Making decisions about which applications (apps) for iPads are the most suitable for specific students involves a number of different steps. This article looks at:
- Considerations for iPad App Selection
- How to Choose an Appropriate Storybook App
- Apps for Students with Visual Impairments
Considerations for iPad App Selection

How to Choose an Appropriate Storybook App
- Visual clarity (a lack of visual busyness)
- Placement of print (in same place on each page?)
- Print clarity / background (contrast) -- the space behind the print should not have any drawings or pictures or movement
- Brightness of image
- Size of Font (is it changeable?)
- Type of Font -- not too busy
- Upper case and lower case letters used properly
- Can the printed word, when read by the iPad be highlighted (if needed at the child’s current level)

Apps for Students with Visual Impairments
Apple supplied and used (by my students and / or me):
-
iBooks
- Camera (photos of others, locations, of their own eyes)
- iCal (calculator)
- Messages
- Maps
- Notes
- FaceTime
- Reminders
- Contacts
- Safari
- Siri
-
Dragon Dictation
- TapDictionary (to look up words within Safari)
- iPhoto
- iComm
- App store
- iDictation – comes on the keyboards of the newer operating systems and newer iDevices
Accessibility Features:
- Accessibliity – Voice Over, Zoom, Large Text, Invert Colors, Speak Selection, Assistive Touch, Guided access
- Brightness options
More Apple APPS:
Suggested from colleagues in the field (I have not used them yet)
- Air Display
- Game Center
Non-Apple APPS:
- Pages
-
Notability
- Evernote
- Goodreads –(download books) can only enlarge so much
- Inspiration
- Ideas Sketch
- ShowMe, YouTube, Flipboard, TED videos
- Vision Assist – can enlarge on-the-spot – works for handouts, short amounts of reading
- iBlink – radio, podcasts, for individuals with visual impairments
- Dropbox
- Vlingo – can use voice activation with email, internet searches
- Skype
- Splashtop
- Readiris
- PDF Expert
- PDF2Ebook
- TEXT2Ebook
- Audible.com
- Stories such as APP “Miss Spider’s Tea Party” can be used to discuss social aspects and making friends
- Can use some of the braille apps in social settings to learn braille, play games with peers (although may not work with Voice Over)
- Virtuoso (can play 2 pianos – with peer on one iPad)
-
My A-Z – can create your own flashcards, with photos and voice
- Social Skill Builder (has a Lite version)
- Talking Tom (and other animals)
- TimerTouch+
- Game Timer
- Handycashier (a cash register for store employees)
- Jumbo calculator
- Telling Time
O & M:
- iMove
- Record routes for mobility
Please note that you may need to check whether the app has been updated or whether it only works with certain operating systems. Please let us know if you have any information to share about any of the apps on this page! You can email us or leave a comment below.
Comments
Perfect Timing!
Posted by Linda Brown
iPad selection
Posted by Linda Mamer