OT Soapbox: knick knack iPaddy wack....

iPad, oh iPad, how do i love thee? Let me count the ways....

On Mother's Day I received a gift that keeps on giving, my iPad.  Granted, I was planning on getting one away, but the excitement of receiving one is just as fun.  One of the reasons I was so excited was the potential therapeutic uses for which I could use it at work.

Most of the children with whom I work are non verbal and have a lot of special needs and accommodations due to multi sensory issues.  What I was hoping for was a little miraculous device to help them communicate, play and show what they know.  And that is what I got.

The iPad and its infinite number of available apps has opened the door for many of the students.  I am seeing kids grab at my hand to make lines.  Some kids are using their voices to make the little Rex talk back, and others are showing me that they actually know their letters.  Recently, one set of parents purchased a Tablet because I had shared with them how wonderfully their daughters were engaging with games.  

It does frustrate me that for a fraction of the cost of a laptop or Dynavox, kids could have access to a socially acceptable piece of equipment that could help them communicate and interact with peers and adults.  Some counties and schools are beginning to purchase them, and maybe slowly it will trickle down the pike to my system, but I won't hold my breath.  So in the mean time, if you are looking to get an iPad for yourself or child (whether they have special needs or not) here are some great places to keep in mind to help you search for apps that are appropriate (but please don't forget about Angry Birds. I can totally justify it!)

Moms With Apps is a collaborative group of family-friendly developers seeking to promote quality apps for kids and families. Their app catalog is now available on iTunes.  And if you sign up with them, you get perks like Free Friday where you can download apps for free

Apps in Education is a educational search engine developed by parents and educators to help people  looking for educational apps available in the Apple App Store.

iPodsibilities has a great list of apps used in/for special education


Please keep in mind these are just 3 of the umpteen million things you can find on iTunes, new apps come out every moment and you just have to find some, try them and see what works for you and your kids...