This year, we have seen more and more articles and information on “apps for the special needs child”. It seems like there is an app for any need you can think of:
To teach a very young child to tap the device to practice “cause & effect”;
To create social stories with voice, text & images;
To track therapies, medications, etc. when using behavior management techniques;
To calm with soothing music and images;
To recognize the different emotions on a face;
To manipulate sound effects to desensitize a sound sensitive child;
To educate or entertain with children’s interactive books, or;
To facilitate early childhood learning with apps for letters, numbers, colors etc.
The following list of websites specializes in categorizing apps that might be useful for our families with children with special needs*.
http://a4cwsn.com/-includes video reviews of select apps
https://autismapps.wikispaces.com/- breaks apps into helpful categories
http://www.snapps4kids.com/- includes many helpful reviews
http://www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_special_needs_apps.html- comprehensive listing of apps, including information about android apps
http://www.lilliespad.com/apps-for-special-needs/- includes favorites of the developer’s daughter.
Many of the websites contain reviews and a few even provide a video on how an app works. Another resource to consider before purchasing an app is user reviews and/or visiting the developer’s website. After all, it is easy enough to try out an app that costs .99 but another thing to purchase an app for $14.99 and then find out that your child won’t use it.
* This list is provided for the convenience of our readers. The NREIC is not responsible for the content, links, appearance or information on these listed websites. The NREIC has no control over the nature, content and availability of these sites. Their inclusion does not imply a recommendation or endorsement of the views or information expressed within them and any questions should be directed to the websites themselves.
