here are a few features of this interactive app:
Kids have been entertained with the music and actions of Wheels on the Bus for ages! This is a fun, educational app for kids to engage in while learning! Available iPhone/iPod, iPad and Android for FREE this weekend!
Visit Duck Duck Moose’ Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/DuckDuckMoose?fref=ts to get the free app!
Celebrate with Wheels on the Bus on Facebook!
Carol
See on Scoop.it – OT mTool Kit
Over the weekend I stumbled upon Vocabulary Catcher 3 for iPad. I quickly realized that Vocabulary Catcher 3 is part of a series of free vocabulary apps for children. The Vocabulary Catcher series …
Richard Byrne has amazing educational resources available on his blogs (he has several). Here is a post of his about Vocabulary Catcher app. This app has several levels that might help differentiate instruction for your students.
If not an app you will use – share it with teachers, parents or therapists!
Carol
See on ipadapps4school.com
iTrace app for iPad (3.99) is a new handwriting/letter formation app developed by Elately iTrace .
Features of this app developed for writers ages 3-7 include:
The ability to choose the letter formation style , enroll multiple users, track progress and provide incentives within the app are just a few of the attractive features of this app. Watch this video for more information about other features offered within the iTrace app:
iTrace app teaches the following concepts according to iTunes:
・Upper-case letters
・Lower-case letters
・Numbers
・Their name
・Words
Key features:
・600+ different rewards
・50 animated objects
・Supports multiple players
・Saves the entire history of each child’s progress
・Supports multiple methods of writing letters
・Left-handed? No problem!
Other aspects of this app that make it unique is it’s ability to level the task according to the skill of the user. It also provides repeated practice (3 times) in order to provide a motor memory of the letter formation, important for gaining independence with letter formation. Carolina Nugent at KinderTown provides a great review entitled ” An App That Really Teaches Handwriting – iTrace” discussing the apps many features to considering if this belongs in your OT or teaching mTool Kit.
Thank you to Mrs. Koene, Special Education teacher for suggesting iTrace app!
Carol
The OT eTool Kit resource - review of apps and other technologies for OT's working with children and adults.
The OT eTool Kit resource - review of apps and other technologies for OT's working with children and adults.
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The OT eTool Kit resource - review of apps and other technologies for OT's working with children and adults.
The OT eTool Kit resource - review of apps and other technologies for OT's working with children and adults.
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