Category: Special Needs »

Speech with Milo is an interesting universal app designed to aid in the language development of children with special needs but can also be used with average children as well.

I really like Speak with Milo. I think that this is an ingenious way to teach verbs to children, be it an older child who has a language delays or a toddler learning new words. Milo is a cute mouse with a lot of energy who demonstrates more than one hundred verbs as he is tapped, and one can also hear these verbs being used in simple phrases as well. I also think it is interesting how when he is waiting to be tapped, Milo begins to look bored and checks his watch, a great pantomime of waiting and a very good prompt, especially for children new to learning language and possibly social skills as well. This application in general is much more engaging that traditional flash cards, and I like how Milo’s location changes as well, keeping kids interested. The interface is very easy to navigate, and it is nice that, although music accompanies Milo as he acts out these verbs, it can easily be turned off to lessen any distractions if necessary. It is also a nice touch that any or all of the over one hundred words can be turned off or on, so one can focus on words that carry emotions like “laugh” “kiss” or “smile,” or randomly if one so chooses. I would, however, like an option to
silence the “tada” sound Milo makes after he acts out each word.

I greatly appreciate the fact that there are guidelines for therapists as well as parents, and after reading how this app can be used to teach not just these specific action words but how to further the educational experience by teaching things like past tense or third person singular, I think this would be an excellent application to teach English as a second language to children as well. As an adult, I enjoy seeing Milo acting out these words in a way that is always fun and creative - many times with props. I would have used this app with my son when he was younger and first learning words. I am sure we both would have enjoyed it, as my son at three still enjoys tapping and watching Milo now.

iDress for Weather is an interesting universal app which is designed to aid people with special needs, old or young, in choosing weather-appropriate clothing. After one’s current zip code is entered, the current temperature is shown with bright and nicely drawn illustrations every time this app is opened, as well as outfit choices for these different climates. One can also make a “custom closet” where one can add photos of favorite clothing, as well as determine what temperatures are deemed, for instance as “hot” or “really cold.”

This app, designed with special needs people in mind, is a good idea for those living with conditions such as autism, Alzheimer's, or a traumatic brain injury and who may need extra help in choosing suitable clothing for themselves. I can also see applications for the average population as well, especially children who dress themselves and simply want to know what the weather is like before choosing an outfit, particularly useful in areas where the weather changes day to day. I am glad “rainy” is a choice, but I would also like to see “windy” as a option as well and would love for this app to forecast not just the weather in the moment, but what the weather may bring later that day, for instance, adding an umbrella into the closet of a “sunny” day if rain is expected, or in anticipation that the weather is going to warm up quickly in the afternoon, I would like to possibly see some “layering” clothing as options to take on and off during the day as well, much like the layers for “really cold” days.

I also see this app as helping kids make good decisions for themselves as an unbiased guide for dressing without any debates that they may have with mom or dad as to whether they need to be wearing their light weight or heavy weight coat, appropriate temperature to wear one's favorite sandals, or if a girl needs to layer a tee shirt under her favorite summer dresses.

Nicely illustrated, this app is certainly faster than looking up the weather on the computer.

Andrew Answers is a universal storybook app, both creative and fun, from Ruckus Media Group about a boy with an inventive sense of humor which is not appreciated by his teachers and most of the other adults that he encounters. Ranging in scope from the principal's office to the oval office, this app comes together and ends in a way that I really enjoy. Interactive elements are also present to explore, but this is primarily a story.

I really like this app and can relate to Andrew as he gets into trouble, being misunderstood by adult authority figures as he answers word problems directed towards him - correctly, from his point of view. Both my husband and I remember periods in our childhood of feeling not understood by teachers as well as other adults, and I think that it is a revelation to touch upon these issues in such a charming and comedic way. I admire the creative use of language here, and showing the great flexibility of words as Andrew answers the questions asked of him with great whit. The use of the alphabet here is a great teaching tool as well.

These days, many special education teachers use apps in their classrooms, and although this app is not specifically for, and certainly not limited to kids with special needs or on the autism spectrum, I think that Andrew is very relatable to kids who may think or interact with the world or their classroom in a way that may seem different or disruptive, or to students who have been labeled as “bright underachievers” when in fact many of these kids are just simply bored. I admire how Andrew becomes redeemed in the end, a great moment that any kid thought of as “different” can cheer for and may gain a sense of personal satisfaction from, as did I.

Some interactions are included with this app. There are two mazes to navigate, and I like that one can choose “easy” or “hard” as well as skipping them. However, I wish these options were offered on the maze page itself - not before, so if a player feels stuck and wants to just continue with the story, they can do so. The other interactions are simple and nice, although minimal, and I do think parents who expect a highly interactive app may be disappointed by their expectations. Having said this, I think this is a very worthwhile and educational app, with an ending that I especially appreciated.

Look in my Eyes 3 Undersea is an interesting app designed to help teach children on the autism spectrum how to make eye contact, a social skill that does not come naturally for many children who have autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.

To play this game, the player focuses his attention directly into the center of the eyes of a child’s picture on the screen, waiting for a number to flash. Below this picture there are numbers to choose from. Tap the correct number seen while making eye contact. For each number answered correctly, you earn money that you can later spend purchasing sea creatures and sealife from the warehouse, then arranging them among different sea-themed backgrounds. The quality of these objects and backgrounds is tremendous, as is the vast selection to choose from, and I think they would be a great incentive to keep playing.

I showed this app to my son, 2.5 years, who is not on the spectrum. He really enjoyed playing this game, and I think the focus this app requires had a nice, calming affect on him. I am happy that this app can be enjoyed by many different children in a family, whether or not they may need help learning this social skill.

I am impressed with the concept of this app and I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the “For Parents” section which gives tips on helping kids transfer what they have learned in the app to their daily lives, also touching upon the fact that eye contact is not something all families are comfortable teaching.

Whether or not to try to teach eye contact to someone with autism or Asperger’s Syndrome is a personal decision that each family needs to make for itself, but if eye contact is something one interested is trying to teach, I think this app would be a great choice. Also note: this application is one of a series of apps from developers at FizzBrain which are designed for kids on the spectrum.