#AppMondayTAS - Gravitarium

Each week I will be featuring an app from BridgingApps.org.  These apps are features in the Bridging Apps newsletter each week and are reviewed by Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Special Education Teachers.  Come back each week for a new review.  If you’d like more information on how to use the BridgingApps.org website, or to find more app reviews, please click here.

Gravitarium (iPad Only, $0.99)

Reviewer Comments

Gravitarium is an app that can be used across the ages. By touching the iPad screen with one, two, three or more fingers, the user can create animated sparkles of light patterns. By dragging a finger or more across the screen, the particles continue to make patterns of light. Once the user has touched the screen soft, calming music is heard.

This app is great to use to increase attending behavior, develop purposeful reach and purposeful touch, understanding of cause and effect, fine motor skills and bi-lateral hand use. This can be a 'go to app' to help a student work on these skills. With its simple interface, visually attractive light patterns and calming music, this app is appealing to many students with multiple disabilities, their teachers and clinicians.

We have used this app with a number of children who have autism. Many were clearly drawn to the visual display on the screen when the app was demonstrated. With that, some started to use the app independently, while increasing attending behavior. Other students learned how to use the app with hand-over-hand assistance, working towards independent use. In one instance, Gravitarium had a calming effect when used one day with a small group of children.

Possible IEP Objectives:

Pokes at object with index finger

Increase finger isolation

Increase bi-lateral hand use

Increase attending behavior

Develop purposeful reach

Develop cause and effect

Develop drag and release

Develop/increase ability to imitate fine motor movement

Develop independent indoor activity

Develop exploration of app on iPad

Develop/increase interactive play with others

Mobile Devices

iPad

Embedded Skills

visual motor skills

Explore app on iPad

Plays interactively with other students

understands purposeful touch

development of bilateral hand use

understands cause and effect

Follow instructions to do a simple motor action

able to drag and release

purposeful touch

ability to imitate fine motor movements

finger isolation

touch and drag

Independent Traits

Fine Motor

Visual Perceptual Skills

Early Learning

Creative

Assistive Traits

Early Learning

Assistive/Independent

Independent

iTunes Categories

Entertainment

Simulation

Games

BridgingApps Categories

BridgingApps Reviewed App

Fine Motor skills

Disclaimer:

You may copy, modify format, distribute and perform the work(s), including app reviews and any data even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission provided that you: a) cite our research project and publications as follows: BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston; b) agree that we make no warranties about the work(s) or data, and disclaim liability for all uses of the work(s) or data, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law; c) when using or citing the work(s) or data, you should not imply endorsement by us; and d) do not misrepresent the work or its content, or any part thereof, or present it any manner which would have the effect of disparaging BridgingApps, Easter Seals Greater Houston or any affiliated entity or person.

Patrick

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#promocodes for ABA Touch: Monsters - EXPIRE SOON! #spedchat #specialneeds #tck

ABA Touch: Monsters by SlingSpace, LLC (iTunes App Store | Universal | $0.99) is an app that was designed for children with sensory issues.  It is a cause and effect game with a monster theme.  The child presses the correct monster, which results in the device generating a sound as well as vibrating.

          

Promo Code Giveaway
The developer has provided us with 9 promo codes for ABA Touch: Monsters to giveaway.  There is an update being released for this app soon, so these codes expire today (8/30).  To win one of these codes, comment below.  I will announce winners this afternoon.


-  Jeremy

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Creative Art Experiences For Children with Special Needs #spedchat #specialneeds #tck #inclusion

Source: disaboom.com

Thanks to a tweet posted to the #SpEdChat hashtag by @Michelle_Horst on Twitter, I discovered a wonderful resource published by Crayola titled "Creative Art Experiences For Children with Special Needs".  This colorful PDF document starts with a discussion on how to create an environment that encourages creative freedom.  It then presents a variety of appropriate arts & crafts activities (drawing, painting, sculpting, & outdoor activities) - using Crayola products of course.  There's even a highlight box all about "Painting Experiences to Offer in Inclusive Programs"!

What I like most about this resource document are the grids outlining the benefits of art exploration for children with special needs across the major areas of skill development related to art (physical, sensory, communication, cognitive, & social/emotional).


-  Jeremy

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#AppMondayTAS - MeMoves

I've written about MeMoves before - MeMoves and MeMoves Revisited - so you know I'm a fan of the product.  I knew they had an iOS app, but I haven't had the opportunity to check it out until recently.

MeMoves for iOS is designed for a single user at a time to help calm and focus them.  It includes the same music as the DVD and allows them to interact with similar motions in a more controlled way.  MeMoves lets you pick from Joy, Calm and Focus (just like the DVD), but then lets you choose one motion to complete.  As you do the motion if you are rewarded with fish and bubbles if you are following closely.  It does provide audio prompts as well as visual prompts.

It has several settings you can adjust to personalize your experience.  You can set the sensitivity to low, medium or high, change the speed from relaxed to normal and set it to just watch, use 1 finger or 2 fingers.  This app is great for children needing a quick focus before a lesson, or just need something to do while waiting at a restaurant

App - MeMoves
Price - $2.99 (at time of posting)
Type - Universal (works on iPhone, Ipad, and iPod Touch)
Restrictions - None
Skills Addressed - fine motor, waiting, focus

Patrick

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MeMoves - Revisited

I wrote about MeMoves a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to come back and share some anecdotal thoughts about it!  I received my MeMoves DVD last week, and I'm loving it!  I am using it throughout the day to focus and calm my students and they are responding.  I've found that even when the students have trouble with a motion (some are quite hard!) it seems to help them get ready to work.  They are even asking to MeMoves during other times.  It's nothing concrete, but I can say that this DVD has been a great addition to my repertoire and I'm so glad that I purchased it.  Check out Memoves at http://thinkingmoves.com.


Patrick


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MeMoves

One last item from ATIA!  As I wandered around the exhibit hall on the first day I came across a very busy  booth for MeMoves.  MeMoves is a set of DVD's the help increase focus, concentration, and calmness.  The movements are simple and can be done sitting or standing.  The beat is slow, 40-60 beats, and is very easy to follow.  Some of the movements can be hard to do (just try moving one hand up & down, while the other makes a square), but the DVD's show many different adults & kids doing them, some well and some not so well.  It's a great way to show that we all do things differently.  The program was designed by a mom of a daughter with Autism, but would work for many students!  The best part is the price - $59.95!  This program is a great way to "warm up" your brain!


Patrick

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#ATIA2010 - Orlando, Thursday

ATIA 2010 Orlando got started today for me!  I've been to CTG, several years ago, and the first ATIA in Chicago in 2009, so I had a little idea what to expect!  And other than a less than stellar lunch (bad box lunch with 3 hours between sessions), today was great!  I got to see a lot of great presenters, and learned a lot.  Again if you are interested in see my notes from each session please head here - ATIA 2010 Notes

I first saw the Equals Math program at ATIA in Chicago.  I was impressed with it then, and I had very little information about it.  Now that I've seen it in action, it's better than I thought.  The basic concept is a math curriculum that is designed for all learners, no matter their disability, pre-k to adult.  The materials are age neutral, and are included in the kit.  85% of the materials you need to teach a lesson are included - the things you need to provide are pencils, paper, etc... that you probably have in your classroom already!  The program provides 3 levels of differentiation in all areas of the NCTM standards - geometry, algebra, patterns & units, pre-math & exploring & attending (I think I missed one, but you get the idea!). The program is expensive - $1700, but comes chock full of manipulatives, posters, vocabulary cards (over 700), workmats, & a CD full of stuff too!  Check out more information here - Ablenet Equals Math.

I also had a chance to check out a great new program call MeMoves!  Developed by a mom with a daughter with Autism, it is a set of DVD's that use movement to get them ready to learn.  All the movements are done with the upper body, and are set to 40-60 beats per minute.  It was lots of fun to do, and I can see that kids would have a lot of fun working.  They are short clips of many different children & adults doing the moves - some well, and some not so well.  It's a great lesson saying that you don't have to do it perfectly, which seemed to be a theme today (but I'll get to that later).  They also have an iPhone/iPod Touch app coming out soon.  It takes the concept and lets kids use their fingers to help them concentrate and get rewards!  I'm going to checking this out much more - at $60 it's well worth the price!

In the afternoon I had the opportunity to hear more about Proloquo2go from Samuel Sennott.  The more I see of this program, the more impressed I get.  It is a full features communication device, that is appropriate for many users and has many options.  I think I'm most impressed by how easy it is to add and edit categories, icons, and such.  There are some new features coming out very soon (which we were unable to get too, but I'm sure they will be great).  You can find out much more at Proloquo2Go.com!

Chris Bugaj (@attipscast) of the A.T.Tipscast podcast presented a great session on Alternative Professional Development.  Really did a great job of interacting and getting everyone involved.  Some great ideas on how to change up Professional Development - PD on CD, AT tips on DVD, and Tip of the day Calendars!

My last session might have been my favorite!  I had not planned on attending it, but changed my mind after a chance encounter last night.  I got into the van from the airport, and met a "brave" woman.  Krista introduced herself as she sat down with me and I immediately knew she was different, it was kind of obvious with a Vantage Lite hanging from her neck!  She immediately struck up a conversation.  She informed me she was studying to be a speech therapist and that she was presenting.  After that encounter I decided to check out the session.  She, Caroline Musselwhite, and Deanna Wagner talked about the Out and About program developed to help AAC users get social interactions with other AAC users, their families and other peers!  It has been a great success and Krista is just one example!  I'm very interested in checking out more information and checking out the Out and About group in the Chicago area!

Well, that's it for today.  It's way past my bedtime!  Looking forward to more tomorrow!

Patrick

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Pete's Stuff

An interesting site I came across while reading about myself (at One Switch UK) is Pete's Stuff. Pete has several stories that he's written that allow for the use of sensory materials as you read. The stories look absolutely hilarious (check out Norbert the Green Nosed Reindeer) and it would take a person with a sense of humor to use them. They are powerpoint files and include a word document with the story (and sensory items). I know I'm going to have a blast surprising my students with these stories.

Patrick