Where can we find information about apps for the iPad in special education?

Bridget Brady

September 09, 2010 9:27:51 PM

My school is getting iPads to work with our students in special education next year. We've had one to "play with" and have used many of the educational applications that our computer center downloaded for us. Are there other specific apps out there that you would definitely recommend for using with students in special education? Are there any apps you would recommend for use with upper elementary students? We've found that many are aimed at students in the primary grades but would love to have more choices for our older students.

What cell phone applications can benefit students with ADHD?

Bridget Brady

September 09, 2010 9:24:18 PM

I work as an OT with high schools students and wanted to know… what cell phone applications can benefit students with ADHD? We have used the basic features (calendar, alarms, etc) but have not explored additional applications and are wondering what other ideas or suggestions you might have.

Where can I find more books to use with a reading pen?

Bridget Brady

September 09, 2010 9:21:33 PM

I recently bought a book that uses an audio pen to read the pages. You point the pen at the text in the book and can hear it read aloud. I'm wondering what kind of technology is involved here and if more of these books are available? Is there special software needed to convert text into encoded dots so the audio pen reads them?

What options are there for a teenager who needs a communication device?

Bridget Brady

September 09, 2010 9:19:59 PM

I have a 15-year-old daughter that has multiple disabilities. She is nonverbal with some vocal sounds, is visually impaired, and has mental and physical deficits. She has full use of her right hand and a left side stroke. I'm wondering … is there any technology that she can possibly use for communication other than Cheap Talk 8? This is heavy and bulky for a child with limited hand-use, and it is too large for her desk at school. In addition, I am trying to compile a communication book, similar to PECS (picture exchange communication system), but am hoping there is some kind of technology that is available and easier to access for her. Are there additional communication devices that you would recommend?

What technologies can help a high school student with dysgraphia in science and math classes?

Bridget Brady

September 09, 2010 9:14:38 PM

What accommodations/modifications do you recommend for high school students in math and science when the main issue is dysgraphia? I have found that many of the "usual" accommodations (Alphasmarts, computers, voice activated programs, etc.) do not work as well due to the format of the math and science classes (i.e., drawing graphs, diagrams, writing in journals, etc.). What do you recommend?

What technology tools can my daughter use over the summer to practice her math skills?

Bridget Brady

September 09, 2010 9:09:43 PM

My 14 year old daughter struggles with math. We have tried several things, but she does not seem to retain the information. She enjoys games on the computer and likes technology. We would love to help her over the summer but aren't sure where to start! We are wondering… are there any technology programs, or tools, that you think would help her math skills?

How can I get accessible instructional materials for my son if the school will not provide them?

Bridget Brady

August 05, 2010 11:30:27 PM

My son is dyslexic — his fluency is in the 10th percentile, and he reads at half the rate of his peers. His verbal IQ is in the 99th percentile, and when he has accessible materials his ability to comprehend is high. He uses Kurzweil 3000 to read academic materials and finds he benefits from the synchronized, highlighted text with the speech.

Unfortunately, his school has stated that when he enters high school next year, he will receive materials "just like everyone else" and will be responsible for converting all of his materials to digital format himself if he wants them in electronic format. Though my son has individual memberships to Bookshare and RFB&D, the school does not have an institutional membership, so he can't obtain his textbooks.

Do you have any suggestions on how to facilitate his access to print material? Should we purchase a high quality scanner, and if so, do you have recommendations on type? (Seems it would be cheaper than litigating this issue, which we can't afford.)

How can I track down appropriate software for my daughter with multiple disabilities?

Bridget Brady

August 05, 2010 11:29:24 PM

My 14 year old daughter is really struggling in school. She has learning disabilities and difficulties with auditory processing. She's currently very far behind in all her classes and is really struggling to keep up with her work. I'm worried that the workload will be too much as she enters high school and she'll get discouraged and consider dropping out. The school has offered her audio books because her reading is so far below grade level, but she struggles to follow along with them because of her processing difficulties. How can we use technology at home to help with her reading and homework? How can I find the right program for her when she has multiple areas of need?

Is peer support an acceptable substitute for assistive technology in the classroom?

Bridget Brady

August 05, 2010 11:27:45 PM

My son has autism and needs assistive technology tools. The school does not have anyone on staff that can help with AT decision-making or training and instead has students help each other. Is this acceptable? How can I talk to my son's school about getting more support for assistive technology?

Where can I find information about software to help my child with Down Syndrome?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:49:13 PM

We are looking for guidance on how to help our child with Down Syndrome at home. She has moderate to severe cognitive impairments, and we'd like to use software with her to help build skills but don't know where to look.

What technology options are available for home schooled children?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:41:56 PM

My question is one of access to technology for home schooled children with LD. Based upon the home school groups that we belong to, there are a great many families who choose home school over public school for their LD children. We would like to have access to technology but unless a child is enrolled in the public school system, technology is often too expensive for many home schooling families. Any leads, connections, or suggestions for us?

What reading software is effective for students who struggle with reading?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:39:41 PM

I have a 6 year old son who is diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Although he is high functioning and has already met his reading goals at the kindergarten level, he does have difficulty with reading comprehension. I have the opportunity to provide ideas for reading software that will be used in the new learning center being developed by his school. I would like to bring ideas to the table for software that has been shown to be successful with struggling readers. Do you have any suggestions?

Are there any downloadable games or software available that are not timed?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:37:31 PM

I am a parent of a nine-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome. He likes to do computer games to learn math, but he cannot handle the time constraints of most games. Are there any downloadable games or software that are fun, but not timed?

Can you recommend an effective typing program for our son, who is dyslexic and dysgraphic?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:34:53 PM

We recently purchased an AlphaSmart Neo for our son, who is dyslexic and dysgraphic. We have also tried the Mavis Beacon program, but he thinks it is boring. Do you know of another good typing program?

Are there any scanning devices available that can help my dyslexic child improve his reading and math skills?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 10:31:04 PM

I am looking for a scanning device to help my child, who has dyslexia, with reading and math. I have looked into talking pens. Is there anything else?

Can you recommend any computer games that can help my daughter understand math concepts?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 9:51:17 PM

I was wondering if there were any good computer games to help my nine-year-old daughter in math. She has been diagnosed with dyslexia and although she is almost at grade level in reading, she is unable to remember and understand math concepts. If you know of any games we could get for the summer, please let me know.

What treatment is needed for a child with dysgraphia?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 9:39:03 PM

I have an 11 year-old daughter who will be entering seventh grade next year. She was diagnosed with learning disabilities in first grade and is severely dysgraphic. While she has learned to write fairly well, it is still a struggle for her and her writing is hard to read. I've asked her special education teacher to work with her on handwriting because I want her to be able to write clearly. Her teacher thinks that we should just let her use the computer because handwriting is too difficult and frustrating. But I think it is important for my daughter to be able to write with pen and paper too. If she always uses a computer, won't that make things more difficult for her later when she has to write things out? You can't always use a computer for writing, and I'm worried about what she'll do when she's not in school anymore and her job might not make accommodations for her.

What social networking sites are safe and appropriate for a student with learning disabilities?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 9:19:41 PM

I'm looking for ideas to provide appropriate and safe social networking for a student I work with. She's in middle school and very social, but at an early to mid-elementary level academically. Because she has moved around and been in different programs, she doesn't have many friends here yet and is very lonely. I'd like to find a way for her to connect with kids her age, but I'm worried about her safety online, especially on sites like MySpace and Facebook. Any ideas?

Where can I calculate readability levels online?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 9:09:16 PM

I work for an organization that serves individuals with disabilities. We often create materials for a variety of audiences and we want to make sure that the content is accessible. Are there any online tools or resources that can help us evaluate the level of reading materials? Where could we find suggestions for how to simplify the reading level of text?

Where can I find multilingual text-to-speech solutions?

Bridget Brady

March 31, 2010 9:02:29 PM

I am the disability services coordinator for a small university. I am currently looking for a program that could read text aloud (both text books and tests) to students with learning disabilities. However, I would need programs that could read text aloud in other languages. Do you know where I could find programs like this? I'm particularly interested in finding something with a variety of language options (Chinese, Korean, etc.). Many programs seem to have French and Spanish, but not too many other options.