Special Education has its own app category in the iTunes store. If you go to the App Store, go to Education, look on the right hand side and you will see a category for Special Education Apps. It is always good to do a little research on an app before purchasing it. Do a search and see if you can find some reviews or talk to others to see if they have tried it. This could save you a lot of money as some apps are just not appropriate or what you might be hoping for.
Following you will find various information about using the iDevices as assistive technology. I hope you find this guide helpful as you take this journey into the iWorld and special needs. Please note: There are new apps coming out every day. This is not a complete guide but more of a jumping off point.
Apps for Visually Impaired:
iDevices are becoming increasingly accessible to blind and visually impaired users through screen-access technology (VoiceOver) and a magnification program (Zoom) built into the iOS operating system and a growing number of accessible apps. I explored and found, what I feel to be, a couple of great resources for apps for the Visually Impaired:
iDevices are becoming increasingly accessible to blind and visually impaired users through screen-access technology (VoiceOver) and a magnification program (Zoom) built into the iOS operating system and a growing number of accessible apps. I explored and found, what I feel to be, a couple of great resources for apps for the Visually Impaired:
- Apps for the Blind and Visually Impaired - highlights some of the most innovative apps available.
- Gradients of Sight has provided a listing and review of each.
- Indiana AT Act has a nice listing of low vision apps.
- Magnification and Vision Support listing by Spectronics is also a good guide.
- Optomatry Students has a listing of their top 8.
- Spectronics has a listing of apps for people who have low vision, and teachers of students who have a vision impairment.
Apps for Deaf and Hard of Hearing:
To better facilitate communication and make it possible to place and receive audio and/or video calls, the iPhone has provided extra support. Many apps are available for signing programs. There are not a lot of listings for apps specifically for this population other than the signing programs. Here are the few that I felt were worth mentioning:
- Accessibility Features for DHH users
- ATLA - concentrating mostly on iPhones but many of the apps mentioned can also be used on the iPad.
- iHelp for Special Needs has provided a listing of their top recommended sign language apps.
Apps to support Literacy:
(Please not that many of the apps in this section would not be considered AT but more instructional.) The availability and range of Apps for the iDevices that support the literacy needs of people who struggle with reading and writing is growing. When it comes to literacy, the use of these supports allow for the implementation of differentiated learning materials and instructional practices into a learning environment, ensuring that all learners are able to access the same content within a truly inclusive environment.
- Apps for Reading Support - is provided by Spectronics.
- The Family Center on Technology and Disability has a listing of Apps for Literacy Support.
- Pacer has a PDF listing covering 5 areas of literacy: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency and Comprehension.
- Spectronics listing of Apps for Literacy Support is a wonderful listing that is always being updated. With this guide, no other is really needed.
Reading Supports to research:
There's a lot reading supports available from resources such as-
- iBooks (come with iDevices)
- Audible.com
- Bookshare
- iBooks for Textbooks (This will be BIG!)
- Learning Ally
- Talking Books from the National Library Service
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Supports:
Because of the war and all of the veterans who have come back with brain injury, there has become quite a focus in this area. Here are a few to explore-
Because of the war and all of the veterans who have come back with brain injury, there has become quite a focus in this area. Here are a few to explore-
- Brainline.Org has a listing of 27 Life Changing Apps for People with Brain Injury.
- No Limits to Learning blog has a section that focuses just on TBI supports.
Built-in Accessibility/Functions to explore:
Built-in accessibility features and the development of thousands of specialized apps have made Apple’s iPhone extremely popular among persons with disabilities. Assignable ringtones create an audible caller ID for the blind; TTY and closed caption support benefit deaf and hard of hearing users; voice dialing and a hands-free speakerphone aid the mobility impaired. This section explores the iPhone’s accessibility features, including VoiceOver and Zoom, and reviews disability-specific apps.
There are many built-in features on iDevices that accommodate learning disabilities and help improve productivity. The iPhone and the iPad have some differences here so it is important that you get the tools that best fits your needs.
Just to name a few:
Built-in accessibility features and the development of thousands of specialized apps have made Apple’s iPhone extremely popular among persons with disabilities. Assignable ringtones create an audible caller ID for the blind; TTY and closed caption support benefit deaf and hard of hearing users; voice dialing and a hands-free speakerphone aid the mobility impaired. This section explores the iPhone’s accessibility features, including VoiceOver and Zoom, and reviews disability-specific apps.
There are many built-in features on iDevices that accommodate learning disabilities and help improve productivity. The iPhone and the iPad have some differences here so it is important that you get the tools that best fits your needs.
Just to name a few:
- VoiceOver
- Text Completion
- Siri
- Zoom
- White-on-Black
- Hands Free
- Alternate alerts
Now that Apple has provided the 5.0 operating system for their devices, they are offering more accessibility features. For a great listing of these, along with descriptions visit Luis Perez's site where he shares an overview of the new features.
