Use AudioNote for Synchronized Recording and Note Taking on iPad

When students need support for lectures and notes, take a look at AudioNote ($4.99) and AudioNote Lite (free) for the iPad.

AudioNote allows notes to be handwritten in pen mode for drawings and notes, or typed with the keyboard.The lite version can record a lecture and track notes written during the session and sync them to the recording. Tap anywhere on your notes and go to playback and it will replay the lecture recording where you tapped.

The highlight feature re-traces letters in blue as the recording plays so you are reviewing and tracking at the same time. You can email your notes and wi-fi share with the upgraded pay version.

You can buy a Livescribe pen for as low as $99.99 to use with real paper, but you can use this lite app for free with your iPad and get many of the same options open to you - for free. Real pens and real paper are great to have for certain settings, but the tools are there for you with synchronized notes and playback on an iPad.

This tool can be a real support for students with traumatic brain injuries and students that need help with organizing and memory. Check it out.

Here is a video review of Audio Note:

All the best!

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Ed Tech Trends to Look for in 2012: AT Connections and Accommodations

I read this article "12 Education Tech Tends to Watch in 2012" today and thought it was an important list of trends to consider in the assistive technology field. One trend in particular caught my attention, the BYOD trend (Bring Your Own Device). More and more, students have iTouches and iPads, Smart phones, laptops and tablets. If we want them to accommodate their learning with tools, text to speech, online dictionaries, research sites, etc. the issue of schools allowing the students to bring these devices to learn is going to have to be addressed.

Fortunately in my region and districts, the students who have laptops or iPads and need them at school are allowed to bring them. They are on IEP's and have the need for support with this tools for accommodating learning. I want to know what will happen when regular student populations want to bring them as well and they are declined the opportunity to use them because of mis-use fears by school administrators and school boards. It will be a growing issue and full of heated debate!

This article from 2010 in Toronto Life: "Why Smart phones in the Classroom Equals Smarter Kids" addresses some of these fears. http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/from-print-edition-informer/2011/12/20/jesse-brown-gadget-goes-to-school/

There are some interesting trends to think about and I hope you read and enjoy. I would like to explore some of these trends and share thoughts over how they might impact AT. I welcome your thoughts and comments as well.

All the best in 2012!

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Get to Know Nook Study for PC and Mac

On the journey of researching e book readers and tools for print disabilities, I stumbled across Nook Study, a free download from Barnes and Noble for PC and Mac only - it is not in an app version (yet) for tablets and the iTouch, iPhone and iPad. I downloaded it and put it through the paces this past week. Here is what I came up with:

Pros:

It is free.

It has a key-stroke shortcut, Ctrl -Alt-S, to activate text to speech. Using the space bar starts and stops the reading of any text you highlight and starts and stops continuous reading.

The voice it used seemed pretty natural and you can speed it up or slow it down by accessing the settings in the Library home page under settings and the accessibility tab.

You can highlight text in various colors and add sticky notes.

Highlight a word and add a tag, note or website link.

Books you purchase can be set up into folder categories, i.e. history, literature, science, etc.

You can set up media stacks for newstand purchases in chronological order.

There are many college and professional trade textbooks in e format.

The Nook Study syncs with other Nook apps; i.e. books I purchased on a Nook App on an iPad show up on the computer on Nook Study.

There are many free classics and public domain books available. (Check out Calibre for formatting pdf's and other documents and managing/adding to your e reader libraries)

Cons:

Textbooks available in a Nook format are limited. You are not going to find a fourth grade social studies textbook.

Not yet available for portable devices.

I would check out this free download if you are looking for a text to speech accommodation and want some study helps. I am loving it.

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

14 Apps for AAC, Part Two

Here is Part 2 on the AC Apps for the iPad. I am going to be getting my hands on all of them and writing reviews of each to kick off 2012 in January/February so check back as those are posted!

8. ICommunicate: $49.99. Low to mid user, single hit communication maximum board is 4 X 10 cells. Board view and schedule view. Can email boards to print them off. Has recordable voice, text to speech and has 10,000 image library included. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/icommunicate-for-ipad/id364186415?mt=8

9. AutoVerbal Pro: $9.99. Utilizes multiple sliding ribbon/bars to choose and build phrases. More advanced versions available. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/autoverbal-talking-soundboard/id368727888?mt=8

10. Tap to Talk: Lite, Free; Full version with access to online library, $99.95 1 year, $179.99 “forever”. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/taptotalk/id367083194?mt=8 Tap to Talk home page: http://www.taptotalk.com/product.aspx

11. Grace: $37.99. Users can navigate through the categories and click on images they want to use. Users can use each picture isolated or combine a set of pictures to make phrases. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grace-picture-exchange-for/id360574688?mt=8

12. Look to Learn: $14.99. “I want” paired with a photo and higher quality voices allow needs and choices to be communicated. For early to mid communicators. Free assessment can be downloaded at www.look2learn.com. App store description: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/look2learn-aac/id319600029?mt=8

13. Proloquo2go: $189.99. contains text-to-speech voices, up-to-date symbols, powerful automatic conjugations, a default vocabulary and much more. Builds phrases to speak by selecting folders with categories. App store description: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/proloquo2go/id308368164?mt=8

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuKv0Z2_HMo

14. Ablenet Sounding Board: $49.99. Design 1 to 9 button boards. Record your message, use built in library or use pictures off camera. Has ablility to collect data on user as well. Ablenet is developing pre-made boards to purchase and download for this app. Website: http://www.ablenetinc.com/Assistive-Technology/Communication/SoundingBoard

Accessories:

Cases: AMDI makes a durable case with a handle designed for AAC with an iPad. Here is a link to a blogpost on it: http://www.laseredpics.biz/servlet/the-Adaptive-Technologies-Supplies/Categories

The AMDI website and iAdapter 1 and 2: $198, http://amdi.net/index.php?route=product/category&path=141_106

Keyguards: Lasered Pics makes iPad Keyguards and can make customized ones for the apps they don’t carry as well. They are currently made for the apps Grace, iClick iTalk, Proloquo2go, Speak it, and TapSpeak Choice. They also make one to fit over the iPad for the iPad keyboard. $19.95

http://www.laseredpics.biz/servlet/the-Adaptive-Technologies-Supplies/Categories

I will be presenting a 3 hour break out session on these apps in Portland, Oregon at the AT Now! Conference March 1 and 2. (The breakout session day is March 2). If you are in the area and might be interested in attending, I know there are 2 other presenters doing sessions on iPads that day so there will be a lot covered. For more information go to the Oregon Technology Access Program website and check the conference page. They don't have the actual conference info up yet, but it should be up in January sometime to register.

All the best!

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

14 Apps for AAC, Part One

I have been getting requests for information on apps that use the iPad as a speech device. There are so many out there and I have compiled a list of 14 apps from free up to $190 that can be used as AAC. Some produce single hit messages, some are able to be customized boards and some are full-blown choice and phrase, sequenced talkers. The TapSpeak line now includes 4500 basic Boardmaker symbols. Some cost a one-time fee and some have annual subscriptions. I am splitting these up into 7 each post so you aren't blasted with too many at one time. I will also included links and costs to cases and key guard overlays. at the end.

Your suggestions and additions are welcome!

The following list of Apps converts the iTouch/Phone or iPad into an Augmentative device:

1. My Talk Mobile and Workspace. $39.95 with one year upgrade. Works with My Workspace to design and sync boards. $9 a month, $75 a year or $175 3-year. (My Workspace free to SLP’s with ASHA number) Has Lite version free.

My Talk: http://www.mytalktools.com/dnn/Home.aspx

You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMLNWlBycgg&feature=player_embedded%27

2. First Then Visual Schedule, $9.99 from iTunes App Store. Has 1, 2 and 4 image screen modes and record your own sound and choose your own picture/symbol. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/first-then-visual-schedule/id355527801?mt=8#

3. My Choice Board, $9.99 iTunes App Store. Prepare and save boards with up to 6 choices and ability to expand if needed. Board has a phrase “I want” and then images as choices with optional checklist. Images available from camera, Internet search or photo albums. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-choice-board/id384435705?mt=8

4. TapSpeak Sequence Standard, $29.99, iTunes App Store. Has re-sizeable and moveable visual targets, unlimited number of sequences, use your own images and drawings, un.imited phrase recording length and sequence length. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tapspeak-sequence-for-ipad/id379541810?mt=8

5. TapSpeak Sequence Plus, $49.99. Plus version includes 4500 image Mayer Johnson Boardmaker library for building sequences.

6. TapSpeak Button Standard or Plus, $14.99 or $49.99. Uses image of Big Mack or Big red button/jelly bean button on screen and overlays an image on it and recordable message activates when tapped. Standard uses your images, Plus uses Boardmaker library. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tapspeak-button/id359998293?mt=8

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbmNtgfQXCs

7. TapSpeak Choice, $149.99. Builds boards using Boardmaker symbols with speech window at the top to build phrases. Low to mid users.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tapspeak-choice-for-ipad/id408507581?mt=8

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI9LKZWIpuA

Note: The TapSpeak apps can use the RJ Cooper/Ablenet Blue tooth wireless switches.

All the best!

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

Free Online Typing Resources

I have been asked about keyboarding and typing programs and our schools always are looking for free resources. I have used tuxtyping for kids for a long time. I thought I would add a few others below. If you have some resources that you like please comment and add your ideas and links!

http://www.typingweb.com/typingtutor/ - this one is free but you have to register to keep scores and track progress.

http://www.nimblefingers.com/

http://typingsoft.com/all_typing_tutors.htm a directory list of free and pay typing programs online

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious

iPad USB Camera Adaptor Works for other Accessories

We bought a mini EZ See Keyboard for an ipad through RJ Cooper this summer for a student and found that we needed an adaptor. The Apple camera adaptor (USB) will support headsets and keyboards, so if you are looking for a way to get a particular keyboard, a headset/mic, etc this should do it.

Read the full article for details from zdnet.

All the best!

Lon

Bookmark this on Delicious