Appendix 1: Noah’s iPad Story So FarMy son Noah has had his iPad for about 4 months. He is now two and half years old. He has moderate Cerebral Palsy that affects both his lower body (i.e., he does not walk yet) and upper body, arms, hands and trunk. So, for those of you who are playing the home

game, fine motor, language and cognitive development are all areas where wewere looking for improvement.

Four months ago Noah was diagnosed by a developmental specialist asbeing at least 12 months behindin hislanguage, cognitive development and fine motor skills. Very recently, we did ourannual evaluation with Early Childhood Development (see definition below) and their evaluation has him on par in thecategories of language and cognitive development andmuch further ahead than previously thoughtfor fine motor. Not all evaluations are equal, but in 4 months we have gained 12 months’ worth of advancement. While all of this is due to Noah’s efforts, we, his parents, believe that the iPad has been one of the primary ingredientsin unlocking his potential. There is no doubt in our minds that without the iPad, Noah would not have made the progress we have seen.

When we introduced theiPad to Noah, he thought it was a neat toy, something flashing, but hard to use because of his Cerebral Palsy. It quickly moved into the realm of interesting, challenging and informative. Now he uses it 1 to 2 hours a day, as a tool to draw, play music, and learn.

What Noah has learned in four months using the iPadNoah has learned all of his colors -primary and secondary. He can verballydistinguish between two of the same objects of different colors and select theobject in the color requested. He can select different colors and drawin his coloring books.

He can count to 20 independently and count objects to 15. He can do a memory game that is as high as 5 x 6 tiles by himself.

He has learned theentire alphabet and can select every letter correctly in a field of 6 different letters. He has started to identify short words based on the first letter of the word and is now moving onto phonics.

He can also play basic notes on his music devices. We have also learned he likes puzzles and games.

In the beginning, he was unable to start anapplication, turn on the device, navigate from app to app, change sound levels,or turnthe iPadoff. He now knows how to do all of these things, and when he runs into any issues, he now verbally asks for help. We believe this be a direct result of his desire to keep playing with the iPad.

How it startedIt all started with a comment made by his ECI Development Specialist and coordinator (ECIis Early Childhood Intervention. Most states have a similar program; in ours, we are assigned a development specialist that quarterbacks the child’s various services run by the state.). She said,” You know, Noah would likely respond very well to an iPad.” I like technology, so that was all I needed to hear –Icanbuy some really cool tech for my kids, I’m there. I did not really know much about it, but I figured the larger format, the games, music, andvideos at the very least would be a good media device for Noah.

In short order, I had a new iPad, with case and screen protector ready, it was registered, I had logged it into our Wi-Fi network, setup the iTunes account and it was all ready to go. Now what?

iPad SetupLooking back, there are three major steps in setting up the iPad. First, you need to buy it and get it running, both the hardware (case, protector, device) and the account (app store). Second, you need to figure out how to use it. It is a very simple device to use, but there is a way it works that is unique to Apple and you need to be familiar with that. For example, turning it on andoff, how to launch an application (app for short), download andorganize the various apps, switch from app to app and page to page, etc. You get the idea. This process is one both you and your child will go through. The third and last step is selecting and installing theapplications and games that are appropriate for your child and that willhelp them.

Selecting the AppOnce you setup the iPad and learn how it works, the real work is researching the apps. This is an ongoing process. The first set of apps needs to accomplish two goals: be interesting and fun enough to getyour child’sattention, but also be simple enough to use without getting frustrated. In other words, fun enough to play and easy enough to help him or her learn to usethe iPad. In my mind, apps fall intoone of three categories: core developmental, music, and drawing. So Isearched for some really basic apps and found Toddler Teasers (shapes and colors), a Music creation app calledBeatwave and a very simple drawing program. I also started with an app called Bubbles.

Start with the most basic of appsThe app that started theintroduction processwas Bubbles. This app can be used by any level of user as long as they can tap (touch, slap, poke) the screen. Tap once andthe appcreates a bubble that floats across the screen. Tap on the bubble and it pops. Tap somewhere else and more bubbles are created. Very simple. This is great app; the act of creating bubbles and popping them is great in real life and is no different in digital form except you can’t eat them. Every oncein a while,I see my son and daughter both trying to lick the screen, but that does not work. This app is also good to introduce very young children to the iPad. My daughter is9 months old and enjoys using it as well.

The great thing about this app for Noah is that is fun and easy. It got him to interact very easily with the iPad. When we started, he thought the iPad was cool looking, it tasted great, you could chew on it, but he did not realize there was a whole world of things to do on it. Bubbles gave him a start and was fun and easy, sparking more interest. At this point, he did not know how to navigate from app to app or turn the device on or off. We would sit together and just play Bubbles.

Next Set of appsColors and shapes were the next logical choice. We started with two Toddler Teaser apps (first color, then shapes). The format for these appsis tostart with being asked to selectone of three items. As you get correct answers, you will move to 1 of 4, then 1 of 6, so it builds upon success. When you get an answer right, you get verbal congratulations, like “yay” or “you are correct” and lots of clapping. Get an answer incorrect, and you get very nice “try again” and thenanother requestto find theshape or color sought. Four correct answers and your child gets to pick a sticker and put it on a page, then back to the game. There are about a dozen Toddler Teaser apps, ranging from colors to letters, numbers, food, andanimals. From there, we moved onto numbers and letters, then tofood and animals, transportation,etc.

Navigation and DiscoveryRoughly a month after he started using the iPad,Noah learned both how to turn the iPad on and unlock the screen, as well as how to navigate from one app to another. This meant that when he got bored or wanted to change apps he could do so all by himself. This was a big step for him and for us. If he was bored or wanted something he did not need us right there. It also meant that he could explore applications on his own. I often will find appsthat I think he will like now and ones that I think he will like when he is a little more advanced. For example, I downloaded the numbers and letters apps at the same time, knowing he was ready for numbers, but not quite ready for letters. I then show him both apps, when he is curious and because he can navigate, I will often find him exploring things that are more advanced. When the app becomes too difficult or loses his attention, he will then navigate somewhere else.

Now after 4 monthsNoah spends a few hours a day with his iPad between school and home. He is not much into TV or videos, so he will play on the iPad while the rest of us watch TV (yep, my9 month old likes TV, the more explosions and noises the better, but that is a different story). The iPad is not only a learning tool, but also a toy. He is getting more into drawing both in the physical and digital worlds. We are using a lot of flash card programs to expose him to more things for basic item identification as well as more complex phrases with object attributes and object relationships. I want to introduce more music and drawing-related items. We have downloaded a lot of his music CD (he like the CDs) but in his mind music comes from the CD player and the iPad is more for other things. He likes pictures, so it would be nice for the iPad to have a camera. I can see him taking pictures and playing with them.

Other random notes:We are on our third screen protector for the iPad. I am not only good a putting them on now, I am also happy I got them on there early. The screen would not been able to handle the damage without it. We also clean the thing constantly-you have to remove it from its cover and clean both of them. I swear he uses the device as a placemat. There is food, drool, and lots of other stuff caked on it all of the time. He is really attached to it and it can be emotional when he wants it, so we have some rules around its use. We don’t let him use it at the table during meals. We don’t let him bring it in during bath time. And we finally learned you need to let the iPad go “Night Night,” otherwise he will stay up late continuing to play with it.

While Noah himself is the primary reason for the development we’ve witnessed, the iPad has been a great tool to bring the world to him in ways that would be very difficult to do physically.

Appendix 2:

USING IPAD TO TEACH VERBS AND TENSES

In addition to traditional speech or language therapy materials such as flash cards, toys, or books, speech and language pathologists, parents, and educators can help children master English verbs and their tenses by using iPad apps. Verbs News, an iPad app developed by Virtual Speech Center for speech/language therapy, is an example of how technology can enhance the learning process. Verbs News not only provides the users with thousands of flashcards to practice both regular and irregular verbs in the simple present, present continuous, simple past, and simple future tenses, but allows children to practice verbs or tenses by utilizing the video-recording capabilities of the iPad. The theme of this iPad app for speech/language therapy is the newsroom: users can record their own “news” and watch it in the newsroom as a reward or as a carry-over activity to practice verbs and tenses. Below, you will find different lesson plans that target verbs using some of the features of the Verbs News speech/language therapy app.

Lesson #1 – Act out the verbs

Using the video-recording feature (*HIPPA compliant) “My News” (either before or after drilling with flashcards), the speech pathologist or the instructor will video record the child (for up to 60 seconds) performing different actions as directed by the instructor, e.g., “jump, wave, close your eyes, dance, nod your head,” etc. During the recording, the instructor will ask questions in present continuous tense to practice, e.g., “What are you doing right now?” The child may then reply, “I am dancing right now.”

Once the recoding is completed, the instructor (or speech pathologist or parent) and the child can view the recording in the newsroom, and the instructor may ask the child, “What did you do?” to practice the past tense. The video recording can be paused after each acted-out verb.

This feature can also be used to practice the simple future tense. Just before the child acts out different verbs, a speech and language pathologist can ask questions in simple future tense to practice this tense, e.g., “What will you do in a moment?” The child may then reply, “I will jump.”

Lesson # 2 – Interview in the newsroom to practice different tenses

Using the video-recording feature of “My News,” the speech pathologist or instructor can video record the child in the interview format that may then be watched in the newsroom. For example, to practice the simple present tense, the speech pathologist will ask the child different questions regarding what the child usually does, e.g., “What do you usually do when you get back home from school?” or “What does your family do for Thanksgiving?”

The interview can also be used to practice the past or future tenses, e.g., “Tell me what you did last summer?” or “What will you do next summer?”

Lesson # 3 – Practicing questions in different tenses

Using the video-recording feature of “My News,” the child can practice asking questions in different tenses by interviewing his or her speech pathologist or instructor and asking different questions in the simple present, present continuous, simple past, and simple future tenses, e.g., “Mrs. Smith, where did you go last summer?” or “Mrs. Smith, what do you usually do during spring break?”

Lesson # 4 – Practicing verbs in different tenses using flashcards

Using the Verbs News iPad app for speech/language therapy, the child can practice over 190 verbs receptively and expressively with photos in three different activity types.

-          During the Auditory Bombardment activity, the child can listen to verb productions in the chosen tense. Here, a speech and language pathologist can have a teaching moment before proceeding to the next activity type.

-          During the Fill-in activity, the child will be presented with flashcards accompanied by printed textual statements with a blank for the verb that needs to be inserted. For example, “He ___ yesterday.” The child will listen to three options and choose the one that is appropriate.

-          During the Say It activity, the child will be presented with flashcards, and the speech pathologist will ask questions, e.g., “What is the boy doing right now?” The verbal response

of the child will be recorded utilizing the audio-recording feature of this app to self-monitor and correct.

NOTE: *To comply with HIPAA standards and to protect the privacy of others, this app does not allow the user to save the video recordings. The user can only view and replay the video immediately after recording.

Appendix 3: Qualitative screeners and tools available for assessment of speech and language skills using your iPad:

1. Sunny Articulation and Phonology Test: One of a kind test, which I happen to have envisioned and developed. It assesses articulation and phonology skills and generates a report immediately after the assessment.

2. Profile of Phonological Awareness: Developed by a Canadian SLP, this application is a tool for assessing phonological awareness skills such as segmenting sounds, blending, etc. A report is generated and scores can be compared against other students in the same classroom.

3. Common Core Early Language Screener: A newly released app based on common core standards for kindergarteners. It can be used with preschools and kindergarteners.

4. Receptive Language Assessment

5. Dysfluency Index Counter: A counter for number and types of disfluencies in a sample.

6. Bilingual Articulation & Phonology Assessment: Assessment of English and Spanish Articulation and Phonological skills.

7. Peter and the Cat Narrative Assessment: This app assesses narrative skills in children from 5 to 9 years old.

Appendix 4: Sample Starter Kit

Leo's iPad Apps for Kids With Autism Starter Kit

photo (c) 2010 Kelly Nicolaisen

This post is for the wonderful parents, educators, family members, and professionals who ask me, "What are the best apps for kids with autism?"

We all know that each child with autism has unique needs -- but if Apple's iPad fairies were to bring Leo a brand new blank iPad, the apps below are the ones I'd stock it with. (Note: I've written about most of these apps before, but not as a collection.)

Leo's iPad Apps for Kids With Autism Starter Kit

Expanded descriptions below

Stories2Learn - $13.99 - Create custom social stories, using your own photos, text, and voiceover

iCommunicate - $29.99 - An AAC app: create icons with custom text, audio, and voice-over, incorporate them into storyboards.

First-Then Visual Schedule** - $9.99 - Create digital visual schedules with several format options

Look in My Eyes - $2.99 - Motivate your child to look people in the eyes iEarnedThat - $1.99 - A puzzle-based reward system that uses custom

images

ShapeBuilder - $.99 - An errorless learning puzzle game Whizzit 1-2-3 - $.99 - Practice 1:1 correspondence/counting, with fun

balloon-popping breaks FirstWords* - $4.99 - Spelling in an error-free environment, reading iWriteWords* - $2.99 - Guided handwriting with a really fun, reinforcing

interface FruitMemory - $.99 - Concentration, turn taking, scalable, fun, cute! Supernova - $.99 - Practicing iPad pinch-and-expand motions DrawFree - $ Free - Magnadoodle-like simple drawing app DrawWithStars - $.99 - Animated drawing and methodical erasing app Faces iMake* - $1.99 - Fun, free-form collage making TappyTunes* ** - $1.99 - Tap out your favorite songs (note: text-based

interface) Fruit Ninja - $6.49 - Because my boy deserves to play! Fun, very simple

swipe-based interface

*Free "Lite" trial versions available. ** Works with iPhone/iPod Touch, may not be compatible with iOS 4.2. Please check before purchasing.

Stories2LearnSocial stories help Leo with new transitions, situations, and reinforces challenging routines. I can make a social story in about fifteen minutes, once the pictures are loaded on the iPad. The interface is easy for Leo to use and he loves seeing stories about himself:

iCommunicateLeo enjoys making his own icons and doing the voiceover for them; seeing those same icons used in scheduling storyboards is reassuring for him. iCommunicate is very much Leo's speed; since he speaks "fluent requesting," we have not spent as much time with the more category-driven AAC (Augmentive and Alternative Communication Strategies) apps like Proloquo2Go (though I'm exploring P2Go), iComm, AutoVerbal, TapToTalk, and MyTalk.

First-Then Visual ScheduleA digital visual schedule instead of spending hours printing, laminating, cutting, veclro-ing? Yes please. Though I am hoping for a more category-driven interface in future versions.

Look in My Eyes Recommended by Danielle Samson, an SLP at Leo's school. Numbers flash on models' pupils, then your child identifies those numbers from a field of nine. Bonus: Leo thinks it's fun. The goal is to support connected gazes.

iEarnedThatUse your own pictures to make puzzle-based goal charts. Leo doesn't quite get the goal part, but he loves putting the tap-based puzzles together -- the more puzzle pieces (you set the number) the better.

ShapeBuilderLeo's current go-to app. Drag puzzle pieces to make a shape, which then turns into a picture -- and you get cheers! The app sucks in your pieces if you get close enough, so it's easy to succeed. Visual memory kids like Leo, who can match puzzle pieces to shapes, can become real speed demons with this app.

Whizzit 1-2-3Just a really great, simple, straighforward 1:1 correspondence and counting game. Fun interface, goes up to 20, Leo loves the balloon-popping interludes every three or four sessions.

FirstWordsAnotherLeo favorite [video]. Drag letters into slots to form words. Each letter is called out as it falls in place. Then the word is read aloud. You can't put a letter in the wrong slot, which is really helpful for Leo since he's still learning to sight read.

iWriteWordsHandwriting and spelling in one well-designed, intuitive app. The user can choose to practice on words or letters, in uppercase or lowercase. I love this for Leo because he can't go outside the "lines" [video] -- he's guided to form letter shapes correctly, and then words are spelled using the letters he just wrote.

FruitMemoryA Concentration/matching app, which is great for Leo as he's got that stereotypical autism keen visual memory. While Leo enjoys Concentration apps such as AnimalMemory ($ free!) and Jirbo Match ($4.99), I like Fruit Memory the best because of the multi-player option that helps him learn turn-taking, and lets us play the game with him. Bonus: super-nifty design.

SupernovaAn ambient app that lets Leo focus on expanding and contracting a celestial cloud -- while practicing the pinch/unpinchiPad fine motor skills movement that kids like Leo find challenging.

DrawWithStarsLeo likes drawing lines with this app's musical spinning stars [video] -- they're motivating. And then he gets to indulge his OCD tendencies by methodically retracing his steps and making the starts spin off screen -- an exercise in manual precision that is also good for honing fine motor skills.

DrawFree

A very simple, free drawing app -- perfect for a boy like Leo

who finds it much easier to draw with his finger than with a pencil, crayon, or stylus. His creations are too much fun -- we've never had unprompted goodies like this square guy before, not outside the iPad. You can also import photos and draw on them, which Leo thinks is hilarious.

Faces iMakeA whimsical collage app and free-form creativity unleasher. I was worried that the interface would be too complicated for Leo, but he skips between options with ease [video].

TappyTunesLeo loves music and sings all day long, but at the moment he's not quite ready for independent extended sequences or instruments. TappyTunes plays Leo's favorite tunes automatically -- but he controls their rhythm and tempo, demonstrating how well he knows these songs! The only drawback is the text-based interface -- I have to help him select songs since he's working on his reading.

Fruit NinjaLeo is sitting next to me right now, playing this quick-draw fruit-slicing app (he prefers the bomb-free "Zen" mode). His choice. 'Nuff said.

---- Additional Resources:

An extensive survey by @esailers at SLPSharing.com: iPad Apps and Accessories for Special Needs

And because I've been asked about Android apps as well: http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/autism/by_matchin

Appendix 5: What’s on my iPad?

Company General Overview Price RangeSmarty Ears Articulation and Phonology

Oral Motor SkillsAssessments/ScreenersAACFluencyGrammarSemantics/CategorisartionHigher order thinking skillsWh- QuestionsReading Comprehension

Free - $39.99

Super Duper Inc. VocabularySocial SkillsCritical ThinkingGrammarQuestion and Answer SkillsStory Telling

Free - $4.99

My First App Non-verbal SortingCategorising/SubcategorisingObject AssociationPart/whole relationshipsEmerging Pretend PlayReasoningVisual DiscriminationVisual Perception

Autism and PDD Yes/NoConceptsSemantics (Categories, Opposites, Associations)GrammarQuestionsReasoning/Problem Solving

Free - $9.99

Toddler Teasers Academics (Shapes, Letters, Numbers, Colours) Free - $3.99

Alligator Apps Vocabulary (customizable)Sound AssociationReading

Appendix 6:

What’s in the market?

iPhone and iPad Apps To Help Develop Vocabulary:

App Name Appropriate Age Description Benefits of the AppClean Up: Category Sorting (free)

Any Game Helps children make associations and strengthen categories and sorting skills

Preschool memory match (free)

3-5 3 different levels (easy, medium, hard) and 5

categories to choose from including: Transportation,

Musical Instruments, Animals/Bugs, Food, and

Objects

Good for very basic vocabulary. Just a basic memory game.

Mini reward follows the end of each game.

ABA Flashcards (free)

2+ Flash cards are specifically created to stimulate learning

and provide tools and strategies for creative,

effective language building.

Benefits to both visual and auditory learners. There is classical music with visual

reinforcement built in to the app. Great tool for promoting

the mastery of new words, building vocabulary and conveying new concepts.

Animal Fun (free) Any Animal learning program. Children learn about animals

by seeing and hearing the sounds an animal makes.

Help builds vocabulary

iPhone and iPad Apps To Help Develop Articulation:

App Name Appropriate Age Description Benefits of the AppAll About SoundsInitial Position Words LITE (free)

All ages Children are able to practice saying sounds in the initial

position of words while playing a picture matching

game.• Lesson Mode: Touch the card and name the picture

then touch the picture to hear the word. Now try and find

its match.• Free Play: Touch the cards

to find a match and when you do try and name the picture. Now touch the

Great way for children to practice sounds they’re working

on in therapy at home.

picture to hear the word.Sounds in final position

and medial position are coming soon!

PocketSLP Articulation (29.99)

All ages Flashcards targeting both the word and sentence

levels .Pocket SLP offers 29 phoneme selections.

Real time scoring occurs as the Correct, Incorrect, or

Approximate buttons are selected

iPhone and iPad Apps To Help Develop Pragmatics:

App Name Appropriate Age Description Benefits of the AppSocial Skills (1.99) School aged Six social narratives (2

different levels). Targeted instruction in the following areas: Joint attention, non-

verbal communication, greetings, structured game

play, turn taking, classroom rules and imitation

Stories were designed to help improve social language skills.

The content can be modified – can add different photos, text

and/or audio.

Everyday Social Skills (.99)

Any Provides easy-to-understand information that allows users to become more capable of

functioning independently at work, at home, and in the

community through videos

Designed to teach and reinforce basic social skills critical for

independent living.

Autism Xpress (free)

Any Different emotions or states are illustrated using cartoon

images.

Designed to encourage people with autism to recognize and

express their emotions

iPhone and iPad Apps To Help Develop Language:

App Name Appropriate Age Description Benefits of the AppABA Flashcards cont. (free)

What Rhymes

What Does Not Belong

Which Go Together

Preschool + many different combinations of easy

rhymes child is shown 4

images per page, and asked which one does not belong

child is shown 4 images per page and

asked which two items belong

together

Improve problem solving skills, such as discrimination and

reasoning skills

Toy Story Read-Along (free)

All ages Interactive reading experience, which also

Great for building both expressive and receptive

includes games, movie clips, coloring pages, ding-along

tunes, and surprises on every page. You can hear the story read aloud, record your own narration, or explore at your

own pace.

language skills. Can target vocabulary development as well. You can also work on narrative/story telling skills.

Once Upon an App – Humpty Dumpty (free)

3+ View the story with music, then help put Humpty back together again by touching the screen and shaking the

device.

Can work on reading comprehension as well as developing vocabulary.

Build a storyiPad Only (3.99)

All ages Has 9 themes to start from and kids can create their own story. It includes characters to add to the story, speech bubbles, and accessories to add to the pages. Can save the story and access it later.

Good for developing/improving narrative skills. Could also be used for basic concepts as well

(i.e. move characters and pictures around on the page).

iTouchiLearn Musical Morning Routines (free)

Toddlers and Preschool Kids

Morning routines are played in sequential order followed

by interactive activities. Games included to reinforce

morning routines

Helps create excitement about an unfamiliar routine and aids in the learning of a new routine

Can also assist with transition difficulties

Who am I? (free) Preschool and Up Animal trivia; child is given 4-5 clues about an animal

This app targets the relationship between objects and features.

Children begin to learn the various features of different

animals123 Domino (free) 2+ Logical game of 3 side

dominosHelps teach colors, color

matching, shapes and shape matching

Miscellaneous:

App Name Appropriate Age Description Benefits of the AppTalking Tomcat (free)

All ages Responds to your touch and repeats everything you say

with a funny voice. You can pet him, poke and even grab

his tail.

Good for reinforcement