June 2nd

     Great demonstration this morning of the usage of Apple TV and airplay - students can take over the presentation of the app from their desk which is beneficial for students who don't like to come up to the front of the classroom to speak or use a whiteboard.

Some of the interactive apps for classroom applications that I really liked:

Frogdisection  - shows the stages of egg, tadpole to full grown frog. Shows and describes internal organs in 360 degress for example. Pretty amazing. Human vs frog comparison table.
Many books are being digitized by book publishers now so that learning can occur digitally rather and be more interactive.

BareFootWorld Atlas - spinning globe. Can go around the world and many different applications - not just geography but can be used for other subjects, politics for example.

Back in Time - time line of evolution - a very beautiful presentation with this app. Beautiful videos.I just LOVED this app. I would have spent hours and hours with this as a kid.

BritannicaKids - $1.99 per each subject with speech selection. Say goodbye to Encyclopedia book sales which cannot be updated as with this type of product.

Simplephysics - interactive activities: ladder to tree example. Great for physics teachers, parents and students alike.

Essential hardware adaptors for expanded iPad usage:

Apple brand VGA to iPad connector enables the iPad to be able to connect to the classroom projector.








Generic brand adaptor for iPad for other applications.
BuyNCell
www.buyncell.ca


During the morning portion, we viewed webinars related to apps for various applications and student needs.

Our group task was to view an assigned webinar.  Our group looked at the "Top free apps in Special Education".  This webinar featured 30 apps -  there were so many apps to choose from for our presentation of 3 apps. We finally narrowed it down to:

Science360 - a free app by the American Science Foundation for the iPad only that features beautiful and informative science and engineering videos and pictures. This is delivered in streaming video or still picture format. This app allows sharing to twitter, Facebook or email. Great for visual learners and all students to engage for interest and learning activities.

Pocket Pond - another free app that is very beautiful as it shows a koi pond that is very interactive; touch the water and it makes a water sound, add more fish, lillypads or dragonflies as you wish. Sounds like outdoors. A great app to calm and sooth, great for transitions with students who need a break in routine and good for controlling emotions. I am going to download this myself as it is so relaxing and everyperson can appreciate a mental break, not just special needs students.

TourWrist - 2012 people's choice award winner, MacWorld 2012 best of show winner. Panoramic views from around the world where anyone can upload videos. An amazing app.

Other groups presented on their selections:

1st group :Physical Access to mobile devices

WritePad: draw on iPad - converts handwriting to text

Touch trainer - trains student with fine motor issues to practice toucing the screen, reward is moving target which gets smaller, moves and music plays - the target selection and cause and effect

Dragon speaking free: speech to text program

2nd group: Executive Functions

Sock puppets: good for students who are afraid to make eye contact. Hears a sound and moves the mouth. Can record, good for speech delays.

Shredder: type word and pull negative thought by finger into the picture of a paper shredder. Frontal lobe - let go and move on.

LetPanicGo: no sound and need to read, no settings, scripted. Focuses thought on fallling leaves or a feather - "keep breathing and touch the screen in the box shown. Good for students with anxiety and OCD issues.

3rd group: Early Learners

Prior to usage for early learners, it is important to address the "Rules of engagement" - rules for using the iPad to prevent damage and encourage proper usage.

Kiddie questions: asks 5 Wh questions. Example: "What flies in the sky?" Click for answer, will speak the answer as well. Interaction with child or independent.

Bugs and Buttons: flying bees - many activities. Pinch and grap - pinch spiders and put into jar with sounds. Have to touch. Addresses lots of skills. Address finger strength and prewriting skills for holding a pencil. Reward, collect bugs to scrapbook. Engaging and inexpensive.

JibJab: import photo and put into person template. Example: student makes a pizza. Lots of fun for sure.

4th group: Communication Disorders

Sign4ME: Type in message and onscreen person signs message. Can move around all dimentions and perspectives, 11,500 words can be signed. $9.99 cost

Speech Tutor: Video modelling. Shows how to form letters by showing an upclose picture of a sideways or front facing face. Palette diagram shows where tongue hits mouth. Can record own pronouciation. Speaks pronounciation. Great app instead of using a mirror.

5th group: Math

Money Count CAD: can set time to count money. Screenshot shows are variety of coins that a student counts.Has issues since game needs to finish before can return to the main screen. Can't move coins either. Can scale to number of coins.

Symmetry Shuffle: slide, flip or turn a picture (a cup for example). Counts time or number of moves - can be challenging and fun.

Number Line: positive and negative

Barb as well highlighted a couple more math apps:

math dictionary - visually looks like cognitive credit cards - speaks as well

math glossary, math terms, Kahn academy

Second Group Task - afternoon

     My parter Alana and I created a social story book based on the principles of video modelling to encourage positive behaviors and outcomes. We used an app, Book creator, which produces a print based story that allows text, picures and sound  to be entered. This app is great for ASD students as it can be very personalized. It was extremely easy to use the interface in this app to create a book. Aditionally, I can see this app being useful not only for students with exceptionalities but with all students to create personalized books on any topic. This book can then be 'published' to the iBooks app in the iPad (iPhone/iPod) where it can be viewed as a book, like any other purchased or created book that is placed in the app.

Book creator app. $ 4.99

     As the new owner of an iPad since March of this year, and as an owner of an iPhone since 2008, I am enjoying the various apps that are available on the iPad 2. I actually purchased this Book Creator app about a month ago but didn't get around to using it to create any type of book. After this exercise on Saturday, I thought I would try the app and create my own social story.

  

     Since social stories can be used to assist with the understanding of  a specific social situation  and provide a positive example to replace a problem or unappropriate behavior with an appropriate one,  I chose to create a social story for a student who is perhaps impulsive, OCD or ASD. This student is having problems waiting her/his turn on the playground at recess time which is having a  negative impact on fellow classmates. Sharing the Playground with Others is the name of the book.

The link for the presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kGEjdfh8glTyTFfKinyH7y-BYMBhCBpMHKe5DWwvaDM/edit

Below is the book in the Book Creator app before it is put into iBooks. The top toolbar is shown however in iBooks the top bar will not be event.There is a sound icon on each page where the text is read out loud when touched on the iPad.

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