Choosing the right tools for special education can make a significant difference in a child’s learning journey.
Technology offers various apps designed to assist students with special needs in their educational development. Which apps can provide the most effective support for your students?
This article highlights some of the best special education apps that educators and parents can use.
Each app is selected for its unique features and benefits, aimed at improving communication, learning, and daily skills for children with special needs.
1) Proloquo2Go
Proloquo2Go is a powerful AAC app designed for people with speech difficulties.
It offers symbol-based communication and natural-sounding voices.
The app’s Crescendo™ vocabulary system allows users to start with basic words and expand to more complex language as they develop skills.
This makes it suitable for beginners as well as more advanced users.
You can find it on AssistiveWare’s website.
Proloquo2Go is compatible with iOS 15.6 or later, ensuring it runs smoothly on most modern Apple devices.
It is part of the AAC Essentials Bundle, which includes other useful apps like Proloquo4Text and Pictello.
Multilingual support is another key feature.
Users can switch between different languages, making it accessible for non-English speakers.
Proloquo2Go helps children with autism express their needs.
Many parents have noted significant improvements in their children’s ability to communicate.
For more on its features, visit Educational App Store.
This app includes different levels of vocabularies, from beginner to advanced.
This setup helps users gradually build their language skills.
The app is intuitive, making it easy to navigate.
Proloquo2Go is highly customizable.
You can change button sizes, color themes, and more to suit individual needs.
The app also saves progress, allowing users to pick up where they left off.
The app supports both children and adults, making it versatile for different age groups.
It’s a valuable tool for anyone who struggles with speech.
It empowers them to communicate effectively and independently.
Discover more user experiences and tips on Educators Technology.
2) Todo Math
Todo Math is a top-notch app for young learners.
It offers over 2,000 interactive math activities suitable for Pre-K through 2nd grade.
The app covers a range of topics, from counting to multiplication.
Todo Math aligns with Common Core standards, making it ideal for educators.
It supports children with dyslexia by including dyslexic-friendly fonts.
This app engages children with fun, colorful design and interactive features.
Matching games are particularly beneficial for kids with learning disabilities.
They help children practice sorting and correlating objects and numbers.
Todo Math is widely trusted by parents and teachers alike.
Over 10 million parents and 5,000 teachers have chosen it for teaching foundational math skills.
The app is designed to make learning math enjoyable.
You can find Todo Math available on platforms like Google Play.
The app’s wide range of activities ensures that every child finds something engaging to work on.
By providing a mix of educational content and games, Todo Math keeps children interested and motivated.
This is crucial for maintaining their attention and helping them develop a love for math.
3) Choiceworks
Choiceworks helps children complete daily routines like morning, day, and night activities.
It also helps them manage feelings and improve waiting skills, such as taking turns and not interrupting.
This app is designed for caregivers to provide clear and consistent support.
It helps foster a child’s independence and positive behavior.
Its ease of use makes it a favorite tool for many.
You can find Choiceworks on the App Store.
It supports children with autism and other disabilities in maintaining a daily schedule, routines, and telling time.
Choiceworks has customizable features and a rich image library.
This helps in making it more relatable and easier for children to understand and follow directions.
It also has a visual schedule, a waiting board, and a feelings board.
These tools help children understand what they need to do and how to express their emotions.
Using Choiceworks can make daily routines less stressful for both children and their caregivers.
It provides a structured approach that can benefit children greatly.
This app can be an effective tool to help children with special needs navigate their day with more confidence and less frustration.
It’s widely used by parents, teachers, and caregivers.
For more details, you can read about it on Applied Behavior Analysis Programs.
It’s a reliable app that provides strong support for daily activities and emotional management.
Choiceworks continues to be a trusted app for those involved in special education.
Its features are designed to be user-friendly and impactful.
4) Avaz
Avaz is designed for people with speech difficulties.
It helps them communicate their thoughts, emotions, and needs effectively.
The app is useful both at home and in school settings.
You can use Avaz to express choices like what to eat or to ask questions.
It assists in various daily interactions, ensuring everyone can be understood.
For school use, Avaz supports learning by enabling communication with teachers and peers.
This can improve the educational experience and increase participation in classroom activities.
Early intervention is a key feature of Avaz.
By providing access to more language experiences early on, children can develop better vocabulary and processing skills.
Avaz is recognized for creating opportunities for better communication.
This makes it an essential tool for those with complex communication needs.
To learn more about Avaz, you can visit Avaz Inc..
5) Toca Boca
Toca Boca creates a wide range of apps designed for young children.
These apps focus on creativity and exploration, making them a good fit for special education.
One popular app is Toca Life.
Toca Life allows kids to explore different settings such as a city, a school, or even a hospital.
They can interact with various characters and items in these environments.
Another useful app is Toca Lab: Elements.
This app teaches children about the periodic table.
It uses fun experiments to help kids learn about different elements, which can be especially helpful for visual and hands-on learners.
The Toca Builders app is another great option.
It’s similar to building with Legos in a virtual world.
Kids can create structures and landscapes, encouraging spatial awareness and creativity.
For children with autism, Toca Boca apps offer a safe and controlled way to practice real-life scenarios.
These apps can help kids navigate social situations and routines at their own pace.
Most Toca Boca apps are available for Android and iOS.
They do come with a price, but the engaging and educational content often makes them worth the cost.
The apps are designed to be kid-safe and gender-neutral, making them suitable for all children.
Whether it’s storytelling, role-playing, or experimenting, Toca Boca apps offer unique experiences that cater to a wide range of interests and learning needs.
These apps are a valuable addition to any special education toolkit.
6) News-2-You
News-2-You is a unique digital newspaper designed for special education.
It offers weekly current events articles that keep students informed and engaged.
The articles come with standards-aligned activities that reinforce learning.
This tool uses symbols to support text, aiding students who need visual prompts.
The content is differentiated to four levels, making it adaptable to various learning needs.
One of the standout features of News-2-You is its year-round availability.
During the school year, updates are weekly, and in the summer, they switch to monthly.
This ensures that students have continuous access to educational content.
With a News-2-You license, a single service provider can use the online newspaper extensively.
This makes it a valuable resource for educators, therapists, and specialists working in special education settings.
Using News-2-You, you can provide engaging and accessible content to your students, helping them stay current with world events while honing important skills.
The integration of activities and recurring features means lessons are never dull.
Plus, the curriculum is designed to promote achievement and enrich lives through varied educational experiences.
7) ModMath
ModMath is a free app designed to help students with dyslexia and dysgraphia.
You can use it on an iPad, which makes it very accessible for many students.
The app allows you to write and solve math problems directly on the touch screen using a custom keypad.
This can help improve both speed and legibility in solving equations.
One of the key features of ModMath is its virtual graph paper, which makes setting up and solving problems easier and more organized.
You can work on basic math and more complex problems without needing to write by hand.
ModMath also lets you print, email, or save your work to cloud services like Dropbox.
This makes it easy to share your progress with teachers, parents, or tutors.
For early math learners, ModMath includes functions for regrouping and carrying in multiple-digit addition and subtraction.
It also offers an array of options for shapes and money, broadening its utility (ModMath on the App Store).
The app was created by parents of a child with learning disabilities, so it is tailored to suit the needs of students with similar challenges.
Learning math becomes less about the struggle with handwriting and more about understanding the concepts (7 Must Have App and Tools for Students With Learning Disabilities).
8) Endless Reader
Endless Reader is a popular app for helping kids learn to recognize sight words.
Sight words are common words found in children’s books that kids need to recognize to achieve reading fluency.
Many of these words have unusual spelling and cannot be sounded out phonetically.
The app makes learning these words fun and engaging with interactive puzzles.
Animated characters guide children through the learning process, making it an enjoyable experience.
This interactive approach helps capture and hold their attention.
Children often find the colorful animations and characters delightful.
Parents also appreciate how Endless Reader keeps their kids entertained while they learn.
The app encourages kids to practice sight words regularly, reinforcing their reading skills.
You can download Endless Reader on both the Apple Store and the Google Play Store.
The availability on multiple platforms makes it accessible for most users.
The app is designed by a team of passionate artists and engineers.
They aim to combine education and entertainment to make learning enjoyable for kids.
This dedication has made Endless Reader a favorite among parents and educators alike.
For families with children who need extra help with reading, Endless Reader is a valuable tool.
It offers an effective way to practice and improve their reading skills.
The playful, interactive elements ensure kids stay engaged and motivated.
Benefits of Using Special Education Apps
Special education apps can offer many benefits like increasing student engagement and allowing for personalized learning experiences.
These tools make learning more accessible and effective for students with special needs.
Improved Engagement
Using apps can significantly improve engagement for students with special needs.
These tools often include interactive elements like games, quizzes, and simulations.
These features make learning more interesting and fun.
Some apps use bright colors, engaging graphics, and immediate feedback to keep students focused and motivated.
Tablets and smartphones are also easier for students to handle compared to traditional books.
This accessibility can help students who have motor skill challenges.
Engaging apps can help students spend more time on learning activities.
This increased engagement can lead to better outcomes overall.
Personalized Learning
Special education apps can offer personalized learning experiences tailored to each student’s needs.
Many apps allow you to set different levels of difficulty.
This means you can customize the learning experience based on the student’s abilities and progress.
For example, students struggling with math can use apps that focus on their particular problem areas.
These apps can also track progress and adjust the material as the student improves.
This kind of personalization helps ensure that each student receives the support they need.
By tailoring the learning experience, these apps can make education more effective and enjoyable.
Key Features to Look for in Special Education Apps
When choosing special education apps, consider ease of use and how well they align with classroom curricula.
These factors can greatly impact the effectiveness of the tools.
User-Friendly Interface
A user-friendly interface is essential.
This makes it easier for both students and teachers to navigate the app.
Look for apps that use clear icons and simple menus.
Interactive elements like touch controls and voice commands can help keep students engaged.
This is especially important for learners with limited motor skills or those who benefit from multi-sensory input.
Personalization is another key aspect.
Apps that allow you to adjust settings based on individual needs can ensure that each student gets the most out of the learning experience.
Curriculum Integration
Apps that integrate well with existing curricula are invaluable.
For example, the Wet-Dry-Try app offers multi-sensory handwriting practice.
This can align with handwriting programs used in many schools.
Look for apps that cover specific subjects or skills, such as the Otsimo Special Education app.
It includes games that teach basics like clocks and weather, aligning with educational standards.
Ensure the app supports different learning styles and can be used alongside traditional teaching materials.
This makes it easier to integrate technology into daily lessons without having to overhaul your entire teaching approach.