I am honored to have ArtikPix featured as the app of the week on speechlanguageneighborhood.com. Amanda Backof, who runs the website, informed me yesterday of this honor. When you visit the home page of Speech Language Neighborhood, you will see ArtikPix featured. You will also see several free downloadable homework sheets for various sounds that coincide with the content in the ArtikPix iOS app. Since the last time I blogged about Amanda’s ArtikPix homework sheets, she has added practice materials for the following sounds: initial r, vocalic r, l blends, and s-blends. Plus, it’s my understanding that more ArtikPix homework sheets will be coming soon. So, please check out Speech Language Neighborhood this week while ArtikPix is featured!

Thanks to Amanda and Symbolstix for allowing personal use of these homework sheets. Under subscription terms, the homework sheets are not for re-sale.

Tags: speech language neighborhood, app of the week, amanda backof

Today, Apple held an education event where three announcements were made: 1) An updated iBooks app for reinventing the textbook, 2) A brand new app called iBooks Author for anyone to easily create interactive books, and 3) An updated iTunes U for making it free and simple for anyone to take courses anywhere. I followed the event via live blogging on Engadget, and I’m going to summarize the first two announcements:

1) iBooks app for reinventing the textbook
The first announcement is regarding iBooks for reinventing the textbook. As students are beginning to use iPads, there are remarkable things happening. But, there are challenges in education including increased class sizes and reduced budgets. Nonetheless, Apple wants to help accelerate the use of iPads in education and make it even easier to integrate the iPad into the curriculum. They plan to do this for textbooks because they understand the problems with textbooks. Textbooks are heavy, they're expensive, they wear out, and they’re not durable, interactive, searchable, or updatable. The iPad, however, is portable, more durable than paper, interactive, searchable, and current. And, until now, the main obstacle for the iPad as a textbook is the lack of content. Fortunately, the main textbook companies including Pearson, McGraw Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have joined forces with Apple to create interactive textbooks that look great and are aggressively priced at $14.99 or less. As many of you know, textbooks can traditionally be very expensive, so $14.99 is quite a bargain. The major textbook companies are launching high school textbooks first for math and science. And, I can confirm there are titles available as of today. Just download the free iBooks app, then go to the iBooks store and download the free samples or the full books.

2) iBooks Author app for anyone to easily create free interactive books
The second announcement is regarding iBooks Author for anyone to easily create interactive books. Apple wants everyone to have the opportunity to create their own interactive books (not just the textbook companies), so there will be more book content available. Any Mac owner will be able to create interactive books using a Mac app called iBooks Author. This app is available for free today and is compatible with OS 10.7, Lion (if you don’t have 10.7, you must update your operating system in order to use the iBooks Author app). Traditionally, it’s hard to create books, but Apple is hoping to change that with iBooks Author. A number of templates are included in the app that can be used to help people get started. You’re able to use templates that include text (from a word processing file such as Word), photo, and video placeholders. You can also create cool interactions, but it appears you’ll need to know how to write code in Javascript and HTML. Before you finish your book, you can utilize an easy to create glossary tool. Finally, you’re easily able to do a preview on the iPad and then submit to the iBooks store for publishing.

Apple ended the education event by discussing research showing that student achievement is largely based on student engagement. It looks like Apple is going to facilitate student engagement with their two iBooks initiatives. I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

Tags: apple, education, interactive, textbooks

ArtikPix and ArtikPix - Full version 2.2 were updated prior to the holidays. The major new feature is landscape mode for iPad, which was heavily requested by users. Version 2.2 also adds a feature to the matching activity that involves pressing the Done button after all matches have been made. Users had also requested this feature for enabling more practice at the end of matching, particularly when the configurable option of Hide Matched Cards is turned OFF. If you like these new features in ArtikPix and ArtikPix - Full 2.2, please rate and review the app on iTunes.

On behalf of Eric Sailers and RinnApps, thank you to all ArtikPix users. We appreciate receiving feedback to make ArtikPix a leading speech articulation app. We’re looking forward to working more with users in 2012. Happy Holidays!

Tags: ArtikPix, ArtikPix - Full, app, iOS, update, landscape, Mode

Yesterday, the New York Times ran an article about the iPad and apps for autism. I was proud to see that my blog, slpsharing.com, was mentioned in the company of other great websites. It's an honor to know that people look at my blog and resources to learn about apps for autism and special needs.

Tags: slpsharing.com, speech-language pathology sharing, New York Times, apps, autism, special needs, Resources

Amanda Backof, Speech-Language Pathologist who runs speechlanguageneighborhood.com, has created homework sheets for ArtikPix. The sheets can be downloaded on her website at http://www.speechlanguageneighborhood.com/articulation/. I also thought I would provide the download links here to the homework sheets:

Initial/Medial/Final P
Initial/Medial/Final B
Initial/Medial/Final F
Initial/Medial/Final K
Initial/Medial/Final G
Initial/Medial/Final S
Initial/Medial/Final Z

The downloadable documents are available as of 11.17.11. Check Amanda’s website in the future for updates. She is planning to add more homework sheets.

Terms of use stated by Amanda: Thanks to Symbolstix for allowing us to make these available for personal use [not for re-sale] under the terms of our subscription.

Tags: iOS, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, ArtikPix, ArtikPix - Full, apps

I was asked to share a link to an article titled 15 Telling Facts About the App Gap: http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2011/11/14/15-telling-facts-about-the-app-gap/. The "App Gap" refers to children of low socioeconomic status who do not have access to mobile devices and apps. Affluent children who have more access to apps might be receiving a more enriching learning environment. I believe that there's likely truth to this notion, however the article proceeds to explain that more time with apps can be harmful to child development and learning. Harmful, huh? That's pretty strong language which I question.

In the article, apps are consequently compared to TV and DVDs, a comparison which I disagree with. I feel that apps provide active learning environments vs. passive environments provided by TV shows and DVD movies. Due to the various interactions in apps (e.g., tapping, dragging, shaking, tilting, etc.), children immerse themselves in very enriching learning environments. This rings especially true for many disabled children who prefer to read and write with technology including mobile devices due to the motivating platform, not to mention built-in supports.

Although I don't agree with everything in this article, I still wanted to share a link to it because it does pose food for thought. It provides some interesting ideas to consider when determining the use of mobile devices and apps with children.

Tags: iOS, iPod touch, iPhone, iPad, app, apps, gap

I want to share a new AssistiveWare video for Pictello, the storytelling app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. We created an Introduction to Pictello video divided in three chapters: playing a sample story, creating a story, and importing a story. Learn how to utilize all of the story features via demonstrations in the iOS simulator. The video is fully accessible with captions that can be viewed either in the YouTube player below (click CC) or on the Pictello website. You can also view the YouTube videos in HD and full-screen mode.

Disclosure: I do work for AssistiveWare and I am the author of this Introduction to Pictello video.

Tags: video, tutorial, AssistiveWare, iOS, apps, Pictello, story, creator

Working with Proloquo2Go was the first experience I had that showed me the power of using apps. Although there weren't any other special needs apps on the market for iOS devices, there were reading, music, writing and math apps that my students with special needs could use. I was amazed to see how engaged my students were by the apps. They learned much more because the fun involved with these apps encouraged more learning. I could see that that the apps were going to completely change the way that education was delivered to students with special needs. The iOS touchscreen had incredible sensitivity in such a low cost device. It was head and shoulders above anything else available on the market for special needs. I could see that the field of special education was going to change forever.

One of the first apps I used with my students (other than Proloquo2Go) was Wheels on the Bus. The app is a musical book which involves the bus in fun, interactive pages as the classic song is played. Just like a traditional book, I realized that I could use the app for language therapy. The first time I used Wheels on the Bus with my preschool and kindergarten groups, they were immediately engaged and more interested in the speech therapy I was delivering. Using the app, I could target the expansion of sentences, grammatical structures, social language, and more. For an example of social language, there is an instance in the app when a frog swipes a cupcake from the chef without asking. I used this as an opportunity to model social language by demonstrating how to ask politely when you want something: “When we ask for something, we say ‘please’.” I would follow up by asking my students, “What do we say when we want something?” in order to elicit the response “please.” Since many of the skills contained in my students’ IEP goals could be addressed in a fun, effective way with the use of apps, I saw great value in using them. It was amazing to see the difference this cutting edge technology was making for my students.

I began wondering if the delivery of intervention could entirely involve apps. I started using other apps for reading and writing and then Proloquo2Go was released in the spring of 2009. After that, many types of special needs apps followed. There were apps for organization including reward charts; apps for dictating speech to text; and several augmentative communication apps to follow Proloquo2Go. I learned about as many apps as I could and I used them with as many students that I could to meet their IEP goals.

One of the first special needs apps I used was iReward. iReward is a visual chart that reinforces positive behaviors using rewards. For example, a star chart could be configured in the app so the child receives a toy after performing a set of positive behaviors. One of the charts I created for a student with autism was a star chart for remaining seated. He took to the app immediately and it definitely motivated him to successfully remain seated without much prompting from me. Although he couldn’t use too many words to express himself, his fingers on the iPod touch and his eye gaze told me what I needed to know: he wanted to use the device to achieve his goal. I hadn’t seen that level of interest from him previously with a standard paper chart.

After trying different apps with my students, I noticed they were increasingly more attentive. As a result, they would practice more and I was able to see progress a lot faster. Taking into account their tremendous interest and progress, I began gravitating away from all of the traditional therapy materials including traditional flashcards, paperback books, games, etc. and really focused on exploring the possibility of app-based therapy.

As my knowledge base of apps grew, I began to seek out ways to share my experience and tips with other speech-language pathologists and professionals. It seemed people were interested in using apps, but didn’t quite know how to approach them. So, I started speaking about apps and my experiences using them in therapy, and this led me in an unexpected direction.

Click here to view part 1 of "My path to working from home"

Tags: iOS, Wheels on the Bus, iReward, Apptastic therapy, Proloquo2Go, iPod touch

Prior to working from home, I began constructing the groundwork a while ago. And I didn’t even know it at the time. Back in the winter of 2008, I got involved in testing Proloquo2Go (an augmentative communication app for iOS devices) before the app’s release. I became a beta tester along with one of my students who has augmentative communication needs.  Once my student started using Proloquo2Go on an iPod Touch, I began to think about how an app could completely change not only my student’s life, but also my life as a speech-language pathologist. I soon realized that I could use iOS apps to facilitate communication for my students.

When testing Proloquo2Go with my student, I saw that it was a very sophisticated, yet easy-to-use solution via a mobile device. It had a lot of features while the interface was very user friendly. Additionally, the mobility factor was very important for this particular student because he walks and needs to communicate wherever he goes. The AAC device he had at the time was bulky and thus limiting communication to a tabletop. Proloquo2Go with an iPod touch, on the other hand, could go with him anywhere, whether the device was in his pocket or attached to a lanyard around his neck.

I recall one day I wanted my student to use Proloquo2Go at recess with general education peers. I took him to the playground and he wanted to play soccer. Since he had an iPod touch with a protective case, I figured why not. If it would allow him to interact with students beyond his special education classroom, I was all for it.

During the soccer game, my student ran after the ball as his iPod touch with Proloquo2Go was attached to his neck with a lanyard. The general education students approached him with great interest. They wanted to know how it was possible to use the cool device to communicate. With some assistance from me, my student was able to show them by asking questions and making comments. The students were very patient in waiting for him to communicate. I was highly impressed to see the conversational exchange between them. Plus, it was amusing to see how many of the students became more interested in my student and his “talker” than in playing soccer. It was something I had never seen before and it gave me chills that ran up my spine.

This experience with Proloquo2Go was the catalyst for further exploration of apps to use with my students.  My life was about to take an exciting turn as I entered a new chapter in my career.

Tags: Proloquo2Go, app, beta testing, iOS, iPod touch, soccer, general education peers

For a fairly long time, I have heard about the 1Password app, which involves the use of one master password for all your online passwords. I’ve read claims that 1Password will make your online life much easier and more secure. The reason is that the app automatically fills login information with a highly secure password unique to the given site. I hemmed and hawed about purchasing the app for a while, mostly because of the price: $39.99 for a single Mac license. I finally gave in and I'm very happy that I did.

About a week ago, I finally purchased 1Password for the Mac. Once I downloaded the desktop app, I investigated the 1Password extension for browsers because it appeared that the extension would be the best way to use the app for website logins. So, I downloaded the extension for main browsers including Safari, Firefox and Google Chrome. The extension enables a handy auto-save login that pops up after you create or use a website username and password. The auto-save login automatically fills in your information, then you just need to click a button to save it. Plus, the saved information is automatically saved to the desktop app and the extension downloaded across all browsers.

I immediately began using the 1Password extension on website logins for email, bank accounts, social media, product registrations, and more. Although I experienced some difficulty with changing existing passwords on websites, the app easily handled the creation of a new username and password. I typed a username and I used the password generator to generate a very secure password unique to the given site. The password generator provided passwords as a random string of lengthy numbers and letters (e.g., 15 characters long).

In addition to storing login information, 1Password can store your identity comprising personal and business profiles, and wallet information including your Social Security number, passport, and bank accounts. 1Password is highly secure so you don't have to worry about your confidential information being leaked. Your confidential information is encrypted by your master password; just remember to use a strong master password. When you walk away from your computer, you can manually lock your data or set an automatic lock that occurs after a selected period of time (e.g., 1 min. of computer inactivity).

Finally, I purchased the universal iOS app, 1Password Pro, which works very well with the Mac app. Using a local WiFi network, I easily synced my 1Password information from the computer to my iOS devices. So far, the Mac and iOS apps have been great. I can easily say that 1Password is making my online life easier and more secure.

Tags: 1Password, apps, browser, extension, iOS, Mac

I want to start blogging more, but I feel like I need some help. Since I enjoy helping myself independently, at least initially, I found that using the Dragon Dictation app (iTunes link) on my iPhone is easier for me to begin the writing process. At times, it’s difficult for me to begin typing what’s on my mind. When that occurs, I find myself avoiding the task all together. So, I’m hopeful that speaking my thoughts first will improve the writing process for me, and ultimately allow me to blog more.

With the Dragon Dictation app, I first record my voice, then the app performs a voice to text transcription. Subsequently, the transcription is available for exporting options. I prefer the copy option for copying the text to an email in separate parts. Usually, I can't say everything I want for a blog in a single recording because the Dragon app stops recording after about 30 seconds. So, when I want to compose a blog beginning with Dragon, I’ve found that I need to record myself in at least two parts.

After I record one part of the blog posting in Dragon Dictation, I copy the text and paste it in an email on my iPhone. Then, I return to the Dragon app to record again. Once the recording is done, I copy the new text and paste it in the same email. I continue this process as long as necessary. When I’m done with the process, I email the text to myself. Finally, I edit the text in a word processing document on my computer and paste the edited text in a WordPress post for publishing.

Tags: blogging, Dragon Dictation, iOS, app, voice to text, recording