Early Childhood Special Education and Assistive Technology Blog

By: Chelsea Emery, EC-SEAT Scholar Children with hearing and vision impairments have many barriers in the classroom and accessing learning materials that other students may use. Barriers to access could be children left out of activities because of their disability, misunderstanding, not learning specific content because it was inaccessible to them. But now with the iPad we have apps that better accommodate children’s needs in and out of the classroom despite their disabilities. Many apps support exceptionalities that enhance children's learning and provide: Access to academic information for individuals with hearing impairments by adjusting the sound levels and using embedded utilities such as VoiceOver.  Written directions and picture visuals to support understanding of academic information.  Two apps to consider: Photo Translator: This first app is for vision impairment. It allows individuals to identify specific objects. This app overcomes ...

By: Chelsea Emery , EC-SEAT Scholar  Technology is great. These are two great application for emergent literacy I found while taking an OT assistive technology class this winter! They are free and easily accessible. In each they describe what the application is for and what areas of learning it supports! Enjoy! Partners in Rhyme It is a free app that is about learning rhymes of words. This is a great tool for emergent learners to have because rhyming supports spelling, reading and phonics. This app has lots of games for practicing rhymes including matching games, memory games, either/or, yes/no, and pictures. If the child doesn't know what the picture is displaying they can click on the picture and it says the word. This way the child is getting visual, auditory, and sensory input. The pictures of this app show the matching and memory game of the rhymes. The app allows for many ways of learning the rhyming subject. They give options of activities to practice the work ...

Finger Paint with Sounds  is a simple app inviting young children to “practice their first interactions with a touch screen.” There are small “paint pots” on the edges of the screen. You are asked if you want to paint with sounds, music, or no sound. When the you runs your finger across the screen noises or music plays along with a colorful doodle. There is not much more to it than that. This app is appropriate for young children because it supports cause and effect learning and becomes more appropriate when an adult engages with the child while they explore. Children can practice  Finger Paint with Sounds Screenshot Monster Chorus  is FREE and fun! This game has great cause and effect application for young children. When you open the app a row of colorful little monsters sing a harmonized chorus waiting for little and big fingers to create music. Try it with preschoolers or toddlers. When you press each monster they open their mouths and sing. You can play well-...

By: Carrie Portrie , M.Ed, EC-SEAT Coordinator When choosing apps to support young children with communication, social, and academic skills adults need to be intentional. There are many apps available for young children that parents, early education and care providers may use with children. Adults caring for young children and providing supports that include touch technology and app selection can consider some of the following steps and questions. Do research Who is the developer? What is their background and experience?  Is the app age appropriate? What is the cost? Determine the purpose What functional capabilities are being supported if a child uses this app? (ex. language, communication, mobility, social or emotional, cognitive) How will this app promote access and participation for the child in their learning? Talk to the family (if the app is selected in a school, care, or intervention setting)  What are their technology preferences/use and the child's...

FunTime Timer by: CondigoDelSur (FREE) - (review by Carrie Portrie, EC-SEAT Project Coordinator). The fun time timer is a simple and free app. This timer can be used with children who struggle with time limits for certain tasks and need visual and audible cues. Examples include playtime or clean up. This app supports self-regulation and has three visual representations of time. There is a snail making its way across the screen at the bottom, a tree that loses its leaves, and a circle with numbers counting down the time going from red to white. Time can be selected from 10 seconds to 1 hour. When the time is up balloons fly in the air and voices cheer. The visuals and simplicity seems appealing for young children and adults can select time easily, and there are no ads or distracting pop ups. Telling Time App (FREE)  - (review provided by Kerri Hughes, EC-SEAT Scholar, certified special educator.) The Telling Time app is simple to use and has a variety of settings. It is a great a...

By: Laura Kazmierczak , EC-SEAT scholar As part of my ongoing professional development, I provided the teachers, faculty, and staff of a public preschool program serving children with and without disabilities with a workshop on how to evaluate educational apps and websites for use with students in the classroom. Each attendee was given the evaluation rubric I had created based on chosen criteria. The criteria was chosen and compiled based on my research, reading, and online webinar attendance—each applicable to the success of student learning and positive outcomes. The evaluation rubric provides a comprehensive set of criteria to be used when considering apps and websites for education. During my workshop I was able to walk through the rubric and demonstrate how to utilize the tool for evaluating apps usefulness or scaffolding required etc. The listed criteria and prompting questions allow users to quickly use and evaluate apps. The documents transferability enables me to share my tool...