One of the great positive outcomes of technological advancement is the range of apps available for iPhone, Android and Blackberry that can truly make a difference to the quality of life of people with Learning Disabilities. Here are some fine examples.
Apple
1. Proloquo2Go £129.99
An excellent alternative communication solution for children and adults who have difficulty speaking, Proloquo2Go utilises text-to-speech voices and symbols to enable people with autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, ALS, apraxia or stroke or brain injury to communicate with teachers, carers, parents and friends.
2. Behaviour Assessment Pro £1.99
Specially developed to be used by parents, therapists, teachers and carers by a Board Certified Analyst, this innovative app features a 3 part assessment questionnaire that helps assess target behaviours of individuals with behavioural problems and develop effective support for them. A useful first step toward understanding the specific support needs of a variety of conditions.
3. ArtikPix – Full £20.99
Devised for children with speech sound delays, this articulation app engages children through flashcards and matching activities created to help them work through forming words and sentences. The app is especially effective when used in groups with a parent, teacher or speech language pathologist.
4. iComm £Free
Using both spoken and written words, this free custom built app is remarkably easy to use and yields real results by enabling children with a broad range of learning disabilities to develop their communication skills toward expressing their needs using well formed articulate speech. The app also enables your own photos to be used for a unique personalised experience.
5. iWriteWords £1.99
This is a wonderfully colourful simple app that helps very young children and children with slow learning disabilities learn handwriting in a fun filled fashion by tracing the letters in uppercase and lowercase on the screen. When drawn correctly the child is rewarded with cute cartoon pictures, making the app a playful and engaging learning tool.
6. iConverse £6.99
Designed for children and people with autism or other communicative disabilities, iConverse is an Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) app that is both affordable and effective. Individuals who find it difficult to communicate verbally can use communication tiles to express their needs and wants through either visual or auditory means.
Android
1. Voice4u £24.99
Designed to bridge the communication gap between children and adults with communication impediments and difficulties and their parents, friends, teacher and carers, Voice4u enables the wants and needs of the user to be expressed via auditory communication skills, which can be developed over time by creating new icons to express a range of expressions, thoughts and feelings.
2. TapToTalk £Free
Enabling children and adults with verbal communication difficulties to develop a voice and express themselves, TapToTalk uses pictures assigned speech sounds to enable users to express themselves. Tapping the picture makes the app speak and a whole gallery of pictures with different speech sounds can be personalised to match the each user’s specific communication needs.
Blackberry
1. Behaviour Tracker Pro $29.99
Specially developed to create and support behavioral treatment plans for autistic children, Behaviour Tracker Pro enables parents, teachers, therapists and carers to easily store and share behavioral data. Each autistic child’s behavioral data can be used to track and graph changes in behaviour so that effective treatment can be formulated to the specific needs of the child.
2. Simon Says Ultra £ Free app for Learning Disabilities
The classic recognition and memory game is a fantastic way to engage and stimulate children and adults with a broad range of and Types of Learning Disabilities into colour and sound recognition and memory development. Featuring endless levels and increasing difficulty, Simon Says Ultra is a rewarding game experience with genuine learning qualities.
