Ipod and Ipad Apps For Children With Asd: Dr. Julie Knapp by Jennifer Gonda (Aba Therapist)
Ipod and Ipad Apps For Children With Asd: Dr. Julie Knapp by Jennifer Gonda (Aba Therapist)
Ipod and Ipad Apps For Children With Asd: Dr. Julie Knapp by Jennifer Gonda (Aba Therapist)
The iPod or iPad can be an amazing device for children with exceptional needs. Here are some
tips to keep in mind for using your device:
Upload all the applications to your computer, that way you can keep all of them in one
place while selecting what you want available to your child.
Just because it is free, does not mean it is valuable; choose what you want to work on
before choosing the application.
Reinforce working and playing on each application for a long duration of time, try to avoid
choosing an app just to click onto the main display.
Modify the amount of choices on each page; you can distribute the apps across various
pages for smaller fields to choose from.
Disable internet to avoid distractions with YouTube, while keeping in mind which apps
require the internet.
If you and your child enjoy a certain app, the creators may have created different apps
with similar formats, check out the creators website.
If the iPad/iPod is being used as a reward during therapy hours, maintain that structure
throughout the home environment. First complete a task to obtain the iPad/iPod.
If the iPad/iPod is primarily used as a vocal output device, then limit the games and
reinforcing tools that may distract from the communication application.
If you are thinking of purchasing an iPad or an iPod, look at the benefits and disadvantages of
both. Often, older users with better fine motor skills can opt for a less expensive iPod that
increasing portability with much of the same applications.
Communication Apps
Name
of APP
Proloquo2g
o
iCommunica
te
Grace
VAST
AutismCore
Talking
Tom Cat
iSign Lite
Icon
Website
proloquo2go.
com
grembe.com
graceapp.co
m
speakinmotio
n.com
outfit7.com
idev2.com/iSi
gn/iSign
Price
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
What we Like
About this App
Major
Weaknesses
Full service
Augmentative and
Alternative
Communication
device. Provides for
vocal output with a
dynamic screen
overlay for phrase
and sentence
building.
Limited functionality to
advance to higher stages
of communication. Often
so easy to manipulate,
items are easily deleted.
Delay in vocal output.
Pictures are not divided
into categories.
$189.99
iPhone,
iPod touch
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
$39.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1.3 or
later
Create visual
schedules, choice
board, custom
audio or computer
generated output.
$37.99
iPhone,
iPod touch
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
A picture
communication
application with the
following set
categories: foods,
things I like,
places, colors,
shapes and sizes.
$4.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1.3 or
later
Close up video of
mouth movements
combined with
spoken words to
facilitate mobile
speech practice.
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Animated video
dictionary for over
800 ASL signs.
An animated woman
signing allows for
continuity that many
video dictionaries do not
have with multiple
signers. There is a helpful
search function.
Page 2
Visules
Tap to Talk
Augie AAC
iAssist
iMean
iPrompts
MetaTouch
sites.google.
com/site/dea
nashuff/Visul
es
taptotalk.co
m
augieaac.co
m
iassistcompa
ny.com
iMean.mobi
handholdada
ptive.com
metakidz.co
m/metatouch
/en/Product
$4.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
$159.99
$29.99
$4.99
$49.99
$29.99
iPad
Provides visual
support with texts,
images, and colors.
Augmentative and
Alternative
communication
device with albums
listed as categories
to search for
pictures.
Easy to use,
dynamic display,
voice output
communication
app. Augie comes
pre-loaded with
high frequency
vocabulary for both
home and school.
Easy to navigate,
equipped with a home
screen that has a
dynamic overlay. It is has
home, school, and
schedule, and task
extensions for easy
usage.
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
iAssist
Communicator is
specifically focused
on the needs of
young learners with
autism and related
disorders.
iPad
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1.3 or
later
Includes pictures
schedules, visual
timer displayed
with activity, choice
prompts, and an
image library.
Contains short
videos used by
caregivers to
demonstrate
appropriate
behaviors.
Symbol based
communication tool
to easily create
messages.
Fantastic pictures!
Created by a graphic
designer specifically for
children with special
needs, they are easy to
translate. Huge variety of
categories, which is nice,
but could be
overwhelming and
unnecessary (such as a
professions category).
iPad
Page 3
MyVoice
OneVoice
So Much 2
Say
Speech
Tutor:
Pocket SLP
Speech with
Milo: Verbs
myvoiceaac.c
om
onevoiceapp.
com
close2homea
pps.com
pocketslp.co
m/apps/spee
ch-tutor
speechwithm
ilo.com
Splingo's
Language
Universe
talkingwizard
.co.uk
Communica
ting Basic
Needs App
speciallearning.com
/communicati
on
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
Overcome speech
and language
challenges through
features like
location awareness,
phrase books, and
customization.
$199.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
Turns iPad or
iPhone into an
augmentative and
alternative
communication
device.
iPad
Picture
communication app
that focuses on
those with
cognitive and
language
impairment.
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Like video
modeling, the
animations inside
Speech Tutor take
the areas of the
face that impede
the view of tongue
placement and
positioning and
make them
transparent.
$24.99
$9.99
$2.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
$2.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Because it is animation,
make sure the child is
using the application
appropriate and not
simply replaying the same
video over and over.
There is no reward
structured within it, it is
strictly viewing.
It is a British application,
so some of the words and
sentences may appear
different than what
American users are
accustomed too.
Page 4
pictures, graphing of
data, and additional
customization options.
In addition to communication apps, there are a variety of other apps that can be
downloaded to help teach children with autism:
ABA
Flashcards
Receptive
Identificatio
n
Receptive
by Feature
My Picture
Talk
Visual
Timer
ABA My
First Words
Icon
Website
kindergarten.
com
kindergarten.
com
kindergarten.
com
grembe.com
snaptapapps.
com
support.sling
space.com
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
What we Like
About this App
Major
Weaknesses
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Flashcards offered
in 13 different
categories. This
Icon is for Earth
Science. Flashcards
may show rocks,
fossils, waterfalls,
volcanos, etc.
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Identification of 85
colorful images that
include common
objects and people
$0.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Receptive
identification of 30
different features
of items, objects
and people. For
example, Find the
one that is sticky."
$4.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad:
only useful
with video
capacity.
Creating talking
photos or videos
for video modeling
on the fly.
$0.99
iPhone,
iPod, and
iPad. There
are visual
timer
options in
the android
market as
well.
Creates a visual
representation for
up to sixty minutes
on a sixty minute
clock.
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Allows review of
common first word
cards or match the
word to the picture.
Has audio for when
flash cards are
touched.
Price
Free
$0.99
$0.99
Page 5
ABA
Therapy
Images
slingspace.co
m/abatherap
yimages
See.Touch.
Learn
brainparade.
com
$0.99
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Four categories of
picture cards, with
picture cards added
by the developer
requiring updates.
Categories are
people, objects,
transportation, and
animals thus far.
iPad,
requires iOS
4.2 or later.
Picture learning
system. Includes a
starter set of
stunning, highquality images and
60 exercises.
iEarnedThat
iReward
First Then
Picture
Scheduler
Behavior
Tracking
Pro
Icon
Website
youtube.com
/watch?v=jC
qrrUc-1XA
grembe.com
goodkarmaa
pplications.c
om
behaviortrac
kerpro.com
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1.2 or
later
Token economy
system that is
visually appealing
with interactive
puzzle that allows
your child to
monitor their own
progress and work
towards building
their goals.
$4.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Token economy
system where the
user can set the
task, reward,
number of tokens
needs, and
representation of
tokens.
$9.99
Compatible
with
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.2 or
later
$29.99
iPhone,
iPad, iPod
Touch,
Android,
and
Blackberry
Allows those
working with
students to track
behaviors and
automatically graph
them. Export the
data for offline
manipulation
Price
$1.99
What we Like
About this App
Major
Weaknesses
As with many token
economies, children
can easily add their
own tokens that were
not earned. When this
happens, you have to
erase the entire token
board and start over,
you cannot remove just
the one piece.
To unlock app, you
shake the device and
put in a password, so
often locking becomes
more of hassle if
children see that
shaking produces an
effect. And if unlocked,
easy for children to add
tokens.
The options are full
screen, split screen,
and list. Great if used
for "first activity, then
a reward." Because
difficult for students
who need steps of
items broken up into
small parts for task
analysis'
This is designed for
teachers and therapists
working with students
with special needs, not
the students
themselves.
Additionally, if you are
not going to use all the
applications, it is not
worth the price.
Page 6
goodkarmaa
pplications.c
om
My Choice
Board
$9.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1.2 or
later
Images are
selected based on
preference of the
user and displayed
on the choice
board. The
individual touches
the preferred
choice to show
their preference.
FirstWords
Sampler
iWriteWords
StoryKit
Word
Majgic
SuperWhy
Intro to
Math
Icon
Website
learningtouc
h.com
www.ptgdi.c
om/gdiplus/i
WriteWords
childrenslibra
ry.org
anusen.com/i
phone_word
_magic
pbskids.org/
mobile
montessoriu
m.com
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
What we Like
About this App
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Provides prompted
and phonetic
spelling support for
beginning words.
Great sampler app,
interested and
satisfied users
should look to the
learning touch
website.
$2.99
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1 or
later
Tracing and
beginning
handwriting
support for upper
case letters, lower
case letters,
numbers, and
simple words.
Free
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Create a storybook
or edit an existing
book. Upload or
draw pictures,
record sound,
rearrange pages,
and resize items
when needed.
$0.99
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Picture is shown
and user has picks
the missing letter
in the word.
Price
Free
$2.99
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
$4.99
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1 or
later
Using the
characters from the
PBS kids show
SuperWhy, this
literacy activity
practices reading,
writing, rhyming,
spelling, and the
alphabet.
This app includes
numeracy ordering,
one to one
correspondence,
tracing numbers, &
spatial sequencing.
Major
Weaknesses
Need to have strong
fine motor skills to
move letters to word,
users often struggle
getting the letter into
the correct place.
After a letter is traced,
the user has to move
the letter to the corner
of the screen, this is
often difficult to do.
Only a beginning
application, quickly
work user up to a
stylus and to different
mediums.
This is not an app
created for persons
with special needs, the
benefits are great, but
may need a facilitator
to help with the
creation and editing
aspects.
Pictures are cartoon
and not always
obvious, choosing
letter is at a constant
field of four.
Limited number of
words, can be
overstimulating,
divided into categories
instead of levels, so
users who needs more
work with the alphabet
can jump to the
spelling category.
Hard to move numbers
& items to destination.
All programs go from
one to ten. Only
reinforcement is "ding"
of a completed task.
Page 7
Monkey
Preschool
Lunch Box
monkeypresc
hool.com/
Toddler
Shapes App
toddlerteaser
s.com
$0.99
Free
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Designed for
preschool level.
Seven different
games that teach
kids about colors,
letters, counting,
shapes, sizes,
matching, and
differences.
iPhone, iPod
touch, and
iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Verbal prompt to
find a shape in a
field of four and
six. An incorrect
response
eliminates the
shape and a
correct answer
creates clapping
praise.
Icon
Website
Super
Duper
"What Are
They
Thinking?"
superduperin
c.com
My First
Tangrams
arentertainmen
t.net/learnin
g
Make
Change
slidetorock.c
om/apps/Ma
keChangechangecountingkids-game
Math Magic
anusen.com/i
phone_math
_magic
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
What we Like
About this App
$3.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
Improve your
students'
inferencing,
reasoning, and
conversational
skills. Choose to
have the student
listen to
entertaining
thoughts, or have
the student answer
each What are
they thinking?
question.
Need teacher
facilitation. Because it
is designed for
elementary level
functioning
communication skills,
having the data
tracking apparent on
the screen is
distracting.
$1.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.2 or
later
Adaptation of the
tangrams game, no
rotation of pieces is
needed.
Price
$1.99
iPad
Provides multiple
coins and sets an
amount to find.
$0.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Addition,
subtraction,
multiplication, and
division facts at
varying levels with
the option for
picture support and
timed problems.
Major
Weaknesses
Page 8
Icon
Website
igetitapps.co
m
Game
Factory
www.bacciz.
com
Model Me
Going
Places
www.model
mekids.com/i
phone-appautism.html
Smile at Me
School Skills
Sosh:
Improving
Social Skills
with
Children
and
Adolescents
Fizz Brain
Train
fizzbrain.com
schoolsocials
kills.com
www.mysosh
.com
fizzbrain.com
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
What we Like
About this App
Major
Weaknesses
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
$0.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.2 or
later
Game Factory is a
hybrid match and
flash card game
that allows you to
upload images and
choose the
concepts for kids to
learn.
It is so customizable with
enticing themes. You can
even use different
languages to promote multilingual communication at a
young age. The timed
games are a nice exposure
for teaching children to
answer quickly.
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
There is no ability to
customize, would
require a different
social story application.
Price
$0.99
$2.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Teaches children to
be self-analytical as
they learn to look
at and evaluate
their own facial
expressions.
$4.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.2 or
later
Geared toward
common situations
during the school
day and lists
expected/unexpect
ed behaviors.
$39.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.2 or
later
Helps to improve
social skills in
children, tweens,
and teens.
$2.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 2.0 or
later
This is an awesome
application with so many
components: a behavior
tracking area, a voice meter,
an interest log, and a
shredder that you can use
to get rid of any negative
thought, feeling or situation
and More! Truly worth the
price.
Not specifically for students
with special needs, this app
looks to strengthen many
cognitive reasoning skills
with its games. Great for
higher functioning learners.
Page 9
Introductory/Motor Apps
Name
of APP
Bubble
Snap
Tonepad
Whizzit 123
Fireworks!
Touch and
LearnEmotions
Dance Party
Zoo
Learn to
Talk
Look in My
Eyes:
Stream
Train
Icon
Website
shinyfoil.com
/iphone/bubb
lesnap
tonepadapp.
com
whizzit.fairla
dymedia.com
misoft.com
alligatorapps.
com
fizzbrain.com
ilearn2talk.co
m
fizzbrain.com
Price
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1.3 or
later
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 2.2.1 or
later
Create music by
touching the
screen, seeing the
notes light up, and
hearing the sound.
$0.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 2.2.1 or
later
$0.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
Free
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
$2.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
$1.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
$2.99
iPhone,
iPod touch
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 4.0 or
later
What we Like
About this App
Major
Weaknesses
It is in an app to introduce
the concept of the touch
screen to a new user. It can
also work as a reward
activity.
Another way to
introduce users to a
touchscreen device as
well as foster strong
pointing skills for
precision.
Counting is not
sequenced from small
numbers to large
numbers. The amounts
are random with each
screen. Option to go
from 1 to 10 and 1 to
20 only.
There is a component
for a two person game.
However, it is harder
for the child to selfnavigate unlike the
individual dancing
option.
Page 10
Organization/Planning Apps
Name
of APP
Dragon
Dictation
Web
ReaderText to
Speech
Speak it!
Icon
Website
nuancemobil
elife.com
banzailabs.co
m/voiceapps.
html
futureapps.net
Price
Compat
ibility
Description
of App
What we Like
About this App
Major
Weaknesses
Dragon dictation
allows you to speak
into the application
and it will convert
speech to text.
Free
iPhone and
iPad.
Android
edition
available.
$1.99
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.1.3 or
later
iPhone,
iPod touch,
and iPad.
Requires
iOS 3.0 or
later
$1.99
Page 11