Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Electronic Touch Tablets!


If there's any piece of assistive technology device that could dethrone the all-mighty desktop computer, it could very well be the electronic touch tablet. What makes this device such an educational juggernaut in special education? Like many other types of AT it is very adaptable to students with disabilities that include the auditory and visual fields. It is also appeals to students that are attracted to the kinesthetic aspect of the device.
Any talk about electronic touch tablets has to include the most popular touch tablet on the market, the iPad. Even though the iPad has its competitors, this device has proven to be the favorite of every school I've had the pleasure to observe and volunteer in. 
The adaptability of the iPad via the educational apps available for download make it an immensely valuable tool. 
As I've mentioned in a comment on a classmate's blog post, I've put an iPad in a newly arrived Mexican immigrant student's hands and without any word from me, that child is swiping, opening and using apps in minutes. It is quite a sight to behold. 

And the age in which you can get student's using an iPad can start as young as kindergarten as this video will attest. 

2 comments:

  1. I like how you used the terms educational jaggernaut to refer to an Ipad. After reading many of our classmates posts about Ipads, it's evident that it is extremely hard to narrow down exactly what to discuss about them. they encompass so much and are so universal. It really can bring a sense of understanding and community with the ever growing use of them now!

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  2. Thanks, Michelle! This module definitely exposed me to the seemingly endless possibilities of the iPad. However, it may suffer from the 'too much of a good thing' syndrome. By this I mean that just the shear amount of apps that are available to teachers and parents can be overwhelming. How does one pick the "right" app that would most benefit their students and/or children?

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