The iPad & Students with Visual and Multiple Disabilities: Apps for Communication

Submitted by Faye Gonzalez on Feb 04, 2022

It isstudent using an iPad for communication more and more common for students to receive an iPad as their personal Communication Device.   The most common Communication apps are designed to provide a large vocabulary to non-verbal students.  However, these apps are often challenging for kids who are Visually Impaired and have Multiple Disabilities (VI/MD) to access.  The visual-motor integration and visual discrimination skills are often too challenging for kids who are VI/MD typically to be successful. While these communication apps are great for many and may be the right ones for some kids who have visual and multiple disabilities, be cautious. This includes apps such as Proloque2Go http://www.assistiveware.com/  and TouchChat HD http://touchchatapp.com/.  There are many apps out there for the iPad that support communication needs and are more commonly applicable to students who are VI/MD – and are more affordable for a teacher to purchase.

TapSpeak Sequence

TapSpeak Sequence for iPad revolutionizes how parents, speech therapists, vision therapists, schools, and institutions create and use message sequences to help disabled children learn to communicate. Use TapSpeak Sequence instead of sequential message switches to record and customize messages without losing any previously recorded sequences.
 

iPad communication app - YesNoHDYes/No from I Can Do Apps

Yes/No from I Can Do Apps is an educational tool designed in collaboration with a Speech Language Pathologist that allows non-verbal individuals to communicate yes and no. This clean and simple design allows users to indicate yes/no responses with a tap of the screen and hear their responses. Yes/No from I Can Do Apps allows individuals to work on answering yes/no questions and indicate their wants and needs more clearly.

SoundingBoard

SoundingBoard transforms your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad into the latest in communication technology. In just minutes, you can create custom boards using AbleNet symbols or your own words. Perfect for children in special education, persons on the autism spectrum, and adults with disabilities. SoundingBoard includes switch access and is compatible with the AbleNet Blue2 Switch.

Now, let’s get our kids talking!

 

Collage with girl using an ipad, and two ipad app icons

Editor's Note:  The original post from 2013 was updated on 2/16/2022 with current versions of the apps.