APP Detectives for the iPod Touch - Assignment 2

Student Profile:

Student A is a grade 5 student. She has Down Syndrome. She is a persistent communicator using multi-modal communication styles - sign, body language and some words. She learns new routines and transitions well when prepared with prompts and visuals. She has strong self-help skills (dressing, morning routines, tidying up toys) and is self-motivated to be independent. Student A demonstrates pride in independence and learning accomplishments. Student A also has strong receptive language skills and good imitation skills, following direction from both peers and adults. She participates willingly in class and specialist subjects (music and PE) and interacts well with adults and peers in most situations. Student A can become frustrated, particularly concerning communication and turn taking, and can become aggressive. She has limited verbal communication and has difficulty expressing wants and needs. Student A also tires quickly using fine motor skills.

The 3 apps chosen are:

iPlay&Learn

Model Me Going Places

Tap To Talk

APP Description & Match

iPlay & Learn is an interactive application for non-readers. It offers bright, colourful, fun learning and activity zones concentrating on early learning development and pre-reading skills. Vocal guidance and visual cues help student work more independently. Happy face rewards for correct answers motivate student. Collect 5 happy faces and you get a bright start reward. Register your name and pic and the program personalizes to the user.

The program includes:

Identifying shapes, letters, numbers, animals.

Sequencing numbers and letters

Identify odd one out

Free style drawing game

Tracing letters and numbers

Match:

This app will help Student A develop her early literacy and numeracy skills. She is working on recognizing numbers from 1-10 and becoming familiar with reading and writing letters in the alphabet. These games and activities will provide opportunity to practice skills in an engaging, motivating way. Repetition is also important for Student A’s learning and the activities provide opportunity for this. There is also a tracing activity that will help Student A practice writing her letters and numbers with prompts. Student A learns well through imitation so this guided activity is appropriate for her.

Model Me Going Places

User touches forward or backward buttons to view a slideshow of photos and hear the narrator read social stories aloud. Locations include: Hairdresser, Mall, Doctor, Grocery Store, Restaurant etc.

Match:

This app is appropriate for Student A. The Playground slideshow is particularly helpful for Student A who has trouble waiting her turn and keeping her hands to herself when playing with peers. Social stories can help Student A understand what to expect and how to act in different situations. Transitioning skills can be a focus. Using photographs/visuals taps into Student A’s strengths.

Tap To Talk

This app turns the iPod Touch into an AAC. Albums are preloaded with pictures accompanied by phrases (text to speech function) giving a voice to the user. Albums are available to assist in casual conversation, asking questions and voicing wants and needs.

Match:

The preloaded albums are appropriate for Student A’s level. Additional individualized albums can be created however, to meet her specific needs at the Tap To Talk website (www.taptotalk.com). Text is limited on the icons and the clear visuals make reading unnecessary, which is important for Student A. Student A is able to understand the connection between symbols/visuals and words and phrases. After training she could understand the icons and the connected layers. Student A has seen some success meeting her communication outcomes using her communication book. Incorporating an iPod Touch with communication apps such as Tap To Talk will make communication more efficient. The iPod Touch can be carried on a lanyard making it more accessible than her larger communication books. Her fine motor skills are advanced enough to manoeuvre the device easily.