IPAD in Education

I am currently in a class that focuses on assistive technology in the classroom. In my research I have noticed a lot of people mentions bringing the ipad into the classroom for some use. This topic has come up in class before and also I constantly see it on twitter as well. So I was wondering if you guys could give me some ideas or details about the advantages to bringing an ipad into the classroom? Also are their specific advantages for them with students with disabilities?

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Permalink Reply by Sheri on August 15, 2011 at 11:20pm

I am also interested in iPads in the classroom:

Here are some resources I'm looking at:

SPED: http://groups.diigo.com/group/at-in-sped/search?what=iPad

Info:

http://learninginhand.com/blog/special-education-student-ipad-video...

http://groups.diigo.com/group/iphoneipodtouch

http://livebinders.com/play/play/26195

http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit/36989

http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit/29626

http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit/26242

http://www.scoop.it/t/the-ipad-classroom

http://www.ipadsforeducation.vic.edu.au/1-to-1-learning-success

http://speirs.org/blog/tag/theipadproject

I hope these are of value to others. As I begin to look at these ideas and discuss them with peers, including our SPED teacher, I will post again.

Looking forward to other replies, strategies, apps, ideas.

Sheri

Permalink Reply by Cindy Stephenson on June 6, 2012 at 8:43am

Thanks, Sheri- I will check these out.

Permalink Reply by Alexandra (Charlie) Craig on July 23, 2012 at 8:14pm

Hi Sheri!

Thank you for all the great information. I too want to use iPads in my classroom especially for those students who are identified.

Permalink Reply by Amanda Urbanczyk on March 30, 2012 at 10:41am

Here's an Education Week article about special needs and tablets

Education Week Article - Special Ed Apps

Permalink Reply by Cindy Stephenson on June 6, 2012 at 8:44am

Thanks, Linda!

Permalink Reply by Kim Haney on March 24, 2014 at 12:21pm

Mike,

I am currently taking a course offered by Eduspire on iPads in the classroom. In 8 short hours of my first class, I was overwhelmed by the apps available for use in the classroom for use by both the teacher and the student. iPads are commonly used to allow students to show what they know. A few apps that we are learning about include, Educreations, ShowMe, iBooks creator, Explain Everything, and Skitch. I have two more classes to go and am very excite about using the iPad in my class. I just wish that I had one for each student.

Kim

Permalink Reply by Nina Esposito on March 31, 2014 at 11:52am

I definitely see a difference in my student’s progress (special education and regular education) when they use the iPad. There are some great apps out there and even ones that you can change to fit the needs of your students. I teach Kindergarten, so we have a huge focus on sight words. I am able to find apps with our sight words or enter my own sight words with my voice, so they hear me saying it. I allow my strugglers to use this every morning and I see a huge difference in their progress. I like for students to use iPads when they are done with their work or during centers. I find iPads to be very helpful, but you have to make sure the students are doing something that will actually benefit them!

Permalink Reply by Lindsey Lee Smith on April 5, 2014 at 12:33pm

Hi Nina! What are the names of the apps that you use for sight words? Specifically the ones you record your voice and they work with alone? I'm looking to make my sight word reading center with iPads, but want to be sure I find a great app for my students. Thanks so much! ;)

Permalink Reply by Laura Marsh on March 31, 2014 at 4:51pm

I love using the iPads in my classroom, I just wish I had a class set of them! My students are thrilled to learn using a variety of educational apps during morning work and small groups/center time. Some of their favorites are ShowMe, Educreations, Starfall, Phonemic Awareness, Math Blaster, Read Along Apps, AR flashcards, and Cool Math. They're really engaged in learning when using these apps.

Many of my special education students need handwriting practice because of poor fine motor skills. I allow them to use the "Write-On Handwriting" app to improve their handwriting skills. I have also suggested "The Dexteria Family of Apps for Occupational Therapy" to my school's occupational therapist to help my special education students stop letter reversals, improve fine motor skills, and develop spatial reasoning skills. The app does cost about three dollars, but my school has an account to purchase these types of apps. My special education students also record themselves reading books with recording apps to help them improve their pronunciation of words. I have found that this app also helps them develop expression and improve their reading fluency.

Permalink Reply by David Mahaley on April 23, 2014 at 11:12am

Mike,

I have seen a number of benefits of using the iPad with students with disabilities. We have a 1:1 iPad arrangement at the high school level. The most obvious advantages I have found are in the areas of organizations, access to reading of text, and remediation/review options for students. The device brings many tools to the hands of the students. It can really help individualize the learning experience to help address many areas of need.

Dave

Permalink Reply by Tom DeMatteis on May 20, 2014 at 7:16pm

Dave,
As part of a masters level course I am taking, I had to find a group discussion to get involved in. I too am part of a 1:1 iPad initiative this year. I have seen all of the advantages that you mentioned. However, a lot of times they are overshadowed by the difficulty of keeping the students on task. Our tech department is still working out the kinks of what needs to be blocked, etc. Every chance the students get, they are on snapchat or a video game. Sometimes I feel like I spend as much time policing as anything else.

Tom

Permalink Reply by Nicole Kaye on May 25, 2014 at 7:57am

Hi Mike,

I have a non-verbal autistic student in my classroom. The iPad has worked wonders for her being able to communicate. We utilize an app called Proloquoe. With this app, she is able to push buttons to speak just like the rest of her peers. The other students have learned to work the app as well so that they can exchange full conversations with her. I have also found proloquoe beneficial for my special education students when it comes to reading. The app allows you to place whatever speak buttons you would like on it so I have included picture starts for the who, what, when, where, & why questions that typically accompany story tests. If you choose to use this app, I hope you find it to be as beneficial as I have. Best of luck!