Does anyones dc use a i-pad at school and how does it help them? what apps?

[Marne]

Hi, my dd2 (6) has ASD and has just got funding for a i-pad, she will be using it at home to help aid communication and will use apps to help her social skills, emotions etc..

I was thinking 'maybe it could be used at school?', does anyone elses dc take one to school and how do they find it usefull?#

dd1 takes her iPad to school.

she does a reasonable amount of work on it, but not constant, iyswim?

some of the kinds of things she does/uses it for are:

playing games (ie practising turn taking/sharing) with another pupil
letter and phonics practice
youtube videos for reinforcemnt/downtime
word and sentence building
practising typing skills

her school (she changed about a year ago) do not use it as much as her old school did - but then it is a bigger school, and there is less flexibility as to what they can do in their classroom set up (sounds bad - they are totally individualised for curriculum etc, but with more children and tutors in the class, there is more general routine etc that has to go on)

some of the other children also bring iPads in; some of them must be using them as communication aids, I reckon (PECS etc).

if you need a robust case, then I can absolutely recommend the Otterbox Defender series. not cheap (dd1's was about £40, but then I imported a pink one for her ). dd1 has had her iPad for over 2 years now, and no mishaps (she is not a thrower as such, though)

We have a class set and I have attended lots of training on using iPads with ASD In particular. I don't have any lists here but there are hundreds that could be suitable depending on her age, purpose/intent and level of functioning. Google apps for ASD, from memory the aust ASD association have a list.

Word of advice, it's easy to get carried away so be guided by associations who have reviewed the apps and try free ones first (heaps). Be clear about the intention of an app and how you will use it.

Maybe start with a short list of behaviours/issues/problems you want to address and start from there.

I was told of a young child who used the timer on the iPad to sit quietly on the mat in group time- something previously impossible. It let off a cheer when time was up... Doesn't have to be anything fancy!

Thank you, i think the idea of using it as a timer would be great for dd (she doesn't really get time and waiting), i want her to be able to use it as a communication aid when she can communicate verbaly but i don't want her to rely on it (as she can talk when she wants too).

We have ordered the 'griffin' case as it was on offer at Amazon and it looks robust (dh wouldn't let me get a pink one).

Is there a app where you can make schedules? as she likes to know whats going on during the day.

Also have your dc's teachers and/or TA had training to use them and if so what training have they had?

we used iPrompts for timetables/schedules and countdowns. was not cheap though (although bought it about 4 years ago now, as was on my iTouch too - may have come down in price.) but it was ver versatile and allowed you to use your own photos etc (probably loads of others that do that too now)

the Open University OUr Story app has been fantastic for dd1 - free (or it was 18 months ago!) and totally customisable. I use it ot make up new picture books for dd1 using family photos/holiday snaps, as she memorises reading books too fast, so we don't knw whether she is reading or learning by rote

no specific training for dd1's tutors, I don't think (which may be why the use of it is a bit haphazard), but I am happy with the level/amount it is used (for dd1). she doesn't need it as a communication aid (never shuts up ), and so use of it is more recreational, or to help get her obsessed with a subject they can then transfer to paper/whiteboard/group time etc. it supports her learning, rather than being the foundations of it, iyswim?

Grasshopper apps is another set of apps which have gone down really well with dd1; and the Kindergarten ABA ones too.

There's a free app where you can use your own photos (eg daughter brushing her teeth etc). No idea what, there are also heaps with a built in picture library. You have hours of looking through apps ahead of you! (again, use the association's list as a guide to get started).

Thank you Silverfrog, i will have a look at all those, i think i will get to grips with it at home first and then i can show the TA how to use it. Hopfully its going to be very usefull for dd2 ,although she is doing well and keeping up at school she does struggle with the structure of things and the social side of things and when she's upset can not communicate very well.