iPads and the Assessment of Potential AAC Users – A game-changer

1. iPads and the Assessment of Potential AAC Users – A game-changer Rosemary Crossley admin@annemcdonaldcentre.org.au ISAAC 2012

2. This session will include: • Some strategies for using an iPad during the assessment of potential AAC users • Information about some useful apps • Ways of adjusting apps to suit individual needs • Some accessories which may improve iPad accessibility

3. This session will not include: • Anything about evidence-based practice • Anything about standardized testing • Much about speech assessment • Much about the iPad as a communication device • Any research data

4. What do we want to investigate? • Receptive language • Sensory skills • Hand skills • Attention • Symbol recognition • Literacy • Ability to generate language • Learning of new skills etc etc

5. Why use an iPad? • It’s motivating • It’s cool • It’s different (you hope) • It’s not associated with testing • It’s easy to offer many varied activities quickly, with minimal set-up time. • You can use an iPad as its own reward! • The iPad may stimulate users to demonstrate previously unrecognized skills

6. Why not use an iPad? • Some children have very definite views on what an iPad is for – You-Tube, videos, Thomas etc • Some children will try and take control of the iPad • Most apps do not have score sheets built in • The iPad does not meet everyone’s sensory or access needs

7. What app do you use for assessments? • No single app will provide all the information you need. • iPad-based assessment is a bit like cooking without a recipe book – you’ve got a bunch of ingredients that can be used in different ways and you have to put them together to suit the individual you’re assessing • I may use up to 20 apps during a 60-90 minute assessment

8. Starters • Pocket Pond – anyone • Peekaboo Barn – littlies • Talking Tom etc – anyone • Burp and Fart Pianos – teens and people who are unresponsive • MoodTouch – just for fun – teens plus • Light Box – anyone • Bubble Pop – anyone

9. Next Depends on what you discover initially, and the individual’s age etc iPads are not an ideal assessment tool for people with major visual issues or people who cannot use their handsNB A workout with drag and drop Shape Puzzles or Bubble Pop may improve pointing skills quite quickly

10. First Course • I tend to start with a selection of Kindergarten.com ABA apps to get more information about pointing and receptive language • I always use landscape layout • NB the older versions of some ABA apps, which offer 3 choices, not 4, may be easier – I keep them on an old iPad1 which hasn’t been updated • YES/NO on Answers HD or ProLoquo2Go

11. Second Course Symbol and Word recognition • AAC Evaluation Genie • First Words • Photo Touch Sight Words • Sentence Maker • Proloquo2Go (It’s easy to make and store purpose-built assessment tools with widely varying layouts in PL2Go .)

12. Third Course (1) Sequencing and Generating Sentences • Sequencing – Speech with Milo • Sentence Maker • Picture the Sentence – sentence memory • AAC Evaluation Genie • ProLoquo2Go

13. Third Course (2) Reading for Meaning Story Pals - up to grade 5-6 BrainPop - teens and up Animal Planet Trivia Challenge - teens and up

14. Spelling • ACT Spell - choosing from 2-5 letters* • FW Deluxe - drag & drop spelling • ProLoquo2Go - large letters or keyboard* • Assistive Chat – keyboard* * Keyguard may be required

15. APP LISTS • There’s an incredible number of App Lists around. • Jane Farrall has 2 excellent annotated lists of AAC Apps and Switch Accessible Apps on her website:www.janefarrall.com

16. Rosemary Crossleyadmin@annemcdonaldcentre.org.au