Apps to Support Students with Learning Differences

Ricki Wagner, Allison Waskow, Liz Riccardi

Dr. Shannon Haley-Mize

Why?

• Remove barriers to content and participation

• UDL – multiples means of engagement, representation, and expression

Traditional vs. UDL

Traditional approach UDL Approach

Assumes student diversity is a

problem and that barriers are

inherent in learners

Assumes that student diversity is

the norm and that barriers arise in

learners’ interactions w. inflexible

curriculum

Assumes that curricula is fixed:

modifications & accommodations

must be made to deal w. student

diversity

Assumes that inflexible curricula is

disabled; curricula needs to be

designed or redesigned to meet

the needs of a wide diversity

Accommodations and mods can

result in lowered expectations &

achievement for some learners

Designing curricula from the start

that is both flexible & meets the

needs of all students results in

high expectations for all

Application: Using Tech to Support

Individuals Students

Apps to support learning differences in Math

Todo Math Practice *Free *Does not require internet

Todo Math Practice

• Can be used for students to practice different levels of mathematics.

• Timed practice can be used as an assessment

• Any student with abilities ranging in K-2 , struggling with mathematics could benefit from this.

• Rated 4.5 stars in the iTunes App Store.

Apps to support literacy

Little Story *Free *Does not require internet

Little story is a story-writing app that allows you to:✔ Add as many stories as you can like✔ Select one of two gorgeous story book templates✔ Add your own voice - now your toddler can listen to the entire story in mommy's or daddy's voice✔ Add word highlights - Customize word highlights and make your stories interactive. Once added words are highlighted in red and respond to touch✔ Add picture highlights - Click on any picture within the edit mode to add picture highlights and make your stories interactive. Great for adding names or describing objects✔ Supports three playback modes - read to me, read by myself, and auto-play which automatically turns from page to page✔ Add your own photos in a click✔ Multi-sensory learning tool - combining seeing, hearing, and tactile feedback✔ Multi-language support - since you can edit all existing items and sounds so you can record everything in your native tongue

Little Story

• Great app for creating almost any type of story, including social stories.

• Would work well for students who have limited fine motor skills because you can add real photos as well as your voice to each page.

• Also good for students who are beginning readers because finished products have 3 reading options.

• A 5 star app in the iTunes App Store!

Apps to support organization

myHomework*Free *Does not require internet

• Great organizational tool for all students!

• Allows students to keep track of homework, tests, projects, etc.

• Can easily include class schedules.

• Made to sync with the teacher version of the app which allows students to look attachments and resources with a touch of a screen

• Allows students to get announcements from teachers

Idea Sketch*Free *Does not require internet

• Mind-mapping tool

• Easy to use

• Can change colors of text boxes or add pictures

Idea Sketch

• Would be great for students who have trouble organizing their ideas.

• It could be used as a pre-writing activity.

• (would be very difficult for young learners to understand)

TeacherKit• Create own settings for

– Grading system– Attendance terms and colors– Warnings about attendance and grades– Able to make own classrooms and or groups Class Summary

Attendance, Behavior, Grades, and Levels at a glanceQuick charts to glance at for class performance

My Class Create seating charts based on position or alphabetical orderSend emails to all students or all parents with one clickSee snap shot of student’s attendance, behavior records, and grades

AttendanceAble to mark present or absent with clickShow how many absences student has had

BehaviorAble to mark positive or negative behaviorProvide note space to record specifics of eventsCustomizable headings to label behavior

GradesCustomizable weight and grade proportions Easy to read chart formatTotal sectionAdd multiple assignmentsSort students by first name, last name, or grade

* Data analysis such as charts and progress monitoring available for $5.99

• Add multiple classes, periods, or groups that you can choose from

• Easy to add students

Three tabs separate the three main usesAttendance (Green)• Allows you to take attendance with one tap• Able to mark present, absent, and tardySeating Charts (Purple)• Allows you to create seating charts that are easy to change • Ability to move students anywhere makes all seating

arrangements recordableRecord Observations (Blue)• Allows positive (green) and negative (red) behavioral

observations • Ability to add notes to each observation to record specific

incidents and details• Able to “Take a Note” on student to record things like data

scores, schedule reminders, parent information, preferred rewards, etc.

Chartkeeper

Post Incident Learning- Positive Behavior Strategies

• Designed to teach individuals to control their own behavior

• Can be used independently or with support

• Can be personalized to individual’s communication needs

How can it be used?

• Teaches self regulation

• Can help variety of student behaviors and how to manage them

– Aggression

– Social skill deficits

– Anxiety

It’s Focus Time

• Self help and mind management tool to help students:

– Focus Time

– Manage tasks more efficiently

• Sets daily targets and monitors progress

• Customize sessions and breaks

How can it be used?

• Recommended for anyone struggling with concentration and self regulation

– Students with ADD/ADHD

• Can be used for specific learning tasks difficult to sustain concentration and attention

– studying, reading, writing, taking a test, brainstorming, creating something, etc.

Self-Regulation Training Board

• Designed to help students learn and practice emotions in healthy ways

• Targets physical, emotional, and cognitive regulation

• Individualized plan:

– Recognize signs

– Label emotions

– Choose a healthy plan of action

The Planner Guide

• An organizational and reference system for people with social and cognitive challenges.

• Helps individuals become less prompt dependent, think for themselves, and build self-esteem!

• Can be used with readers and non-readers.

• Uses text and age-appropriate graphics.

• Includes 135 reference guides that provide information on what to expect or how to do a task in various areas such as: communication, relationships, community, home, school, interdependence, self-advocacy, etc.

Sequential Spelling

• Approach to Multi-sensory instruction• No memorization of any kind is needed• Repetition and the use of rimes emphasize patterns related

in specific ways to the sound of a word.• As students work their way through a series of related

words using the same rimes, those rimes begin to have meaning both as writing AND as sound.

• Mistakes are welcomed and expected • Teachers are notified when students complete a lesson and

words they are struggling with through email.• Promotes independence for students, but can be modified

for any level of learning.

Worksheet Wizard Lite

• Children are able to respond to text based questions without the need to write.

• Educators and parents have the ability to change, modify, and create their own text and picture based worksheets.

• The skills can be easily generalized to a classroom and paper worksheets.

• It is customizable for each student and provides the opportunity to collect data for up to five students at a time.

Your Thoughts:Advantages vs. Disadvantages