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Communication Apps

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com

The iPad is a great tool to use with students who are visually impaired and there are more and more apps that are creating more accessibility. The following apps assist with communication.

Voice Messenger

Free. Hey Tell is a cross-platform voice messenger that allows you to instantly talk with friends and family. No account needed.

Free. Roger is a walkie-talkie style app that makes it simple to keep in touch with people no matter where they are. Tap to talk for an unlimited amount of time and tap to listen. The app supports both VoiceOver and Talkback. Users can sign in with their phone number and email.

Free. The TalkBox Voice Messenger app is a voice messenger on mobile that allows users to exchange, share and publish their voice messages. It is similar to a global walkie talkie!

Using the iPad

$2.99. The Ballyland Magic App by Sonokids is an educational and fun iPad game specifically designed for children who are blind or have low vision to learn and practice a number of touch gestures for VoiceOver, Apple's built-in screen reader.

$2.99. The Ballyland Rotor by Sonokids is an educational iPad game designed to teach children the VoiceOver rotor concept and gestures through a fun game, in which Ballicopter, the little red helicopter from Ballyland, goes on an adventure. You set the rotor to change his story. It comes with a free file for download to 3D print.

$4.99. The VO Lab App by Sonokids is a great app to learn the basics of VoiceOver through educational iPad games designed specifically for people who are blind or visually impaired.

$1.99. The Big Calculator Low Vision App by N Thorn is a large print calculator with 4 high contrast color modes for good clarity in day or night lighting.

$2.99. The Big Keys Low Vision Keyboard App by N Thorn is a keyboard specifically for persons who are visually impaired by featuring large print with high contrast.

$1.99. The Big List App by N Thorn is a note taking or list making app specifically designed for persons who are visually impaired.

Communication Apps

$4.99 The Attainment Switch app turns your iPad into a wireless switch for PC, iMac or a laptop!

Free. The Choice Board Creator app by Techno Chipmunk is a great app for creating customized choice boards. The picture size and number of pictures displayed can be adapted and customized sounds can be included.

$4.99 The My Pictures Talk app allows the user to
make an electronic “choice book.”

$18.99. The Pictello app allows the user to customize this digital photo album with your photographs and add your voice to tell the story behind the photos.

$189.99 The Proloquo To Go app allows users to turn their iOS device into a communication system. Developers call it “AAC in your pocket.” Similar to the Dynavox communication system.

Free. SoundingBoard app transforms your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad into a tool for communication. In just minutes, you can create custom boards using AbleNet symbols or your own words. SoundingBoard includes switch access and is compatible with the AbleNet Blue2 Switch.

$14.99 The Tap Speak Button app features a huge red circle that acts like a jellybean button switch with multiple messages. Customize dozens of messages on one switch

$29.99. The Tap Speak Sequence app uses Dynavox Mayer-Johnson symbols to tell a graphic story with your voice message.

$0.99. The Vola Friends HD app is useful for teaching emotions to kids via short video clips with depictions of emotions on the faces of actors.

$1.99. The Word Totz app offers general communication flash cards but also has section called “My Cards” that allows you to post your own images coupled with your own voice!

Selecting the Right AT for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired Recorded Presentation

$25.00

Are you overwhelmed by the process of selecting assistive technology for your students? This presentation will encompass the process and steps of selecting the right assistive technology for students who are blind or visually impaired using the SETT framework. Key points covered in this presentation include identification of the current problem; consideration of current skills; understanding unique visual and learning needs; awareness of AT for VI; AT equipment considerations; the process of building a toolkit; instructional strategies; and next steps.

Objectives:

Identify required steps in conducting an AT evaluation for students with visual impairments.
Analyze student’s current skills and unique needs to make appropriate AT recommendations
Develop strategies for selecting low, mid and high tech Assistive Technology

Includes:

Recorded PowerPoint Show
Transcript
Presentation handout
Printables & Links to Resources discussed in presentation

Request a Certificate of Completion

To receive a certificate of completion for 1 contact hour, complete the short "Selecting the Right AT" quiz on Google Forms and receive a score of at least 80%. Don't worry. If you don't pass, you can re-watch the presentation and retake the test! If you have any accessibility issues with the form, please don't hesitate to let me know and we can make other arrangements.

System Requirements:

Presentations are recorded PowerPoint presentations. You must be able to access PowerPoint to view the PowerPoint presentation. Please note that the presentation pages are closed member pages available to individuals who have purchase access to the presentation.

*Please contact me if you need to purchase using a purchase order. I am happy to help guide you in the process of adding Teaching Students with Visual Impairments as an approved vendor for your school or program or you can visit the product support page for information on using a PO.

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