This document discusses using iPads for autism education. It notes that iPads are accessible for students with fine motor or coordination issues. Photos on iPads can be used in personal diaries, stories, presentations, vocabulary lists and worksheets to personalize lessons. A variety of apps can integrate photos to appeal visually to students with autism. Apps allow creation of visual schedules, prompts, mind maps and presentations to support students. iPads also offer apps to develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, as well as apps for math, social skills and sensory regulation.

1. Using iPads for
Autism Education
Presented by Karina Barley M.Ed. &
Digital Learning Tree
www.digitallearningtree2.com

2. Accessibility of iPads
• Learning is especially made easy for
children who have fine motor or hand-
eye coordination issues
• Speech to Text functions improve on
each iOS upgrade
• Tablets are light and can easily fit on
the students desk

4. The built in camera makes photos
easy to use on the iPad
• Photos are immediate and
instantaneous
• Can be used as reminders of
activities
• Photos are relevant and
current
• Can make lessons personal to
the students
• Photos are fun and
interesting!

5. In the Classroom photos can be
used in
• Personal diaries
• Stories – especially social
stories
• To create montage/poster
style presentations
• To create vocabulary/spelling
lists
• Word and picture matching
• To create worksheets that
are more relevant and real.

6. How photos can help
A huge percentage of apps can
integrate photos into a story
which lends to the ‘visual’
appeal for students.
Photos can personalize
stories for students who
have autism, which can be
an extremely important
teaching tool.

7. You can use apps like Keynote, Pages, Popplet &
Grafio to create visual prompts and reminders

8. Create Visual Timetables

9. Or Visual Schedules

10. Visual prompts for work sheets

11. Mindmapping Apps

12. Often have audio for those who
need it

13. Apps for Math Modelling

14. Math Apps
• Visual and exciting
• Inbuilt calculator
• Instant response and reward
• Inspire and motivate
students to want to ‘do’
math
• The best Math apps can be
adjusted to suit each
student’s ability level
• Can challenge students to
take a risk in Math because if
they get something wrong
they can retake the activity

15. Apps for Speaking and Listening

16. Speaking and Listening
• The iPad provides many opportunities for
students to develop their Speaking and Listening
skills
• Students can record their own voices reading
poetry, or explaining a Math lesson, helping
them increase their confidence in public
speaking
• The iPad has numerous apps to create oral
presentations, stories, interviews and creative
presentations
• Apps can help them present their work, again
helping them build confidence in public speaking

17. Aurasma and Augmentative Reality

18. • Use an “Aura” to bring a lesson to life and make it
more interesting and engaging
• Hyperlink the Aura to add more information
• Make lessons come alive by adding video, life and
animation
• Differentiate the learning by allowing students to
move and their own pace, and altering the content
slightly to suit the students’ learning style
• Allow students to use the Auras to present their
work
• Students can use Auras to share their work at home
How can Aurasma and Augmentative
Reality enhance the Classroom

19. Apps for Reading

20. There is a range of reading apps
that include
• Story Telling
• Non-fiction
• Personal Stories
• Comic Style
• Cloze activity
• Information
• Pictures & Text

21. There is a great range of
Social Story Apps available

22. There is a great range of
Social Story Apps available

23. There is a great range of
Social Story Apps available

24. Apps for Writing

25. Pictures can be used for relevance
and personalisation in Reading and
Writing apps

26. Screenshots are a great tool for
assessing work or keeping anecdotal
records

27. Apps for Social Skills

28. Self Regulation for
Creating Calm in the Classroom

30. Sensory Apps

31. Calm and Comfort

32. Color and Interest

33. Fun and Relaxing

34. Please feel free to check out a complete curriculum
unit using iPads with children who have autism

35. Stay tuned to Slideshare for
our next presentation
Using Your iPad as an
Augmentative
Communication Device

40. Presented by Karina Barley M.Ed. &
Digital Learning Tree
Thank you for joining us today
Please visit us at
www.digitallearningtree2.com