_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Apps in Special Ed Categorized by
Learning Outcomes
An open educational resource (OER) effort in accordance with the recent
changes from compliance indicators to educational outcomes
in Special Education and the research findings.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Communication
App Name
TapToTalk
App Logo
Description
Created by Assistyx LLC
automatically turns an iPad,
iPhone, or iPod into an AAC
device. By tapping a picture,
TapToTalk speaks. As each
picture is tapped, a new screen of
similar pictures will appear.
TapToTalk can be modified for
child and adult voices as well as
Cost
Free
Our Comments
Samples albums are available in
multiple languages including
English, Spanish, French, German
and Italian.
male and female voices. This is
known as a must have app for
special needs children with
autism, cerebral palsy, and other
speech delays.
Proloquo2Go
Created by AssistiveWare. An
Augmentative and Alternative
Communication (AAC) solution
for all iOS devices.
$219.99
Comprehensive symbol support
gives users a voice. Provides
American, British, Australian and
Indian English voices.
RocketKeys
A talking keyboard for users with
speech disabilities, with special
design consideration for users
with unsteady or imprecise hand
touch.
$159.99
AAC app that helps users type
efficiently, with one feature that
allows typing with the fewest
possible hand movements.
TalkRocket Go
A powerful communication
$99.99
speech aid for many disabilities.
Version 5.1
Users can learn to express
themselves or to speak out loud
by using contextually-relevant
vocabularies , colors, and shapes .
Locabulary Lite
Created by Red Mountain Labs,
Inc., Locabulary Lite uses an
intuitive interface to
communicate words, phrases, and
sentences. Words and expressions
are created from categories such
as Quick Phrase, Moods,
Assistance, and Restaurants. The
ability to select a location and
specify the gender of the voice
Free
Locabulary
Pro
($129.99)
can be
purchased to
increase the
amount of
words and
phrases and
Ideal for speech therapy
See. Touch. Learn.
allows users to customize the
device based on individual needs.
Updated versions allow users to
save phrases by location and to
type abbreviations to speak
phrases. Saved locations such as
“Home” allow a user to quickly
pull up phrases that are
commonly used within the home
and abbreviations can be saved to
quickly pull up commonly used
phrases.
make words
available
based on
GPS
location.
Created by Brain Parade, See.
Touch. Learn. replaces traditional
flash cards and includes a starter
set of high-quality picture cards
designed by professionals
specifically for those with autism
or other special needs. In addition
to teaching specific lessons,
picture cards are used to help
teach new words and foster selfexpression. Picture cards can be
saved and used with multiple
students.
Free
This app
can be
upgraded to
See. Touch.
Learn. Pro
($34.99)
which
allows
access to
additional
libraries of
flash cards
and the
ability to
create
personal
picture
cards.
MyTalkTools Mobile Lite
Created by 2nd Half Enterprises
LLC, MyTalkTools Mobile Lite
is an AAC device that makes it
easy to customize how you
communicate through a variety of
images, pictures, symbols, and
video using audio files. This app
also has basic text to speech
functions. A fully-functional
version of this app is available for
purchase ($99.99) allowing users
to add increased cell capacity to
the full version.
Model Me Going Places 2
Created by Model Me Kids, LLC,
Model Me Going Places 2 is a
visual teaching tool for helping
people learn to navigate within
the community. This version
contains locations such as mall,
playgrounds, grocery stores,
restaurants, and doctor’s offices
and photos of children modeling
appropriate behavior within each
location. The app includes audio
narration of each scenario and
easy to navigate forward and
backward buttons to transition
between photos.
Speak It! Text to Speech
Created by Future Apps, Inc., is
an inexpensive way to convert
text into speech. This app can
read emails, news articles,
documents, web pages, and more.
Words can also be highlighted as
$1.99
Version 2.6
TTS applications provide students
with mild reading disabilities
greater access to text. Research
has shown improvements in text
comprehension when struggling
readers used TTS remediation. In
they are spoken to increase
reading skills. App provides four
voice choices, as well as pace
control allowing the reader to
slow or increase the read-back
speed. The app also allows the
user to save or record the voice
over for listening in the future or
for repeated listening.
addition, reading accuracy scores
increased showing promising
effects on reading speed along
with comprehension. (Douglas,, et
al, 2009).
Phonic and Reading with
McGuffey Lite
Teaches to visual, kinetic, and
auditory learning for non-readers.
Free
Phonics Consonants FreeBeginning Sounds for Preschool,
K, and First Grade
Learn consonant letters and
sounds with six interactive games
Free
One Minute Reader.
Interesting, non-fiction stories
that keep the reader engaged.
Improve Reading.
Free
Painless Reading Comprehension
Challenge
Arcade game that tests one’s
knowledge. Reading
comprehension.
Free
Problem Solving
App Name
Description
Cost
Students watch a series of
images to become familiar with
a variety of public places and
learn appropriate behaviors
through modeling.
Free
Version 3.3
Everyday Social Skills
The app takes users through
common daily activities stepby-step. It includes 75 videos
that provide the user skills to
for social situations. The app
uses real people and signs
making it more effective than
cartoon-type visuals.
$0.99
Version 2.1
(Schrandt, et al. 2009)
Scootpad
Personalized learning
experience for K-5 students in
Math, reading, spelling,
writing, and vocabulary.
Free
Learning adaptive platform for
Common Core Standards in K-5
(Math, Reading, Writing, and
Vocabulary)
Pizza Fractions: Beginning
with Simple Fractions
Introduction to fractions in a
game environment
Free
Submarine Math HD
Racing submarine games to
improve math. Improve math
Free
Version
1.6
Model Me Going Places 2
App Logo
skills (+,-,x)
Our Review
Research has shown that
modeling behavior has been
effective in teaching empathy
and perspective-taking skills
to children with Autism.
(Schrandt, et al. 2009)
Sushi Monster
Interactive monster game to
strengthen math skills. Extend
Free
math fluency. Strengthen
reasoning strategies for whole
number addition and multiplication
Tell Time !!
Fun matching game to tell time. Free
Teach children how to tell time.
Oh no Fractions!- Curious
Hat Lab
Simple app that allows the user Free
to simply swipe left or right to
answer if the fraction on the left
is LESS, GREATER or
EQUAL than the one on the
right. Practice and understand
Fractions.
SpellingCity
Playing engaging learning
games using word lists.
Learning spelling and
vocabulary words.
Free
Fast Facts Multiplication
Designed to help students learn
multiplication tables
Free
Fraction Basics
Video that teaches fractions in a
quick and simple way.
Free
Geometry: Volume of
Solids Lite
Videos are used to help understand
and learn how to calculate volumes
of solids
Free
AutisMate
Helps build communication and
socialization skills. Allows users
to add media content to create
visual scenes to help students
acquire social and communication
skills.
$149.99
version
2.5.3
Creavity
App Name
App Logo
Description
Cost
Our Review
Pic Collage
Create and share amazing
collages using photos, fun
stickers, text with cool
fonts and frames.
Free
Version 4.5.18
Creativity and
organization
Toontastic
Create animated
storytelling cartoons with
musical scores.
Free version with starter
characters and
backgrounds.
Paid version ($19.99) with
150+ characters and 40+
backgrounds
Version 2.7.0
Creativity & thinking
Talking Tom Cat
Pet cat Tom responds to
the user’s touch and
repeats everything the user
says with a funny voice.
Free
Version 2.3.1
Screenchomp
A simple doodle board,
markers, and one-click
sharing tool. Learn to
create a sharing your
ideas.
Free
Sketchbook MobileX
Sketching tool used
through a streamlined and
intuitive user interface.
Painting and drawing
application.
Free
Skitch
How to express through
drawing. Say things
through drawing and
images. Very easy to use.
Resembles a scaled
version of Photoshop.
Free
Vocab-a-splat
Game that requires
students to collect enough
paint to color pictures in
vocab-a-SplatGallery.Build on and
teaches meaning of high
frequency vocabulary
words.
Free
Communication &
Creativity
All Guitar Chords
Beginner learners
Free
Educreations Interactive
WhiteBoard
Create and share video
lessons
Free
How to Make Origami
Provides step by step and
animated 3D instructions
to making Origami’s
Free
iBrainstorm
Drawing pad or
whiteboard. Collaborative
tool.
Free
Poetry Creator-Verses,
Poetry, Poems & Poets
Merging poetry and words
to create your own verses
Free
Sketchbook MobileX
Sketching tool used
through a streamlined and
intuitive user interface
Free
Voice Thread
Create and share
conversation
Free
Thinking & Organization
App Name
App Logo
Description
Cost
Our Review
Sticky
Creating notebooks that
help users stay organized
in a colorful, fun, and
tactile manner.
Free
Version 3.3.1
PhotoMind
Use pictures as reminders,
to-do-lists, or notes.
$2.99
Version 2.2
Grammar Wonderland
Learn parts of speech by
flying, swimming,
feeding, and tossing to
grammar mastery.
Free
Thinking and learning
Elementary Lite version & through playing.
Primary version
SeeTouchLearn
Free
SeeTouchLearn Free, Pro,
Site Edition
Evernote
Users can easily take
notes, organize and share
notes, as well as create
audio and visual notes.
Free
Version 7.3.0
Pdf-notes free for iPad
(pdf reader-viewer)
Easy to use. Use your
fingers to scroll, read,
find, drop, and save.
Free
Word Mover
Uses found poetry to
promote literacy and
supplement classroom
instruction
Free
Ace the SAT
Practice test questions to
better prepare for SAT
Free
Managing class
assignments, taking notes,
and organizing paper-based
work has been found to be
an ongoing problem for
high functioning students.
Organization apps can help
with organization and note
taking skills
(ASHA, 2013)
Dictionary.comDictionary and Thesaurus
for iPad
FractionCalc
Basic calculator app
Free
Leafsnap for iPad
Take pictures of leaves,
flowers, petiole, and bark
to identify the trees
species.
Free
References:
ASHA Leader. (n.d.). App-titude: Apps for High Schoolers With Autism. Retrieved February 2, 2014, from
http://www.asha.org/Publications/leader/2013/130401/App-titude--Apps-for-High-Schoolers-With-Autism.htm
Douglas, K., Ayers, K., Langone, J., Bell, V., & Meade, C. (2009). Expanding Literacy for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities: The Role of Supported eText.
Journal of Special Education Technology, 24(3), 35-44.
Schrandt, J., Buffington, D., & Poulson, C. (2009). Teaching Empathy Skills to Children with Autism. Journal of Applied behavior Analysis, 42(1), 17-32.