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Watch the power of making all those inaccessible documents...accessible. Watch on Youtube: Jaws 16 OCR

Hundreds of lessons to go with talking software at: yourtechvision.com

Apps for all types of disabilities or challenges of any age

Apps for all types of disabilities or challenges of any age

Information from: “Appy” Transition to Adulthood
Maria Kelley, OTR/L, ATP
Gaby de Jongh
Washington Assistive Technology Act Program (WATAP)
800 214-8731
watap.org
watap@uw.edu

Resources for Disability Apps
AppCrawlr-search site
*        http://appcrawlr.com/ios-apps/best-apps-functional-groups
*        Autism Speaks
*        http://www.autismspeaks.org/autism-apps
*        BridgingApps–IsignioApp Tool
*        http://bridgingapps.org/
*        Daily App Show –blog with app reviews
*        http://dailyappshow.com/
*        Georgia Tools for Life –search database
*        http://www.gatfl.org/favorite-search.php
*        iTunes -App store
*        Special Education Section
*        Smart Apps for Kids
*        http://www.smartappsforkids.com/
*        Sign up for email notifications when apps are on sale
*        OT’s with Apps –blog with app reviews
*        http://otswithapps.com/
*        You Tube –demos of apps
*        http://www.youtube.com/

iDressfor Weather
*        Customizable closet
*        Customizable temp range
*        Location based
*        $1.99

Check
*        See all your bills & accounts in one centralized place
*        Get reminders when bills are due
*        Pay on the spot and schedule bill payments for free
*        Receive alerts when funds are low or credit limits are near
*        Free

Money Counter Calculator
*        Enter amount of coins and dollars and total is provided
*        iPad only
*        Free

LookTel Money Reader
*        Uses camera
*        Speaks out loud
*        Do not need to hold bill steady or in entire frame
*        Supports US dollar, Australian Dollar, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, Euro, Japanese Yen, Mexican Peso, Indian Rupee, New Zeland Dollar, Russian Ruble, others
*        $9.99

Shopping List Generator
*        Pictorial shopping list
*        Customize different lists for different users with pictures on camera roll
*        Add your own items and categories
*        Assign item prices
*        Assign item locations (i.e. -aisle numbers)
*        Several accessibility options
*        text-to-speech
*        uses large easy-to-see images
*        item prices automatically totaled
*        $4.99

FaceDialVisual Dialer
*        Call/text/email your favorites contacts, with buttons showing their photo
*        See all your favorite contacts faces in one or several screens
*        Call/text/email them with a single touch
*        Free

SpeechTrans
*        Translates both voice and text based communication
*        Supports multiple languages
*        Video chat
*        Text
*        $9.99

BlindSquare
*        Uses GPS and the compass to locate you
*        Gathers information about the surrounding environment from FourSquare and Open Street Map
*        Has unique algorithms to decide what information is the most relevant and then speaks it to you with high quality speech synthesis
*        $23.99

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock
•Tracks your sleep patterns
•Uses iPhone accelerometer to track how often you move at night
•Set an alarm range
•Woken up gradually when you are in like sleep
•Feel refreshed and energized
•$2.99

Apps for Note taking
Dragon Dictation
*        Voice Recognition
*        Dictate notes, emails, Twitter, and Facebook
*        Supports many languages
*        Convenient editing feature that provides a list of suggested words
*        Voice driven correction interface
*        Free

AudioNote
*        Records your notes, meetings or lectures
*        Can take notes by typing, stylus, or drawing
*        Time stamps so you can go directly to where you want to hear
*        Highlights notes when read back
*        $4.99

Noteability
*        Full-featured Handwriting
*        PDF Annotation
*        Advanced Word Processing
*        Linked Audio Recording
*        Auto-sync with iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive
*        Library Organization
*        $2.99

Apps for Reading & Writing

Reading: Learning AllyAudible
Learning Ally
*        DAISY format
*        Over 75,000 audiobooks
*        Membership required
Audible
*        Over 100,000 titles
*        Works on Android, Apple, and Windows
*        $14.95 per month

Reading: WebReader
*        Text to speech technology for reading web page content
*        Web pages can be read as soon as they are loaded or use Cut, Copy, & Paste to read only sections of webpage
*        Highlights as it reads text
*        Speaking rate control available
*        $1.99

Reading & Writing: ClaroSpeakUS
*        Text-to-Speech
*        Import documents and PDFs into ClaroSpeak from apps such as Mail, or import PDF, Word, Pages and other files directly from Dropbox using
*        Change font and color
*        Save text as an audio file
*        Visual Tracking
*        Send Text
*        $0.99

Reading & Writing: iReadWrite
*        Text-to-speech
*        Word Prediction
*        Phonetic Spell Checker
*        Homophone and Confusables Checker
*        Picture Dictionary
*        Customizable Background and Text Colors
*        Choice of Voices and Fonts
*        Importing and Sharing documents
*        $19.99

Reading &Writing: iWordQ
*        Writing
*        In-context word prediction
*        Access to iPad dictionary
*        Text-to-speech feedback
*        Simple Text Editor
*        Reading
*        Read out loud
*        Advanced proofreading
*        $24.99

Writing: Inspiration Maps
*        Brainstorm new ideas and capture insights
*        Organize thoughts and topics for writing
*        Understand cause and effect
*        Analyze information
*        Organize projects
*        Take notes
*        Study for exams
*        $9.99

Apps for Organization/Memory

iHomework
*        Keep up-to-date with your school work, grades, to-do's, teacher's information
*        School organizer that can be with you anywhere you go, whether that be on your iPhone/iPod touch, iPad, or Mac
*        $1.99

Key Ring
*        One Place to store all reward cards
*        Organized
*        Android & Apple version
*        Free

MyMedSchedule
•Keep track of medication
•Reminders
•Refill Reminders
•Healthcare Provider Profiles
•Insurance Information
•Allergies
•Works across Platforms
•Free

VoCalVoice Reminders
*        Uses tones or recorded voices
*        Echo feature
*        Email reminders to friends or family
*        Calendar synching to iCal
*        $0.99

Picture Scheduler
*        Create visual tasks with attached audio, video or picture
*        Tasks can have alarms
*        Alarms can be repeated daily, weekly, monthly or you can select specific weekdays
*        Tasks can be organized into categories with a picture
*        Can hide task and reveal later
*        $2.99

Apps for Communication

Speak it!
*        Easy to use interface: enter the text you want to say, and press the “Speak it! Button
*        Four high quality voices are included: American Male, American Female, British Male, British Female
*        Highlights words as they are spoken
*        Ability to create audio files and email them
*        Save as many phrases as you would like, and easily repeat them later
*        Localized for French, Italian, German, and Spanish
*        $1.99

Locabulary
*        Uses GPS to track user location and suggests appropriate vocabulary based on location
*        ie: McDonald’;s starbucks
*        A keyboard to type for text-to-speech
*        User can tag their own locations and create vocabulary for each location
*        Lite version free
*        Pro version $130

GoTalk NOW
*        Adjustable page layouts
*        Customizable navigation
*        Recorded and text-to-speech capabilities
*        Included symbol set
*        $79.99 (free version available)

Rocket Keys
*        Sentence Prediction to help support social conversations
*        Create your own keyboard
*        Stabilization feature for users with tremors
*        $160

Proloquo2Go
*        Symbol-supported
*        Text to speech
*        Word prediction
*        Phrase prediction
*        Natural voices
*        Expanding vocabulary
*        Switch scanning access
*        Send email, messages, tweets and Facebook posts
*        $219.99

Apps for Navigation & Location

Around Me
*        Identifies where you are
*        Lists what is around you
*        View route from where you are
*        Add information to contact list
*        Free

Four Square
*        Check in to remember and share the places you visit
*        Search for anything (from 'free wi-fi' to ‘nachos’) or browse food, nightlife, and more
*        Get directions, hours, menus, photos, and tips and tens of millions of places
*        Free

Find my Kids ~ Footprints
*        Tracks movement throughout the day and logs waypoints without user intervention
*        Parental control feature allows for sharing locations at all times, without a disabling option
*        Geofence and movement notifications can alert you when someone moves or crosses a fenced area
*        Speeding notifications can alert parents when their teenagers go over the speed limit
*        Free

Apps for Sensory Needs

ZoomReader
*        OCR scan
*        Voice control of some features
*        Read back in a natural voice
*        Customizable
*        Highlight colors
*        Synthesizer
*        Text size
*        Speech rate
*        Low vision users
*        $19.99

EyeSight
*        EyeSight allows to magnify any printed material up to 12X
*        Toggle through 6 distinct color-contrast combinations
*        Becomes the equivalent of a CCTV
*        $29.99

Vision Assist
*        Electronic video magnifier
*        Zoom image up to 20x
*        Can freeze image and pan in
*        Autofocus
*        Optimized for Retina Display
*        Utilizes camera flash
*        $5.99

TapTapSee
*        Designed to help blind and visually impaired identify objects
*        Aim camera at an item then double tap the screen
*        Hear the app speak the identification
*        Free

Clear Captions
*        Adds captions to the phones you already have
*        Displays captions of your phone calls
*        Only you see the captions for your call
*        Requires WiFi
*        Free
*        Does require a one time fee to set up

Hamilton CapTel
*        Listen to phone conversations while reading word-for-word captions
*        Requires simultaneous voice and data plans, or WiFi
*        Free

IP-Relay
*        Enables people who are deaf or hard of hearing to use an iPhone or iPod Touch to quickly and easily call people who are hearing
*        You type your side conversation, certified IP-Relay operator receives it and voices everything you type to the hearing person
*        Free

Skype
*        Useful for sign language communicators
*        Send text and SMS
*        Works on 3G and WiFi
*        Free

iHear
*        Sound Amplifier
*        Must use basic headphones
*        $0.99

Apps for Emergency Preparedness

ICE(In Case of Emergency)
*        Emergency contact list
*        Central place for you to record any medications
*        List allergies or medical conditions
*        Pre-loaded medical information to choose from
*        Free

American Red Cross: Shelter View
*        Know when and where shelters have been opened to provide assistance
*        Maps locations and shelter details
*        View shelter details
*        Capacity of the shelter and current population
*        Shelter address and location
*        Shelter information is updated every 30 minutes
*        Free

Emergency Aid
*        What to do in a personal threat, disaster or emergency
*        Detailed medical profile
*        Emergency contacts and health information with photo and customizable notes
*        Distress Signal and light
*        Illustrated instructions with highlighted “What to do”, “Warnings” and “Do Not”
*        One-Tap Call to emergency aid services or web sites
*        $1.99

Apps for Behavior and Relaxation

iZen Garden
*        Choose from 100s of objects, plants and creatures to place in your garden
*        Rake the sand and share your creations
*        Helps you to center your mind, relax your psyche and relieve your stress
*        $4.99

T2 Mood Tracker
*        Monitor moods on six pre-loaded scales
*        Anxiety
*        Stress
*        Depression
*        Brain injury
*        Post-traumatic stress
*        General Well being
*        Rate and track moods over time
*        Free

Breathe2Relax
*        Portable stress management tool
*        Voice instructions for set up and relaxation
*        Easily set length of inhale and exhale to help as a reminder for deep breathing
*        Can help with mood stabilization, anger control, and anxiety management
*        Free

Relax Melodies
*        Help block out environmental noises and increase productivity and focus
*        Relax Melodies and White noise Machine Lite
*        Customize sounds and make playlists
*        Relaxing Sounds of Nature Lite
*        Customizable sounds coupled with visual nature displays
*        Free

More info at: www.yourtechvision.com

Instamorph-solve geometry and other math problems with instant shapes

Incredible Instamorph solves those Geometry problems with making instant shapes....of any kind. Think big and do just about anything you need. Youtube video at : Instamorph

A PANIC button for the computer--to get that help now

Do you ever wish there was a PANIC button on your computer, so when all went astray, you could hit it and someone would come on and fix the problem.
Well, for the student and adults working with the TechVision team, that reality is here. Students are at school and something goes wrong: their panic button happens to be texting or calling on skype or iphone or other device and an instructor is immediately there to help them through or they were told they need to create an xy line plot graph in excel and they have no idea how to start. Another senario is an adult is at work and they have just been handed something inaccessible. No problem, a text away is the help needed.
Virtual instruction enables incredible possibilities to learn for immediate need. Email today for your possibility of becoming a student who will have a PANIC button built in to your day to learn those immediate things to get you to the success you are working toward: yourtechvision@gmail.com

The day I lost a child on the Tube-thought provoking for today on raising children

The incredible changes on how we raise our children today will be challenged by this article. The author a past teacher, into head teacher for a school presents thoughts of independence or lack of independence of our children today.
Read at

The day I lost a child on the Tube

 

more at: www.yourtechvision.com

“50 Best iPad Apps for Reading Disabilities”

“50 Best iPad Apps for Reading Disabilities”
Guest Blog by Rosa Ray 

 Whether you’re the parent of a child with a reading disability or an educator that works with learning disabled students on a daily basis, you’re undoubtedly always looking for new tools to help these bright young kids meet their potential and work through their disability. While there are numerous technologies out there that can help, perhaps one of the richest is the iPad, which offers dozens of applications designed to meet the needs of learning disabled kids and beginning readers alike. Here, we highlight just a few of the amazing apps out there that can help students with a reading disability improve their skills not only in reading, writing, and spelling, but also get a boost in confidence and learn to see school as a fun, engaging activity, not a struggle. Here are “50 Best iPad Apps for Reading Disabilities:”

Helpful Tools

These tools are useful for both educators and students with reading disabilities alike, aiding in everything from looking up a correct spelling to reading text out loud.

1. Speak It!: Speak It! is a great text-to-speech solution that can allow students with reading disabilities to get a little help with reading when they need it.
2. Talk to Me: Talk to Me is another text to speech application. It can be used to read words out loud as they are typed, which can help students to better correlate the letters and words with how they’re pronounced.
3. Dragon Dictation: Dragon Dictation works in reverse of the two apps we just listed. Instead of reading text out loud, the application writes down spoken text. For students who struggle with writing, it can be a great way for them to jot down ideas or get help learning.
4. Dyslexic Like Me: Explaining dyslexia to a child can be hard, but this application can make it a little easier. It’s an interactive children’s book that helps students to understand dyslexia and become empowered to overcome their learning disability.
5. Merriam-Webster Dictionary: If spelling is a problem, it’s always a good idea to have a really great dictionary on hand. This app from Merriam-Webster can provide that.
6. Ditionary.com: If Dictionary.com is your go-to place for definitions and spelling help, this app can be a great way to bring that functionality to your iPad or iPhone.
7. Prizmo: With Prizmo, users can scan in any kind of text document and have the program read it out loud, which can be a big help to those who struggle with reading.
8. Flashcards for iPad: This app makes it easy to study words, spelling, and other things that young and LD readers might need help with.
9. Soundnote: Using Soundnote, you can record drawings, notes, and audio all at once, balancing reading-based skills with those that are auditory and visual.

Fundamentals

These apps help teach the fundamentals of reading, writing, and spelling to any young learner, but can be especially helpful for those who are struggling.

10. Alphabet Zoo: Alphabet Zoo is a great tool for helping young readers to recognize letter sounds. Using text and pictures of animals, kids can build their reading skills while having fun.
11. Find the Letters HD: A favorite of special education teachers and psychologists, this app asks learners to find letters and numbers in a coloring grid. It helps build skills in spatial positioning, depth orientation, form discrimination, and concentration and attention.
12. First Words Sampler: Preschoolers with a reading disability can get a head start on improving their skills with this app that teaches them about letters and words using fun graphics and sounds.
13. Montessori Crosswords: Embrace the Montessori method by using this app to help youngsters improve their spelling and reading skills through engaging phonics-based exercises.
14. Read & Write :Students can practice reading and writing letters using this application. Users can trace letters, learn letter sounds, and get illustrations to go along with each part of the alphabet.
15. Sound Literacy: With a portion of the proceeds from this app going to the Dyslexia Association, there’s no reason not to sign on. Even better, the app is incredibly useful, employing the Orton-Gillingham method to help students recognize the spellings of English phonemes.
16. weesay ABC: Using pictures, words, and sounds, this application makes it easy for young students to practice and learn their ABCs.
17. abc PocketPhonics: This app is a great tool for teaching reading disabled students the fundamentals of letter sounds and shapes.
18. The Writing Machine: By correlating pictures and words, reading text, sounding out letters, this tool helps students develop early literacy abilities with greater ease.
19. WordSort: One of the top educational apps out there, this game helps kids to learn how to identify parts of speech, like nouns, adverbs, and verbs, as well as emphasizing grammar skills.
20. ABC Phonics Word Families: Using analogy phonics (or word families) this application teaches young learners to see and hear the patterns of commonality in a set of words. With flashcards, spelling words, scrambled words, and games, this app is a must-have for helping students.

Reading

These excellent iPad apps can be a big help to reading disabled students who need a little extra support when trying to read.

21. Blio: Blio offers all the same features of any basic e-reader, and also a few things that make it unique. Through synchronized highlighting and a serial presentation view, the app helps those with reading disabilities make sense of the text, something many other similar apps don’t offer.
22. Read 2 Me: For those who have difficulty reading, apps like Read 2 Me can be a godsend. The app comes complete with an entire library of texts, all of which can be read out loud.
23. Read2Go: If you use DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) books in your classroom, Read2Go is one of the best and most accessible ways to read those books on iOS.
24. AppWriter: Designed with reading and writing disabilities in mind, this text editor for iPad integrates numerous accessibility features into standard text editing functionality.
25. Audiobooks: Sometimes students with reading disabilities might just want a break from reading books the old fashioned way. That’s why this amazing collection of free audiobooks can come in handy, offering access to classics like Romeo and Juliet and Treasure Island.
26. Bob’s Books: Bob’s Books uses phonics-based interactive games to help kids learn how to read. Activities will help young learners to sound out words, spell, and make connections between letters and sounds.
27. iStoryTime: There are numerous titles to choose from in the iStoryTime series, all of which allow kids to have the book read to them or to get help reading it themselves.
28. MeeGenius! Kids’ Books: MeeGenius is another series that’s perfect for practicing reading skills. Those with trouble reading can use illustrations and helpful word highlighting to get help, or just have the book read to them until they’re confident enough to do it on their own.
29. Reading Trainer: While this app is designed to help average readers boost their reading speed and ability, it can be useful to those who struggle as well, as many of the skills taught can help just about anyone become a more confident reader.
30. See Read Say: This application will help to ensure that young learners are familiar with all of the Dolch sight words (the most common words), using games, activities, and tons of practice.
31. Stories2Learn: Why use existing stories to help troubled readers when you can build your own? This application lets you develop your own text and audio stories, including messages, topics, and other things that can help keep kids interested.
32. eReading series: The eReading series from Brain Integration LLC, helps young readers at all levels of proficiency learn about topics like Greek Mythology and Gulliver’s Travels. Users can have the book read to them, or practice reading without the help, too.

Writing

For those with reading disabilities, sometimes writing can also be a trying task. Here are some apps that can help teach, assist, and make writing more fun.

33. iWrite Words: Named by The Washington Post as one of the best apps for special needs kids, this game-based program helps youngsters learn to write their letters through a fun and engaging setup that uses illustrations and animations to keep things interesting.
34. AlphaWriter: Using Montessori-based learning methods, this application helps kids to learn how to read, write, and spell phonetically. It also teaches lessons on consonants and vowels, letter sounds, writing stories, and much more.
35. Sentence Builder: Through this application, elementary school children will learn how to build grammatically correct sentences, with a special focus on using connector words.
36. Story Builder: After kids are done learning how to build sentences, they can move onto this app which combines those sentences into one coherent story, complete with illustrations.
37. Writing Prompts: Having trouble thinking of things for students to write about? This app removes that roadblock and offers up numerous ideas for short writing assignments.
38. Idea Sketch: This mind-mapping app can help learning disabled students make sense of their ideas and organize them in ways that they can easily translate into written work.
39. Storyrobe: Teachers and students can build and share their own unique stories through this application. Integration with YouTube and email makes it easy to share and revise, too.

Spelling

These applications can be excellent tools for improving spelling skills.

40. American Wordspeller: Looking up a word in a dictionary isn’t that simple if you have no idea how to spell it. This app removes that problem and employs a method that lets you much more easily pinpoint how to spell just about any word.
41. Word Magic: Created by the parents of a five-year-old, this app for young learners help kids learn words and how to spell them correctly. It uses lots of positive reinforcement, rewards, and fun pictures to keep things interesting to learners.
42. Typ-O: Poor spellers can rejoice over this great application that help you spell words correctly in any typing-related program on your iPhone or iPad.
43. A1 Spelling App: This application is a great way to help poor spellers begin to learn the correct spelling of common words, increasing difficulty as kids master words.
44. iSpell Word: iSpell Word is designed to help kids learn the spellings of simple English words. It uses games to teach, with each level of the game employing more difficult words so kids are always challenged.
45. Jumbline: If you’re looking to make reading, writing, and spelling into a game, this app can help. It’s full of word games that ask players to use speed, smarts, pattern recognition, and spelling skills to win.
46. Spelling Bee Challenge: Kids can have fun taking part in a mock spelling bee using this application that boosts both spelling and vocab skills.
47. Word Fall: In this educational game, words fall from the sky and players must collect letters to form basic words.
48. WordLadder: This highly challenging word game will get older readers thinking about how words are spelled and how they can be connected and changed to form new words.
49. ACT Spell: Developed especially for learners with disabilities and special needs, this tool helps develop motor control, word recognition, spelling, and reading skills.
50. Word Wizard: Lauded by The New York Times, this word-focused app lets kids hear the sounds of letters and words through a movable alphabet while also engaging them in spelling practice and games.