Next iPad Grant is Ready

I just purchased the next iPad for a deserving 13 to 18 year old with multiple medical and/or developmental issues that resides in the US.  The deadline is September 13, 2011 at 4 pm and the iPad will be granted the next week.  Please spread the word. 

A spells his name using the iPad

Using TapSpeak Sequence A is able to spell his name.  I think he looks so proud at the end!!!!

Austin's Top Ten Apps

My son's name is Austin. He will be 7 in September. He has "Ring 18" which is a
chromosome abnormality that is very rare. With this he has a midline
facial cleft (lip and palate), spastic cerebal palsy, hearing loss,
cortical visual impairment and non-verbal.  Austin's favorite list includes:

iLoveFireworks - Fireworks Games

Peekaboo Barn - Night & Day Studios, Inc.

Peekaboo Wild - Night & Day Studios, Inc.

Elmo's Monster Maker HD - Sesame Street

Starfall ABCs - Starfall Education

Cooper's Big Bear Hug - Hallmark

SpongeBob Tickler - Nickelodeon

Vocal Zoo - iPad edition - Funny i Games

Farting Zombies HD - App Euphoria

Tap Tap Baby - MoonFry Labs

Thanks Austin and Austin's Mom.  Hope the waterproof case works out well for you!!! Congrats.

Giving away a waterproof iPad case

I have something to give away.  A Trendy Digital waterproof iPad case but I need something from you.  I would love your top ten list of favorite apps.  Either your top 10 free apps, your top 10 paid apps, your top 10 apps related to your child's special needs, your child's top 10 apps, etc.  I hope to have all the lists by Tues June 21 and I will randomly choose a list owner to mail the cover too.  Please email your list to me at bab006@aol.com  Thanks  You can check out the Trendy Digital Waterproof case at Amazon.com

Guest Blogger Cynthia

Have you ever had a hunch about something that could turn out to be a spectacularly expensive flop or a priceless investment? Here, I am not talking about the stock market -I am talking about buying an iPad for a three-year-old. My son Aiden, has classic autism and is nonverbal (I prefer the term 'pre-verbal', because I know the words are coming) and in January of this year I had a hunch.

He had started a special education class after a full year of intense speech therapy and constant work at home. Things were clicking in my head...he responds so well to vertical presentation, he repeats phrases more often from repetition like from the television, bright colors and movement engage him.. then I saw him interact with the adapted pc in the classroom and wanted one for our house. There were some problems with that idea because putting any three-year-old in front of a pc is risky anyway, nevermind the autism. Should I get an old pc and buy a touchscreen ?...and then the software...and then set it up in a place he wouldn't knock it down...and do all games work with the adaptive touchscreen? and, and, and well, I think you get the idea. This is when I started to hear about iPads. *hunch time* An iPad might end up costing a similar amount of money and I couldn't spend that much on a hunch unless I found a way to get the money without taking away from my other two children. So I sold necklaces.

Someone decided that I had a great hunch (or I make lousy necklaces) and gave him an iPad. Pressure time. It's one thing to have this hunch fail after I purchased an iPad -after all, we are a family of five -someone would put it to use, but I found myself anxious over such a gift. Someone trusted my hunch and spent a nice chunk of money on that hunch.

I worried for nothing. From the moment my son held that gift, things have not been the same here. It was an immediate love that hasn't dulled since he got it in February. From the moment he started to maneuver its screens I was shocked at his abilities. His movements were slow and jerky at first (thanks to delayed fine-motor functions) but you should see him now! He stays on task. He has an impressive memory that he flaunts in memory games. He puts puzzles together on screen that I never could have gotten him to do sitting on the floor before! He is spelling words! The most impressive thing? He is speaking more and doing it appropriately. He also looks at people while he is playing to see if they are watching him accomplish a task or if they are as happy about a book as he is! Self-esteem is nothing to be ignored and I believe conquering these puzzles and strutting his cognitive self has spilled over into his daily interactions.

Some of you may be wondering if all of these new skills are only exhibited while he is using his iPad. The answer is: nope. He drew his first face for me on paper (complete with eyes and mouth) three weeks ago. He says words to get what he wants and if he can't recall the word, he pulls from his list of memorized phrases, and if he is just too excited to recall his words, he leads me by the hand and places it on the desired object. Today, he sat in front of his iPad with a Sprout app clip of Nina and Star doing a clay leaf craft. He took me to the Playdoh and led me back to the counter where he verbally explained the steps needed for us to make leaves together.

Here is our top ten list of apps ( Separately, our lists would differ a tad since he loves the Noisy Book, and I don't love the "baby poo" noises, but we do have common ground)

1. I Love You Through and Through (Scholastic) Nothing sweeter than seeing Aiden perform this book while the story is being read.
2. The Monster at the End of this Book (Sesame Street) Who doesn't love Grover?? A great book that has cause and effect value as well as highlighting each word defining word and sentence structure.
3. Little Bella's -I Close My Eyes (Tui Studios) This is the book that Aiden fell in love with first. Breathtakingly beautiful, she will draw everyone into her love of imagination.
4. Bob Books #1 Reading Magic (Learning Touch) Want help teach letters? How about phonics? Maybe story progression? Hands down, one of the best, most interactive learning books available.
5. Winnie the Pooh -What's a Bear to do? Puzzle book (Disney) Pooh needs honey for his pots and my son gets to solve puzzles and hear an adorable and very simple story.
6. ABA Receptive Identifications by Function (Kindergarten.com) All of Kindergarten.com's apps get a high rating from Aiden and me. No, I'm not listing this to make me look good, my son actually adores this app. Making choices by function is difficult for people on the spectrum and it's easy to understand why; If you are given the task of picking the object that you carry and are given the choices of an apple, a clock, and a book bag, your inner test-taker will pick the book bag, but that choice is not so easy for a literal mind who clearly sees that all can be carried...this app helps make the distinctions.
7. Monkey Preschool Lunchbox (Thup games) Puzzles, matching, letters, stickers and an adorable monkey. This was Aiden's very first app and still in his top ten.
8. Nick Jr.'s A to Z with Moose and Zee (Nickelodeon) Find the letters and have fun!
9. Sprout Player (PBS) I had a strict "No video" rule for the iPad, but gave this a shot because I heard so much buzz... This is wonderful for my son. He can back up the clips at-will and review words as many times as need until a "click" happens. Very well made and has not turned into a fixation for my son.
10. ABC Expedition (Meldmedia Inc) There are a ton of ABC apps on Aiden's iPad (generalization!!) and this is so clear and adorable with a bonus side of entertaining.

Thanks Cynthia and please check out Cynthia's blog at http://cgregoryrun.blogspot.com 

LARGEST App Party Free Apps and Free iPads

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/6/prweb8546439.htm

Free Codes for iBabyButtons...

Free Codes to redeem from our friends at SoftwareSmoothie. 

MYX4JJFNYMYX

JWTTWEM7FEXF

Y7J79RHHJ47M

EHNX3X76MRTH

XNAJLTJPRFEJ

 

Please leave a comment about which code you took and also pay a visit to Software Smoothie's Facebook page and leave a comment there about how  you like the game.

 

Help Getting an iPad

http://www.scribd.com/doc/54423509/Help-for-Getting-an-iPad-For-a-Child-or-Student-with-Special-Needs

S uses the iPad to hear Taylor Swift

S loves to hear Taylor Swift sing so using ChoiceBoard Maker app S can chose to hear his favorite singer/blonde.

Anyone else have any good ideas for ChoiceBoard Maker? S's mom and I problem solved what he wanted and that was to have control in picking his favorite singer so we tried ChoiceBoard Maker and it works perfect. We only gave him one choice so he would have success. I have another video of him with Carrie Underwood. He also loves Ellen but we have not been able to find the Ellen Theme song on iTunes. LOL

http://youtu.be/SPmoc1KxXe8  Video of S asking for Carrie Underwood too

Thirty One Products Fundraiser for Babies with iPads

http://www.mythirtyone.com/50876/ 

If anyone is interested in Thirty-One Products all profits from purchases will go to the Babies with iPads grants.  So browse our catalog and submit your orders to the linked website and 100% of all commissions will go towards our grant.  Happy Shopping.
Bridget

Our First Babies with iPad Winner

Soliz using his iPad. 

Update from his mom:  The first time he was excited, yet very frustrated, like he really wanted to play it but wasn't quite sure how. Within a couple more sessions he has really gotten the hang of it and now gets excited each time. He has quickly learned to turn the pages of the book app I got him--The Monster at the End of This Book (for iPad) - Sesame Street. It is a great app for him to understand the concept of turning pages (on the iPad). This photo series is of him engaging with the "Grover" book and then also of him playing the piano (this session of working with the iPad lasted about an hour!!!). You can see in the last few photos he really starts to get into playing the piano. I would take a turn and then he would take a turn. This was incredible. I really feel like it's the first time in his life that he has been able to express himself through an object. Soliz is very social and engages with people and kids (and dogs too) but he has never, until now, engaged with a "thing". We are taking it slow so he can continue to enjoy and improve his motor skills and eventually use the iPad as a way to communicate. I already see great improvement in his motor skills--also when he is not using the iPad. I will try to send frequent updates. I thank you again for giving Soliz the awesome opportunity.


Heather Joy

Very Complete AAC app List with all the current updates

http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/article/iphoneipad-apps-for-aac

How to Find the Latest Special Needs Apps

http://www.lilliespad.com/storage/articles/LatestSpecialNeedsApps.pdf

Article in national magazine iPhone Life.  Babies with iPads mentioned along with other websites.

Review of Apps in a Slide Show type presentations

iPossibilities: Updated2

View more presentations from teechkidz.

iPod, iPad Therapies

Answers: Yes/No is a great app but just got even BETTER

Answers:YesNo HD - SimplifiedTouch

Answers: Yes/No has a new feature added today.  You can add pictures for a 2 picture communication board through an in app purchase. 


Your In-App purchase allows the user to...


- Use pictures on 24 custom pages

- Create four distinct picture button lesson plans consisting of six custom pages each

- Set custom text, audio, and button color for each picture button

- Increase the total number of preprogrammed pages to 31

- Easily navigate between all custom button sets


I am looking forward to using this app immediately with my emergent communicators. 

The app is $1.99 and the in app purchase is 2.99.  Well worth the price and function.

Suggestion on how to fund an iPad

http://blog.friendshipcircle.org/2011/03/23/on-a-tight-budget-7-ways-to-get-an-ipad-for-your-child-with-special-needs/

Marin Co. to issue iPads for its special ed students

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Marin County is about to lead the nation in issuing iPads for its thousands of special education students. In less than a year, Apple's tablet has revolutionized speech and language therapy.






Richard Hart reports on the Drive to Discover a digital coach (Geoffrey Rush) for "The Kid's Speech."



"How are you?" asks the computer voice after a finger's push. "OK. Good question," says the teacher." It's an easy question for most of us, but not so much for Jennifer Lambert and her friend Alessandra Lituanio. These two teenagers carry on with touch-screen pads. One of the pads has sparked a revolution in speech and language therapy.



"What's this thing?" we ask Jennifer.



"iPad," she replies through her... well, iPad.



"Is it easy to use?"



"Yes," she says.



Her and her friend's teacher is Assistive Technology Specialist Dan Phillips. "I think that the iPad is just beginning to tap into the whole world of special needs," she says. Phillips is a specialist with the Technology Resource Center of Marin County, which is undertaking to supply iPads for some of its 4,000 students in special education. That's something unthinkable with its predecessor, purpose- built devices like the one these kids used to use that cost up to $7,000. The iPad costs one-tenth as much and never mind that it is infinitely more flexible.



"If you go onto the iTunes website," Phillips points out, "the fifth item down is special education links. That just shows you the power that special ed has right now on what's happening with this movement."



And, it is a movement. A phone conversation between Jennifer and Alessandra is an iPad conversation.



"Hello, what are you doing?" comes out of Alessandra's device.



"Want to come over?" asks the other.



"Nice. OK," Phillips tells them.



"So you asked her 'Do you want to go see a movie?', right?"



"Yes."



"OK, and you asked her, 'Do you want to go hang out at the mall?'"



Any word can be typed to be spoken, but phrases can be created for easy recall later. And, what about the King's Speech? Is there an app for that?



"You know, I'm waiting for that," Phillips laughs. "I'm sure it's seconds away from coming."



Parents are raising the funds for the iPad deployment through a group called "Dedication to Special Education."



Link:

Dedication to Special Education site for parents

Our Winner

Soliz M. is a 3.5 year old boy.  He resides in Arizona with his family.  He attends preschool and receives therapy at preschool along with various private therapies.  He has Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (4p-) resulting in a hearing loss, cortical vision impairment and other ocular conditions.  He is currently using a rocker switch with Yes/No responses and beginning to sign 'more'.  Soliz is working on improving his fine motor skills and his family is hoping the iPad will help him learn to use his hands better.  Soliz also has a little sister with the same diagnosis and the family is hoping she will be able to utilize the iPad as well.  Congrats to Soliz and his family.  We look forward to hearing more of how he is progressing and the opportunities the iPad offers him and his family.

YEAH!!!! The First Babies with iPad Grant has been awarded

I just meet with the committee and went over the applications and a child has been chosen to receive the first iPad grant.  I will be calling the family this afternoon to let them know.  The iPad will be mailed Monday morning to this deserving child and family.  Thanks for all the applicants.  Today I also received several donations to make it possible to buy another iPad in the next week or so.  The next iPad will go to a child in WV since that is where I work and the majority of the donations came from this time.  I plan on changing the criteria each time to get iPads out to serve a variety of needs.  Again I wish I could do more but at this point 'Baby Steps to One iPad at a Time' is what I am trying to focus on.  All the applications will be filed away for later consideration as funds allow. 

We just need about $100 in order to purchase the next iPad

Proloquo2Go: AAC in Your Pocket - Proloquo2Go User Survey

Proloquo2Go: AAC in Your Pocket - Proloquo2Go User Survey

A link for another site offering iPads for Children and Families

http://a4cwsn.com/?page_id=3112

Is the iPad a 'Miracle Device' for Autism? - FoxNews.com

Is the iPad a 'Miracle Device' for Autism? - FoxNews.com

Join the Celebration and Win an iPad2!

Join the Celebration and Win an iPad2!

7 Assistive Communication Apps in the iPad App Store | Friendship Circle -- Special Needs Blog

7 Assistive Communication Apps in the iPad App Store Friendship Circle -- Special Needs Blog

R J Cooper's List of Apps and Developers of Switch Accessible Apps

Rj Cooper's List of Apps and Developers that work with a switch or in the process of becoming switch accessible:


AutoVerbal Talking Soundboard PRO - No Tie, LLC - 1/23/11 - Todd advises: "You [customers] should let the developer [us] know that it's impacting your buying decision so they [the app developer] can prioritize that feature."

MyTalkTools Mobile - 2nd Half Enterprises LLC - 11/27/10 - Bick writes "We are not going to be ready with this for a couple of months at least."

Predictable - tbox apps - 1/26/11 - Works right now :)

Proloquo2Go - AssistiveWare - 1/26/11 - "At present I think March/April is more likely, but as it requires so many changes it is really hard to nail down exactly."

RJ Cooper & Associates, Inc. - Now! :) Greatest cause/effect music player ever!

SoundingBoard - AbleNet - Ablenet - RJ writes: "Our (RJ's) new version (as of 2/15/11) of our interface/Super-Switch will be compatible. Their app (SoundingBoard) looks for and as the 'switches', BUT Steve from Ablenet writes: "The ~1 and ~3 commands have been added to our list for a future release. The date of a future release has not been determined." Owners of my current interface/Super-Switch will be able to trade theirs in for the new one for a $20 charge or can wait for the updated Ablenet version.

TapSpeak Choice for iPad - Ted Conley - 1/24/11 - Ted (ted@conleysolutions.com> has had his apps switch-friendly for over a month now. I applaud him.

TapToTalk™ - Assistyx LLC - 3/2/11 - Lenny - "I will have a version of TapToTalk for iPhone/iPad later this week or early next week to test on which to test scanning."

TouchChat HD - AAC - Silver Kite - Dave - 1/22/11 - "We have a final definition for implementing the scanning into our software, but have not coded it yet. We won't have anything to show until at least the CSUN conference." (which is in mid-March)

Requested List of My Favorite iPad Cause/Effect Apps

A few parents have asked for a list of cause/effect apps.  So here is a list I used today:

iLoveFireworks - Fireworks Games

Tap Tap Baby - MoonFry Labs

Sparkabilities Babies 1 HD for iPad - Bottle Rocket

Hatch! FREE - Phodder

Bubbles - Hog Bay Software

Ladybird Baby Touch: Peekaboo - Penguin Books

Look Baby! - Deadline

My Very First App - Night & Day Studios, Inc.

iSnow-Flake - Mark Keroles

Toys"R"Us presents The Sing-a-ma-jigs™! by Mattel. - Toys"R"Us

Sound Shaker - zinc Roe

Boogie Bopper – the toddler music game - zinc Roe

Baby Rattle Toy - SelenaSoft

Funny Flash Cards - Morphing Animals - FunVid Apps LLC

Glowflies - Dancing Fireflies - Treeness, LLC

Draw with Stars ! Play with Musical, Animated and Glowing Shooting Stars ! - L'Escapadou

SNApps4Kids Intro to Proloquo2Go.m4v

We Have Reached our Goal and More

We are going to keep on collecting donations for One iPad at a Time.  My original goal was 3 to 4 iPads a year but due to the wonderful contributors hopefully we will may be able to shoot for more.  Thanks everyone.  The first iPad has been ordered and the grant is out for everyone.  We have a good start on saving for our next iPad.

Special Thanks to our Chipin Contributors


Trina
Jim
Kevin
Kelly
Laura
Michelle
Sheri 
Ronald
Elizabeth
Christina 
Paula
Nicole

Grant is ready and iPad has been ordered

The first Babies with iPad grant application is available.  Click on the pages tab above for eligibility requirements and then next tab for the grant application itself.  March 18, 2011 at 4:30 is the deadline for the first iPad grant.  The iPad will be mailed the following week.  The refurbished iPad 16GB with complete Apple Warranty has already been ordered. 

Thanks to everyone for the donations.
Bridget

Coming soon Grant Application for an iPad

We received a $100 donation today and that makes our total $505 a whole month earlier than anticipated.  I am working on the grant application now and hope to have it out tomorrow.  Thanks for all the support and donations.  I am looking forward to giving out our first iPad to a deserving child.

Work N Play Rowans Way: iPad iNchstones...

Work N Play Rowans Way: iPad iNchstones...

Guest Blogger Joshua and his Mom tell us about his Favorite Apps

Joshua's Favorite Apps


Sparkabilities Babies 1 HD for iPad - Bottle Rocket is probably his favorite. When he first started playing with it he would play 1 or 2 cards and now he can just keep playing, all the cards and go back for more.

Peekaboo Barn - Night & Day Studios, Inc. is a pretty close 2nd, it was the first paid app I got for him because he loved the lite version.

Hatch! FREE - Phodder was the first app he learned, he learned to keep touching the screen until the egg hatched.

In The Meadow - Tiger Stripes LLC, we have the lite version because as far as I can tell there's no difference (besides additional languages that we don't need). He loves this one and the others from the same developer.

Peekaboo Wild - Night & Day Studios, Inc. is from the same developer as Peekaboo Barn but Joshua likes the barn better.

Talking Tom Cat for iPad - Outfit7, Joshua likes to pet him to make him purr but that's about it.

Working on the Railroad - Tiger Stripes LLC, again we have the lite version as it doesn't seem the paid version offers anything else.

Look Baby! - Deadline was the first app he really liked. He also learned on this app to touch the teddy bear to make him laugh and the butterfly to change it's color and he does still like it.

We have a lot more apps but these are definitely Joshua's favorites. We have lite versions of Dr. Seuss's ABC - Oceanhouse Media, The Cat in the Hat - Dr. Seuss - Oceanhouse Media and Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss - Oceanhouse Media. I like them but Joshua's not crazy about them so I haven't purchased the full version. He does like Little Bella's - I Close My Eyes - Animated Children's Book - Tui Studios which I did purchase the full version of. I like the Siena Entertainment, LLC apps but they're too long and Joshua doesn't really like book apps. I found an app calledMeeGenius! Children's Books - MeeGenius!  which offers books and comes with 6 books for free and the app is free, it's nice but the books are very basic no animations.

For communication I have iComm - Bappz , MyTalkTools Mobile - 2nd Half Enterprises LLC and TapToTalk™ - Assistyx LLC. Of them my favorite is iComm - Bappz which we have the free version of and even the free version is customizable but there is no sound in the free version I still like it though for basic pictures. We also have Speech with Milo: Verbs - Doonan Speech Therapy but I don't like that at the end of each verb Milo says TaDa, just annoying but otherwise it's an ok app.

I just downloaded Infant Arcade: Peek-A-Boo - Iskandar, Inc.  but Joshua doesn't really like it at least not yet but we got the free versions of Infant Arcade: Peek-A-Boo - Iskandar, Inc., Infant Arcade: Numbers - Iskandar, Inc.  and Infant Arcade: Alphabet Creatures - Iskandar, Inc.. He doesn't really like apps where you just touch different things on the screen at least not right now anyway, he likes to just keep tapping the screen like you do in Sparkabilities and Peekaboo Barn. I got Preschool Games - Farm Animals (Photo Touch) - MindValley LLC and Baby Games - My First Shapes - MindValley LLC which are customizable but we have them set on 2 items on the screen and you pick the correct one. Joshua doesn't know to pick what's being asked but he does know that if he picks the wrong one he won't get to the next one so he will pick the other option so he is learning that.
 
http://elizabethbrown-family.blogspot.com/  Thanks Elizabeth and looking forward to hearing what else Joshua likes.

Gianna Cavanna's message/She needs your votes

TapSpeak Button Update.... A must app for our emergent communicators

The TapSpeak Button for iPad - Ted Conley  update is out! There's lots of neat stuff in it. Photos, PCS, button folders, tap/touch tuning and lots more.


Documentation for the new features will be up on the website soon. A couple of tips before it comes out:

- In portrait orientation, swipe down to show the toolbar and swipe up to dismiss it.

- Pan and zoom a button with a two-finger drag or pinch
 
TapSpeak Button for iPad - Ted Conley
 
Looking forward to using the pictures and the folders.  Hoping to have a video up tomorrow of a child using it.

iPad Documentary Looking for People

iPad Documentary Realpeoplecasting's Blog

Technology gives child a voice

TapSpeak Sequence create a sequence

TapSpeak Sequence for iPad - Ted Conley

TapSpeak Choice Layer Navigation

TapSpeak Choice for iPad - Ted Conley

TapSpeak Choice Intro

TapSpeak Choice for iPad - Ted Conley

Donations are Starting to Come In

I am doing a big push on Facebook asking each of my friends to donate $1.  I have over $200 now and would love to have an iPad to a child by April and then at least 1 every 3 months.  Please add this link to your blogs and Facebook pages asking for $1.  $1 from a lot of people can go a long way.  Thanks everyone.

Junior's Favorite Apps Part 1

My name is Junior and I am 12 years old. I have many of challenges but that doesn't stop me from loving life and living each day to the fullest. I have so much to say but can't talk in the typical way so this blog will give you a chance to hear my "voice".

http://juniorsvoice.blogspot.com/ 

This list is apps that we use often (or used often and Junior has now outgrown). Most of these apps have minimal background clutter and simple pictures so he is better able to focus on what he is doing. Most also have a nice response when he gets something right(clapping, loud noise, music etc.) which Junior really likes.

First our most used phonics/spelling/writing apps.

TeachMe: Kindergarten - 24x7digital LLC - this app allows you to keep track of what your child has learned and you can adjust the levels. It works on math and reading skills and is an app that we use regularly.

Word Magic - anusen.com - Probably our most used word app. It allows you to specify the number of letters you want in the words. Which letter you want to be left out for the child to fill in(first, middle, last), and allows you to set a timer if needed. The same company that makes this app makes several others which we have also been very pleased with. Work on different things but all the same style which for us is good.

Miss Spell's Class - Dictionary.com - (made by the same company who created Word Magic) this is an app I recently got. It gives a picture and says the word, the child then adds the letters. A good app for learning to spell. I think this will be one that gets a lot of use as Junior's reading skills improve.

Alpha Writer, by Montessorium - Montessorium, LLC. - This is an app I just found today and though I rarely buy apps this was worth the purchase. The voice says the correct sound (not the letter name) and allows you to use blends which it will also pronounce. It can be done in a quiz type form or as a story board where the child can create words and add picture magnets. There aren't a huge number of pictures magnets available but I am still impressed, I would love it if something like this were available but you were able to add your own pics.

ABC - Magnetic Alphabet HD - Learn to Write! For Kids - Dot Next - Another app that gets a lot of use in our house. Basically it is a magnet board. You put up the letters you want. There are upper and lowercase letters, numbers, etc.

Alphabet Tracer - EllieSoft - An app we don't use as often but still like. It allows you to trace a letter or words. My only complaint is that it says the word names but not the sounds. I usually turn the sound off when we use this app.

ABC Alphabet Phonics - Preschool Kids Game Free Lite - GrasshopperApps.com - another app we like but don't use often. Like the previous app it uses letter names instead of sounds. Junior likes it because when you get a word right all the letters get up and dance.

ABC Phonics Animals Writing HD - for iPad - Brain Counts (same name as the previous but a different app, this one has four animals on the app symbol) - Allows you to trace letters or words, says the word and has a picture with each word which makes noise when touched. A fun app for early readers needing lots of repetition. We do enjoy this one and use it occasionally.

FirstWords: Deluxe - Learning Touch - This is a great app for beginning readers. It is too easy for Junior because it is matching letters in words but for a child working on learning the letters it is great. We still do it occasionally just for fun.

Intro to Letters, by Montessorium - Montessorium, LLC. - Great app for learning letter sounds. Trace the letter and the app voice says the sound of the letter. Also has blends which the app says the sound for. Allows you to record your own voice saying the sounds.

Letter Writer Space (Kindergarten ABC's) - Barking Dog Interactive/ Letter Writer Oceans (Preschool ABC's) - Barking Dog Interactive - This is 2 apps the space has the child trace lowercase letters and the ocean has upper case. A fun app which Junior enjoys.


Thanks Junior and Junior's Mom.... You all are my heros!!!!

Guest Blogger ... Krista tells us about Leah and her favorite apps

My daughter, Leah will be 6 in March. She is non-verbal. She has a history of infantile spasms. She has cortical visual impairment, global developmental delays, and complex partial seizures.

Leah has had her iPad for about 6 weeks. At first she needed hand over hand assistance to point and use the apps. She now points on her own and can do some of the apps independently.

Our ultimate goal for the iPad is for Leah to use it as a communication device, but we've found that it is also helping her in other areas. It's helped her with her receptive language, vision, cognition, and fine motor skills.

Leah takes her iPad to preschool with her every day. They use it in circle when they talk about the weather. She uses it at lunch and snack to request food. Her therapists also use it with her in various ways.

One of the neatest things that I've seen Leah do with the iPad is transfer skills from school to home. I was working with her one day on a number app. There were numbers 1-10 randomly arranged on balloons. The objective was to "pop" the balloons in numeric order. I planned on helping Leah by doing hand over hand. Before I could do that, she touched the number one. She continued the whole way up to and including number six. I was amazed! I talked to her teacher and asked her if she had been working with Leah on her numbers and she said that she has her put them in order every daynat school. It was really neat to see that she could transfer that skill that she learned at school to that app on the iPad at home.

Our top ten apps are:

Tap Tap Baby - MoonFry Labs

Baby Rattle Toy: Christmas Edition - SelenaSoft

Discover Musical Instruments - Mathieu Brassard

Baby Finger HD - DJ International

Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD - Peterb

Itsy Bitsy Spider HD - by Duck Duck Moose - Duck Duck Moose

Wheels on the Bus HD - Duck Duck Moose

Old MacDonald - by Duck Duck Moose - Duck Duck Moose

TapToTalk™ - Assistyx LLC

Adam's Game - Toddler Voice Flash Cards - Sol Robots

 Thanks Krista ... Looking forward to hearing more about Leah and her iPad.

Joshua playing Peekaboo Barn on iPad

Peekaboo Barn - Night & Day Studios, Inc.

New Era in Communication

http://articles.complexchild.com/feb2011/00269.html

Article for iPhone Life

http://www.iphonelife.com/al/AppsPeopleSpecialNeedsKids.pdf

Bubby Makes a Valentine with the iPad

Using Doodle Buddy

Good Cause Effect App for Infants Toddlers with Special Needs

Baby Finger HD - DJ International

Angry Birds

Angry Birds HD - Chillingo Ltd

Proloquo2go-customizing for our nonverbal toddler

Proloquo2Go - AssistiveWare

iPads saving money

The Poll Results are Overwhelming to Keep Saving

Looks like we will keep saving for at least a few iPad this year for a few deserving children.  If you want to add or share this ChipIn Box on your blog or Facebook.  Please copy it and share so we can collect a little more.  Every $5 gets us closer to our goal.
Thanks for the support.
Bridget

Found this app yesterday and I love it.

Ladybird Baby Touch: Peekaboo - Penguin Books From the makers of Ladybird Books those famous simple picture books from the UK.  This is a simple picture peek a boo app with soft sounds and simple pictures.  Your child can use it by touching the screen to get the pictures to change change or by just watching it like a movie.

New way to make Valentine's Day Cards

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

A Guest Speech Therapist Shares her Favorite Apps

Preschool and Kindergarten (and younger), I would suggest:

1) Wheels on the Bus HD - Duck Duck Moose

2) Fish School HD - by Duck Duck Moose - Duck Duck Moose

3) Speech with Milo: Verbs - Doonan Speech Therapy

4) Cookie Doodle - Shoe The Goose

5) Vocal Zoo - iPad edition - Funny i Games

6) Any Flashcard Set from Kindergarten.com

7) Recorder HD - Decipher Media (or any voice recorder....kids love to listen to themselves)



Elementary age:

1) ArtikPix - Full - RinnApps

2) Language Builder for iPad - Mobile Education Tools

3) Sentence Builder for iPad - Mobile Education Tools

4) PegLight - Knert Software

5) Bubble Snap - Neil Daniels

6) What Does Not Belong? - Brain-Go LLC

7) What Goes Together (WGT)

8) Cookie Doodle - Shoe The Goose

9) Guess 'em - GameWeaver (use as a game board, not interactive)

10) Mad Libs - Penguin Group USA

11) Recorder HD - Decipher Media


Thanks so much!!!

Another Occupational Therapist Recommendations for Apps

Another Occupational Therapist top ten list of apps:


Alphabet Tracing - Oncilla Technologies Inc I love using this with my handwriting kiddos for fine motor skills, letter formation and identification.

Alphabet Song - Oscar's Apps One of my really autistic kiddos will sit and look and touch the highlighted letter and really attend to this app. This app helps with letter identification and recognition. ( I cannot tell you how many handwriting referrals I get and the child cannot identify the letters of the alphabet.

Virtuoso Piano Free 3 - Peter Nagy for cause and effect for my more severe and profound students. For my students with fine motor difficulties it is great for finger individuation and isolation.

Talking Carl - Awyse great for increasing a Childs vocalizations and verbalizations.

Wheels on the Bus HD - Duck Duck Moose by duck duck moose (love all their apps, itsy bitsy spider and baa baa black sheep) interactive music and cause and effect.

TapSpeak Button for iPad - Ted Conley Great for letting non verbal students choose activities and communicate. It is a BIG MAC on the Ipad. (could be used in so many different ways).

Pocket Pond HD - JOHN MOFFETT cause and effect (my multiply impaired kids LOVE THIS!

Vocal Zoo - iPad edition - Funny i Games great cause and effect, interactive and I love that is turns like the pages of a book. My more severe and involved kiddos are able to turn the pages.

Glow Draw! - Indigo Penguin Limited Great for my students working on prewriting skills such as vertical and horizontal strokes as well as imitating simple shapes.

TapToTalk™ - Assistyx LLC Reasonable communication system. However, this is better for someone who knows what they want and are just unable to verbalize it



Thanks Martha

More Free iPads

Free iPads by itaalk for kids with ASD

The Puzzling Piece - For a free iPad

The Puzzling Piece - It's not just Art, It's a Statement Read on about how to receive a free iPad. Sounds legit.

Work N Play Rowans Way: Row's an iPad baby now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Work N Play Rowans Way: Row's an iPad baby now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: "We could'nt be more pleased with our decision to get Row an iPad for Christmas!!!! There are countless applications for speech and langu..."

Jeremy Brown's App Recommendations for Students with Autism Part 2

LANGUAGE ARTS


Starfall ABCs - Starfall Education [iPhone\iTouch
$2.99]

Alpha Writer, by Montessorium - Montessorium, LLC. [Universal
$4.99]

Word Magic - anusen.com [Universal
$0.99]

ACT Spell - Cool Tool Apps [iPad
$2.99]

PhotoCross - Terrier Software [iPad
$1.99]

Word Play for iPad - Visual Hierarchy [iPad
$1.99]

Silly Story Maker iPad edition - Miller Designs [iPad
$1.99]

Sentence Builder for iPad - Mobile Education Tools [iPad
$1.99]

Build A Story - Girl's World Pty. Ltd [iPad
$2.99]



Children's eBooks

Barnes & Noble NOOK kids - The Largest Collection of Children's eBooks - Barnes and Noble Kids [iPad
FREE & purchase books individually]

Kiwa Media [iPad & iPhone\iTouch versions
$4.99\each]

Oceanhouse Media (Berenstain Bears, Dr. Seuss, etc.) [Universal
$1.99-$3.99\each]

ReadMe Publications, Inc. [Unviersal
FREE & additional in-app purchases]


MATH

My Underwear - Thumb Arcade [Universal
$2.99]

Intro to Math, by Montessorium - Montessorium, LLC. [Universal
$4.99]

Park Math HD - by Duck Duck Moose - Duck Duck Moose [iPhone\iTouch
$1.99] & Park Math HD [iPad
$1.99]

iTouchMath - KONSTRUCT LLC [iPhone\iTouch
FREE]

Audio Slide A Math Learning Subtraction - WILLHALL SIAU [iPad
$0.99]

First Calculator - Talking Calculator for Kids - St. Madeleine Sophie School [Universal
$0.99]

Math Step123 - wxyzsoftware.com [iPhone\iTouch
$0.99]

Coin Math - Recession Apps [iPhone\iTouch
$1.99]

Kid Klok - Animated Speech Corporation [Universal
$0.99]

Telling Time HD - My Turn Mobile [iPad
$2.99]


MUSIC & SONGS

Wheels on the Bus HD - Duck Duck Moose [iPad
$1.99]

Kids Song Machine HD + 10 songs - Genera Kids [iPad
$1.99]

My First Songs - Ringzero Game Studio [iPad
$2.99]

Discover Musical Instruments Free - Mathieu Brassard [iPhone\iTouch
FREE]

Magic Piano - Smule [iPad
$0.99]

Ocarina - Smule [iPhone\iTouch
$0.99]

Genikids Orchestra for iPad - Waterbear Soft inc. [iPhone\iTouch
$1.99]


FUN

Blocks!! - miSoft [Universal
$1.99]

Furry Friend - Plutinosoft [Universal
FREE]

LightMyPeg - Mark Schoer [iPad
$0.99]

PhotoMatch Kids HD - Weily Apps [iPad
$3.99]

Timber! - miSoft [Universal
$1.99]



Sorry it took so long for Part 2.  In my neck of the woods the internet and the weather are not always friends.  Thank you so much Jeremy for such a complete list.  Keep up all the hard work.
Bridget