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Recommended Mobile Apps for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

This presentation discusses the Assistive Technology Resource Center at Colorado State University and provides recommendations for mobile apps in support of students with disabilities in higher education. The apps cover various areas such as reading, writing, note taking, study skills, time management, organization, activities of daily living, ECU's (Environmental Control Units), and AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication).

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Recommended Mobile Apps for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

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  1. Shannon Lavey, MS, OTR Anna Martin, OTS Assistive Technology Resource Center Department of Occupational Therapy Colorado State University Recommended Apps in Support of Students with disabilities in higher educationaccessing higher ground 2012

  2. Who we are! • Shannon Lavey, MS, OTR • Service Coordinator at the Assistive Technology Resource Center at Colorado State University • Coordinates and provides direct student services related to access of technology • Anna Martin, OT Graduate Student in ATRC • Provides student services on available technology to support students in academics

  3. Today’s Agenda • Overview of the ATRC at CSU • Background Statistics • Built in Accessibility for iOS and Android • Recommended mobile apps for: • Reading • Writing • Note taking • Study Skills • Time Management and Organization • Activities of Daily Living • ECU’s (Environmental Control Units) • AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) • Alternative Access

  4. Assistive Technology Resource Center (ATRC) ATRC Mission: Ensuring equal access to technology and electronic information for CSU students and employees with disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

  5. Assistive Technology Resource Center (ATRC) • Housed in the Department of OT • Our staff: Occupational Therapists, OT graduate students, AT IT Coordinator • The ATRC provides direct AT services and consultation on campus • More and more students are seeking out apps that are similar to the AT they use • Majority of our students have iOS or Android devices

  6. Quotes from our students • “Vbookz PDF is user friendly and Read2Go is great for fun, current books. Using these apps makes life a little easier.” –Hailey • “The built-ins on my iPhone can do so much!” – Noah • “In addition to basic features such as calendars, email, messaging, Internet, dictionary, etc., I am using the iPad for reading, planning, and taking notes in class. I use apps like PDF Expert, Evernote, and Dropbox. The built-in dictation on the new iPad works very well.” -James • “The reading apps on my iPad are something I am particularly appreciative of…[they] match my learning style in that I can interact with the text by highlighting, annotating and looking up words. It's pretty neat!” - Lexie

  7. Background Statistics Adults ages 18 and older…. • 85% own cell phones, 45% own Smartphones • 44% have an iPod or mp3 player • 19% own a tablet • 21% of Americans have read an e-book in the past year (Pew Internet and American Life Project, 2012)

  8. Most Popular Operating Systems iOS Android

  9. The Current App Markets • Android Market: Google Play • iOS Market: Apple • November 2012 app searches: • Reading = 6,012 apps available • Writing = 1, 286 apps available • Note Taking = 106 apps available It’s a changing market!

  10. Worldwide Tablet Purchases International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker

  11. ATRC App Evaluation Criteria • High user ratings • Accessing Higher Ground (AHG) Conference in November 2011 • CSUN Conference 2012 (California State University Northridge Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference) • Assistive Technology Partners • ATHEN’s listserv and recommendations from other institutions • Occupational Therapy Practice (trade magazine) • ATRC Staff and student recommendations

  12. Built-In Accessibility - iOS • General Settings > Accessibility • Divided by: • Vision • Hearing • Physical & Motor • Learning: Guided Access • Other built-in assists • Speak Selection • Dictionary • Safari Reader • Voice Recognition

  13. Built-In Accessibility - Android • Android (4.0 and above): • Text to speech engine • TalkBack, KickBack, SoundBack (screen reading) • Explore by Touch • Extra large text • Voice input

  14. Virtual Assistant Options • iOS (Siri) and Android (Skyvi) • Voice texting and calling • Fast find and call for places • Get directions and weather updates • Update social media sites with voice

  15. Students with disabilities who are benefitting from apps • Non-apparent disabilities • Learning Disorders • Traumatic Brain Injury • Autism Spectrum • Mental Health • Sensory • Blind/low vision • Hearing Impairment • Physical • Neurological • Orthopedic • Cumulative Trauma

  16. iOS apps for Reading

  17. Demos • Which reading apps do your students use?

  18. Android apps for Reading

  19. Demos • Which reading apps do your students use?

  20. iOS apps for Writing

  21. Demos • Which writing apps do your students use?

  22. Android Apps for Writing

  23. Demos • Which writing apps do your students use?

  24. iOS apps for Note Taking

  25. Demos • Which note taking apps do your students use?

  26. Android apps for Note Taking

  27. Demos • Which note taking apps do your students use?

  28. iOS apps for Study Skills

  29. Demos • Which studying apps do your students use?

  30. Android apps for Study Skills

  31. Demos • Which studying apps do your students use?

  32. iOS apps for Organization and Time Management

  33. Demos • Which organization and time management apps do your students use?

  34. Android apps for Organization and Time Management

  35. Demos • Which organization and time management apps do your students use?

  36. Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) apps • What are ADLs? • Tasks that people undertake routinely in their every day life. • Our focus today: • Environmental Control Units (ECU’s) • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) • Alternative Access

  37. Environmental Control Units (ECU’s) • ECU’s = EADL’s ( Environmental Control Units = Electronic Aids to Daily Living) • ECU’s can control objects in the environment such as: • Appliances via X-10 – taps into existing electrical wiring in your home ( lights, fans) • Devices that use infra-red – (televisions) • Other ( radio control & ultrasound)

  38. ECU’s (con’t) • Traditionally, ECU’s were dedicated devices with high expense • Accessed with a switch or voice control • E.g. Sicare pilot – $4,500.00 • Lets user control TV, computer, telephone, lights, door systems, etc.

  39. ECU’s - merging of smart home technologies and mobile devices • Apps for Apple and Android products + wireless systems in your home • Pros: In-expensive and effective • Cons: do not allow a user to access with a switch, some use voice control but most require direct selection through touch.

  40. X-10 commander • Controls X-10 devices – garage door, appliances, etc. • Control away from home • Connects mobile device to wireless router and X-10 modules

  41. Dijit App with Beacon transmitter • Turns mobile device into a universal remote • Controls TV, stereo, Blu-ray, DVR, DVD, etc. • Does not do X-10 appliances • http://www.griffintechnology.com/beacon

  42. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Apps • Assists individuals with communication and expression • Helpful for individuals with speech disabilities, cerebral palsy, head injuries, autism, veterans, etc. • Other stakeholders – family, friends, teachers, employers, therapists

  43. AAC (con’t) • Traditionally, AAC devices were dedicated devices with high expense • Accessed with a switch or voice control • E.g. Dynavox– $4000-5000

  44. AAC apps • Proloquo2Go (iOS) – • Speech generated by tapping buttons • Over 14, 000 symbols • TTS using on-screen keyboard with word prediction

  45. AAC apps • Voice4U (Android and iOS) – • Pre loaded icons • Add/edit icons and categories • Create icons with your own voice and pictures

  46. Alternative Access • Alternative methods to access mobile devices – examples: • Mouth stick • Switches • Voice recognition • Built in, Siri, Skyvi, Vlingo • James -

  47. Switch accessible apps • Some apps are switch accessible – • user can press an external switch to make a selection in the app • Examples: • Tap to Talk – iOS • Five Sharks Swimming - iOS • Tecla Access - Android

  48. Recommend apps and resources from AHG audience (11/16/12): • iOS reading app – Voice Dream Reader with the addition of Dropbox • iOS writing app – Notability • iOS note taking app – Livescribe app • iOS study skills app – Study Blue • Android study skills app – Study Blue and ColorNote • Other: • To:Me app for emailing yourself • Mindwave – from Neurosky • Autism apps – app that links to useful autism apps • Overall resources was the work of the adaptech project    - Adaptech.org

  49. Any Questions?Thank you!

  50. Resources/Contacts: ATRC at CSU Website: http://www.atrc.colostate.edu Shannon Lavey shannon.lavey@colostate.edu Anna Martin anna.martin@colostate.edu

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