Tech Tips for Back to School Success
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PSN Team 
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It’s that time again, summer is winding down and we will be getting ready to send our children back to school again soon. Transitioning back to school can look different based on the needs of your child and your family. Maybe your child is attending full day, in-person instruction, maybe they are staying home and receiving virtual instruction, maybe they are attending in-person a few days per week and at home the other days (commonly referred to as a “hybrid” model), or maybe you homeschool them? Whatever school looks like for your child, and however you define success, we have apps that are sure to help you and your family this fall.
BridgingApps App Spotlight: A Cool Tool for IEP Help!
Maybe you have already started thinking of goals you would like to see your child accomplish this upcoming school year. You might feel great about the goals set up for them in their IEP’s or maybe you need that beginning of the school year touch-base with everyone to rethink your child’s goals. You may not know about a really cool tool that can help with many aspects of the IEP process and beyond. Otter: Transcribe Voice Notes can be used in several
ways related to IEP prep and discussions. Parents can use it to record voice memos of questions they have when they come up so that they will have a list ready for the meeting. For example, your child is working on a task and you want to know how it is related to a goal or maybe what the next step will be because they have almost mastered that task. Otter is on your phone so you can easily speak your question into Otter, name the note “IEP Questions”, and voila! You just started a list of questions to ask at the next meeting. We love that Otter is also a web-based platform so that you can view your meetings and notes by logging in to your account on a laptop or desktop computer, as well as on your phone or tablet. This can be especially helpful if you have visual limitations or if you just prefer working on documents using a bigger screen and a full-size keyboard.
Otter can also be used to record entire meetings and then the app will transcribe the meeting into a document that you can share or print to review points made and make notes regarding questions you may have going forward, there’s even a highlighting tool you can use to help you remember important points. This is also a great use of the app for older students who need assistance with note taking during classes. They can simply use their phone to record the lectures and Otter will transcribe the entire lecture for them. It is important to note that the free version of Otter allows you to record up to 600 minutes per month, Pro version and Business option subscription plans are also available and allow for more minutes per month. We love that the free version gives 10 hours of recording time per month, but keep in mind if a student is using this on a daily basis; they are likely going to need the Pro version that allows more minutes per month.
Otter: Transcribe Voice Notes
By Otter.ai, Inc.
Otter: Transcribe Voice Notes records conversations on a phone, tablet or web browser and within minutes transforms the recording into a transcript with searchable notes, text, audio, and even images. These audio files and transcripts can be saved, exported and shared with others. Otter is marketed as an efficient and accessible way to turn conversations into smart notes that are searchable. Cool tool! There are many possible uses for a tool like this from a productivity standpoint, including Otter for Education.
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
Keep reading to learn about more apps to help your kiddos with organization and note-taking skills, an AAC app with a companion app designed to help parents, apps to keep up IEP targeted skills, and an app that can provide fun brain breaks for your child as well as the whole family!
Evernote – Notes Organizer
By Evernote Corporation
Evernote – Notes Organizer is great for teachers and students. Capture ideas. Find information fast. Share notes with anyone. For students this is a wonderful beginning tool to teach organizational skills. Students can create notebooks within Evernote and even create audio notes to remind themselves of tasks they need to complete. Evernote even gives you an address so you can send important emails to yourself. Evernote syncs with your computer and your phone so you have your information with you at all times.
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
Pathways for Core First
By Tobii Dynavox LLC
Pathways for Core First is a one-of-a-kind companion app for Core First that is packed with expert advice for how to meaningfully impact the user’s communication success. Based on best practices from experts in the field, Pathways for Core First provides lesson plans, top tips, and real-world videos to show parents, teachers, and therapists how to get the most out of Core First with confidence.
Price: FREE
TD Snap Lite
By Tobii Dynavox LLC
TD Snap Lite is a robust, symbol-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app. It offers a large database of line drawn icons and allows for customization using camera roll to individualize icons. This AAC app is designed to let users start communicating quickly and guide them from their first words to literacy. Snap Core First provides the path for users to stay engaged as they learn and grow their language skills. It is also easy for parents, teachers, and speech therapists to learn how to use.
Price: Free | Offers In-App Purchases
Visual Working For
By: AME Mobile, Inc.
Visual Working For is a helpful app for children, including those with Autism Spectrum disorders, allowing them to understand what is coming next in a task. It can help reduce anxiety and instill a sense of predictability during a scheduled task. Students pick out items they want and then items they want next. It also gives the child a chance to choose something they like to do, giving them some control over activities they like mixed in with activities that may be more challenging.
Price: $2.99
GoNoodle – Kids Videos
By: GoNoodle, Inc.
GoNoodle is a free app that is full of educational, fun, family-friendly videos of sing-a-longs, yoga, stretching, and more. Check out a fun new take on “Hand Jive”, “Boom Chicka Boom”, “Pop See Ko”, and much more! There is surely something to please everyone’s taste in music and games on this app. It is a great app for a quick “brain break” from challenging school or work tasks or to be used as an “ice breaker” when getting a new group together.
Price: Free
If you are interested in searching for more apps, creating your own list of apps and sharing them, please go to BridgingApps.org. BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston, is a community of parents, therapists, doctors and teachers who share information about using mobile devices with people who have special needs.
About Authors
Amy Fuchs is the Program Coordinator at BridgingApps and a former special education teacher. Amy Barry is the Content Manager and Editor at BridgingApps and mother of five children.
Cristen Reat is co-founder of BridgingApps and a mother who found success when using a mobile device with her younger son who has multiple disabilities. We share a passion for using mobile technology to enhance the lives of people of all ages with disabilities.
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This post originally appeared on our July/August 2021 Magazine
