{Book + AAC} Wild About Us! and the GoTalk Now Plus AAC app

Posted on May 15, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Excited to have a fun activity prepared for OMazing Kids speech therapy this week! Wild About Us! by Karen Beaumont has a wonderful message of diversity and loving who you are plus it’s full of lots of great descriptive language and animal vocabulary:

Warty Warthog
Toothy Crocodile
Wrinkly Rhino
Long-Nosed Elephant
Lanky Tall Giraffe
Pink Flamingo
Plump Potbellied Pig
Slow Tortoise
Spiky Porcupine
Spotted Leopard
Wiggly Hippo
Big-Eared Chimp
Huge-Footed Kangaroo
Tiny Pesky Fly
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I bought my new hardcover copy of the book on Amazon for less than $5.00: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-About-Us-Karen-Beaumont/dp/0152062947

I programmed a communication page in the GoTalk Now Plus AAC app & will be using this free printable: http://lovetolearn2012.blogspot.ca/2015/06/wild-about-us-freebie.html

I’m trying to upload the communication page as a template to the GoTalk Now Online Gallery…. in the meantime here is a temporary link to a PDF: http://share.gotalknow.net/Temp-PDF-D7B120AE-6520-4CAF-9D55-711171B82C9B-6633-000001B297F47F66.pdf (link expired)

{Update: It finally uploaded to the Online Gallery. Search for “wild” and you’ll find it}

Love using the GoTalk Now Plus AAC app to make communication pages to use with books! It’s amazing to have access to the PCS Boardmaker symbols, SymbolStix symbols, GoTalk symbols and easily search online for pictures all within one app. Plus it’s easy to export the whole page as a PDF to then print and cut apart the symbols to add to kids communication books. Thanks Attainment Company, Inc.! The kids I serve at our non-profit hospital and I greatly appreciate it 🙂
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GoTalk Now Plus AAC app: GoTalk NOW PLUS by Attainment Company
https://appsto.re/us/LlfpS.i

This app is super easy to program and is full of other great features such as being able to link buttons to music or videos on your iPad, link to YouTube videos, transmit pages over WiFi to another device, scanning, backup/restore with DropBox, upload/download pages via the GoTalk Now Online Gallery, each page can have a different grid size (choices of 1, 2, 4, 9, 16 or 25 buttons per page), and more.
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{Five Faves} Five of my favorite apps by Smarty Ears: Phono Learning Center, Minimal Pairs Academy, Fun & Functional, Go-Togethers & Basic Concepts Skills Screener

Posted on May 14, 2016 by OMazing Kids

{Five Faves} Five of my favorite apps by Smarty Ears: Phono Learning Center, Minimal Pairs Academy, Fun & Functional, Go-Togethers & Basic Concepts Skills Screener.

I’m sure by now all of my SLPeeps have heard of Smarty Ears apps. They have a large line of apps specifically designed for SLPs by SLPs. This post is highlighting five of my faves chosen because they each meet a unique need. My comments are based on the features available in the most recent version of the app in the USA App Store at the time of this post. The cool thing about apps is that dependable app developers continue to improve apps over time based on the feedback that they receive from users and release updates to keep apps compatible with the latest iOS operating system.

Phono Learning Center by Smarty Ears
https://appsto.re/us/aqv6M.i

How it’s unique: Specifically designed for using the Cycles Approach when working with kids with very poor intelligibility and several phonological process disorders.

In depth info: http://smartyearsapps.com/service/phono-learning-center/

Here’s what I love about this app:
* All of the target words were carefully selected for each sound level with co-articulation and facilitation considered.
* Easy user set up.
* If using the Cycles hierarchy, only one process at a time may be targeted. Targets are easily changed by editing the profile. If you chose not to be restricted to the Cycles hierarchy, it is possible to target multiple sounds at once.
* You can change the scoring style. The Standard scoring is incorrect, almost correct, and correct (or missed, almost, and got it). The Level of Prompts scoring incorporates the errorless learning theory suggested in the Cycles technique. With this style, it is expected for the student to be nearly 100% accurate and the level of prompts is used to mark if the word was produced prompted, imitated, or spontaneously correct.
* Includes an auditory bombardment activity
* Includes four game activities (inflating a hot air balloon, matching, shooting hoops with crumpled paper & filling in a jigsaw puzzle) and it’s very easy to switch between them without having to start over. Kids with severe phonological disorders can be challenging to engage in speech therapy so game-based activities like these are worth their weight in gold. Ever had a patient have earth shattering meltdowns at even the sight of traditional flashcards? You seriously need to consider other ways to entice engagement and this is a fabulous tool to have in your speechie toolbox.
* Single and multiplayer options
* Data collection and reports
* Lots of free printable homework sheets
* My wishes for a future app update are adding an option to slow down the pace of the auditory bombardment & make it more obvious when a target has been selected by either having a check or a darker highlighting around that item. It would also be nice to be able to see specific items missed in the user reports, to be able to share a report from a specific session and to be able to delete data from a particular session without having to delete the user.

Video tutorial:

https://vimeo.com/66895739

More info about the Cycles Approach:

Cycles Approach for Speech Therapy | Steps and Therapy Plan

Click to access ebp_v5_article2_old.pdf

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Minimal Pairs Academy by Smarty Ears
https://appsto.re/us/oVi1C.i

How it’s unique: Targeting phonological processes via minimal contrast pairs.

In depth info: http://smartyearsapps.com/service/minimal-pairs-academy/

Here’s what I love about this app:
* Easy user set up.
* Includes auditory bombardment, auditory discrimination, production (large card facing up that has the target word and a smaller card facing down that has the corresponding minimal pair) & fill in the blank phrases.
* Targets lots of different phonological processes (cluster reduction, deaffrication, devoicing, final consonant deletion, fronting, gliding, initial consonant deletion, prevocalic voicing, stopping & stridency deletion – many broken out into sub-categories) with the option to edit lists within each to deselect particular word pairs.
* In-app recording option
* Single and multiplayer options
* Data collection and reports
* My wishes for a future app update would be the addition of printable worksheets like those available in Phono Learning Center and a mini reinforcer game. It would also be nice to be able to see specific items missed in the user reports, to be able to share a report from a specific session and to be able to delete data from a particular session without having to delete the user.

Video:

https://vimeo.com/35841681

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Fun & Functional by Smarty Ears
https://appsto.re/us/rskUD.i

How it’s unique: Goes beyond your typical name or identify vocabulary apps to get kids to think about the function or use of common items in the context of Wh-questions.

In depth info: http://smartyearsapps.com/service/fun-functional/

Here’s what I love about this app:
* Targets receptive and expressive language skills. Great options in settings area select to do just receptive, just expressive or alternate between them.
* Easy user set up
* Option to adjust the field of choices (2, 3 or 4) in receptive activities
* Options for setting what happens when an incorrect answer is selected (keep going, remove the item or buzz)
* Several categories with the option to toggle each on/off
* Option to select receptive vocabulary that is less similar to make the activity less challenging or more similar to make it more challenging
* Data collection and reports with basic info.
* My wishes for a future app update would be to have the option to toggle off the “yeah” auditory feedback on correct answers (it gets a little over stimulating after awhile) & to add a multiuser option to this app to make it more useful in groups. It would also be nice to be able to see specific items missed in the user reports, to be able to share a report from a specific session and to be able to delete data from a particular session without having to delete the user.

Video tutorial:

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Go-Togethers by Smarty Ears
https://appsto.re/us/FfRGE.i

How it’s unique: Targets the ability to identify and generate words that “go together” in semantic associations (a critical language skill that relates to vocabulary and word retrieval)

In depth info: http://smartyearsapps.com/service/togethers/

Here’s what I love about this app:
* Easy user set up
* Lots of categories of vocabulary and the option to select just the ones you want included. Easier categories are in Level 1 & more challenging ones on Level 2.
* The receptive activity can be done by either drawing a line with your finger to the correct answer(s) or tapping them. Some kids have difficulty swiping in a specific direction on the iPad so it’s helpful to have tapping as an option.
* The expressive activity includes scoring options for the child naming items that go with the pictured item separately from telling why
* The ability to delete data for a particular session without having to delete that user.
* My wishes for a future app update would be an easier to read font for the users names, add the option to toggle off the auditory feedback on correct answers (it gets a little over stimulating after awhile), add a multiuser option to this app to make it more useful in groups, make it more obvious on how to get to the category lists in the settings area and to be able to share a report from a specific session.

Video tutorial:

https://vimeo.com/38898065

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Basic Concepts Skills Screener by Smarty Ears
https://appsto.re/us/I1h8N.i

How it’s unique: It’s an awesome quick way to assess understanding of basic concepts and is especially helpful for kids who are too old for standardized tests targeting those concepts.

In depth info: http://smartyearsapps.com/service/basic-concepts-skills-screener/

Here’s what I love about this app:
* Motivating format for assessing understanding of basic concepts
* No negative feedback is provided. The user gets the same feedback regardless of their answer.
* The app will not progress to the next screen until the NEXT button in the bottom right corner has been tapped. The picture that is selected when the NEXT button is tapped is the one that is scored. If no picture is selected when the NEXT button is tapped, a pop-up message will show explaining that there must be a selection made.
* The display in the corner lets you know that you have completed ____ of ______ items.
* The report provides a wealth of details about specific items missed, data by type of concept (comparative, quantitative, spatial, temporal) & percent by typical age of mastery (age 3, 4, 5 & 6)
* Options to do a quick screening (30 items) or a full screening (79 items). I always pick the full screening and can easily get it done in one session. But if needed, you can save the screening and continue later.
* My wishes for a future app update would be to make a couple of the images a little clearer (ex: beginning to grow – the plant in the hand is too similar to the smallest one in the ground; old – very few of my patients have tapped on the picture of the elderly man. I have wondered if it may be due to that Smarty Symbol not having clothes and the other 3 do) and to add the option to either turn off the auditory feedback when a selection has been tapped or to make it quieter (it can be a little over stimulating for some patients but I don’t want to turn down the sound on the iPad due to that impacting the loudness of the voiceovers on the testing prompts).

This app is seriously one of the most used on my iPad. I work with kids up to 21 years of age and most are not functioning anywhere near their age level. This app has come in very helpful in identifying gaps in understanding of basic concepts so treatment can be more specifically targeted.

Video tutorial:

https://vimeo.com/69751227

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Disclaimer: I received all 5 of these apps via promo codes from the developer. No compensation was received to review them and my opinions are strictly my own.
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{Articulation Testing Apps} Reviews and Comparison of Articulation Test Center, Sunny Articulation Phonology Test Kit & Test of Articulation and Phonology (iTap)

Posted on May 7, 2016 by OMazing Kids

This review is a comparison of 3 articulation testing apps based on full versions of each app updated to most current versions in the USA App Store on 5/7/16:

Test of Articulation and Phonology (iTap) – FULL by Smarty Ears
https://appsto.re/us/4DCKab.i, regularly $74.99, on sale for $44.99 on 4/30-5/8/16. App video tutorial:

Full info about this app has not been posted yet on the company’s website.

Sunny Articulation Phonology Test Kit by Smarty Ears
https://appsto.re/us/xNuiw.i, regularly $49.99, on sale for $29.99 on 4/30-5/8/16. In depth info: http://smartyearsapps.com/service/sunny-articulation-phonology-test/. App video tutorial:

https://vimeo.com/74328574

UPDATE: Articulation Assessment ToolKit by Smarty Ears (formerly called Sunny Articulation Phonology Test Kit) is no longer available for purchase in the App Store. For those who already own it, you can find it in your “Purchased” area. The app will continue to work on your iPad but no future updates are anticipated since the company has released a new version. They replaced it with the Articulation Assessment ToolKit Plus app that allows you to complete 3 tests for free and afterwards has IAPs (purchase 5 tests for $5.99, Monthly Unlimited Testing subscription for $5.99 per month, Yearly Unlimited Testing subscription for $37.99 per year). AAT Plus by Smarty Ears, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aat-plus/id1527491925, iPad only, iOS 11.0 or later. I compared this new app side-by-side with the older fully paid version and only noticed one difference (the background color on a screener is now blue instead of yellow…. which I found to be an improvement with the blue being easier on my eyes). I suggest trying out the R Screener as one of your free tests since I used it quite a bit when working on /r/ and found it helpful.

Articulation Test Center by Little Bee Speech
https://appsto.re/us/C59VP.i, regularly $49.99, will be on sale for $39.99 on 5/10-5/13/16. In depth info: http://littlebeespeech.com/articulation_test_center.php.

App video tutorials:

So here are my thoughts in comparing all 3 apps:

I like the exporting options in iTap & Sunny. It’s nice to have the option to export the results as a PDF as well as editable text. Articulation Test Center just exports it as editable text (adding a PDF option would be a wish for a future update for this app).
I like more of the features in Sunny vs. iTap. In particular, the info that shows x of x is helpful to know where you specifically are in the test (also used in Articulation Test Center) vs. the progress dots at the bottom of iTap. I also like the testing options available in Sunny: quick consonant screener, r screener and full test with or without scoring vowels. The scoring seemed to be a little more intuitive in Sunny vs. iTap.
There are even more testing options available in Articulation Test Center: Screener (quickly test sounds based on age: 2 yrs, 3-4yrs, 5 yrs, 6+ yrs) & Full Test (within that you can do the entire test or specify what subareas to target: initial sounds, medial sounds, final sounds, initial blends, vowels, r sounds and speech sample). And based on your selection, the app tells you how many stimulus cards will be included.
In iTap and Articulation Test Center, I like that you can add a photo or avatar for the student. This is not an option in Sunny.
In iTap and Sunny, the scoring is initially more intuitive but Articulation Test Center is also very easy to score after watching the in app tutorial. Articulation Test Center provides additional info that makes scoring vowels and phonological processes easier.
Articulation Test Center allows you to fully score each part of a blend separately. This is helpful when you have a patient who exhibits errors on both parts.
All 3 apps have a way to adjust the setup when a patient is seated across from you vs next to you. In iTap and Sunny, test probe word can flipped. In Articulation Test Center, the test probe picture can be flipped.
Articulation Test Center includes 3 options for speech sample scenes (Mountain Adventure, Beach Day & Fun At The Park). Each scene has the option to toggle the background sounds off/on, swipe to explore the scene, discussion prompts that pop up when you tap items in the scene, in-app recording to record a speech sample and the option to rate intelligibility. It is especially cool that you can choose to just use this portion of the app. The scenes are filled with great details that would lend themselves well to speech-language therapy. It would be really cool if the app developer added them to their Articulation Station App in a future update.
Sunny has 11 sentence scenes with in-app recording, the option designate the production as reading or repetition & the option to enter notes. Targeted sounds can be scored as correct or incorrect but no other specific scoring of errors is available in this portion of the test (which makes sense since you would lose the flow of the sentence if detailed scoring was attempted).
Articulation Test Center includes suggestions for sounds to target based on developmental norms and the age at the time of testing.
Sunny is a “universal” app that works on an iPad, iPhone or iTouch. iTap and Articulation Test Center only work on an iPad. This is not an issue for me since I only use my iPad in therapy (the facility where I work prohibiting us from carrying cell phones in areas where patients are present). I would imagine that scoring might be difficult on an iPhone unless it was the largest size. But folks who don’t have access to an iPad but do have an iPhone may want to consider Sunny as an option.
I see some potential problems in using the iTap as a “standardized” test. The test was only normed on 199 children ages 3;0 to 10;11 in central Texas. This may not be an issue if you are dealing with private pay clients but will likely pose a problem with other payers such as Medicaid or private insurance. I have requested a copy of the normative data to look it more closely. BAPA norming info is available at: http://smartyearsapps.com/service/bilingual-articulation-phonology-assessment/.
A suggestion that I have for all 3 apps for future updates would be to add an easy scoring option for frontal and lateral distortions on sibilants. These are common errors and it’s important to be able to distinguish between them. Having these quick scoring options would be easier than having to document this in a notes section. Another suggestion for all 3 apps would be for the app to automatically determine a phonological process based on the error entered on that sound. It’s a bit time consuming to have to select info in both places for each targeted sound.

A few screenshots (tap each to enlarge):

Articulation Test Center

Sunny

iTap

So as you can see, there are features that I like in each app. I have used all three and pick one in that moment based on the features I need for a particular patient. But not everyone has access to all three apps and I have seen questions several times in a variety of SLP Facebook groups asking for purchasing recommendations/advice. I always hate to pick “faves” since I run the risk of offending app developers who have been very generous to provide access to their apps but enough SLPs have asked for advice that I am making an exception to my usual “rule”.

The bottom line: At this point in time I would recommend Articulation Test Center by Little Bee Speech as my first place pick.

Sunny Articulation Phonology Test Kit (aka. Articulation Assessment ToolKit) by Smarty Ears is no longer available for purchase in the App Store. For those who already own it, you can find it in your “Purchased” area. The app will continue to work on your iPad but no future updates are anticipated since the company has released a new version. They replaced it with the Articulation Assessment ToolKit Plus app that allows you to complete 3 tests for free and afterwards has IAPs (purchase 5 tests for $5.99, Monthly Unlimited Testing subscription for $5.99 per month, Yearly Unlimited Testing subscription for $37.99 per year). AAT Plus by Smarty Ears, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/aat-plus/id1527491925, iPad only, iOS 11.0 or later. I compared this new app side-by-side with the older fully paid version and only noticed one difference (the background color on a screener is now blue instead of yellow…. which I found to be an improvement with the blue being easier on my eyes). I suggest trying out the R Screener as one of your free tests since I used it quite a bit when working on /r/ and found it helpful. I’d only recommend that newer app if you’d be using it often enough to make the subscription worth it.

If you happen to work in Central Texas, then you may want to consider the Test of Articulation and Phonology (iTap) – FULL by Smarty Ears as a standardized option. For those of us outside that geographical area, the cost difference is not warranted and the norms will not really benefit you.
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Disclaimer: I received all 3 of these apps via promo codes from the developers. No compensation was received to review them and my opinions are strictly my own. Apps and the features within them change frequently as app updates are released. Both of these app developers have an excellent track record of supporting their apps and providing frequent updates. So my recommendations may shift in the future based on whatever features are available at that moment.
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My dream articulation testing app: I dream of an articulation testing app that is standardized on a nationwide basis in the USA and has all the features, in-app scoring and reporting options that the three apps described above have without requiring you to purchase protocols (either in printed format or as in-app purchases) or pay an annual user license. But given the costs associated with standardizing a test on that broad of a scale and the $$$$$ that traditional test companies make on us having to purchase protocols, I’m not sure we will ever see an app like that. But a speechie can still dream 🙂
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{App Deals} Better Hearing & Speech Month ~ May 2016

Posted on May 1, 2016 by OMazing Kids

{App Deals} May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. It’s a great time to watch for app deals! Therapy app developers often offer great discounts and even occasionally a few freebies. I will leave this post pinned to the top of my OMazing Kids Facebook page as a place for folks to stop by and check the comments to find app deals & for app developers to announce deals. I will also be doing individual posts throughout the month but then will post a link to those posts in the comments here to make them easier to find: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga/photos/a.1039368119447526.1073741892.174264525957894/1136145599769777/?type=3&theate

Here are a few tips:

App prices often change at 10:00pm CST (adjust for your time zone) but can change at any time with no notice. So it’s always wise to get the apps you want quickly and always verify the price before downloading an app.
I always verify app prices in the USA App Store at the time I do a post. But I typically don’t know how long an app will be free or on sale or what prices are outside the USA (they are different in other countries based on the exchange rate) unless an app developer has shared that info.
If you don’t have an iPad yet or don’t have one running the iOS required to download a particular app, you can download that app on iTunes on a computer and have it in your cloud to install later.
I only post about iOS (Apple) apps since I only have an iPad & iPhone.
I only post about apps that I have actually downloaded and tried out. There are LOTS of apps out there but only a handful earn a spot in the limited real estate on my iPad. Even with a 128GB iPad Air I am still constantly playing the “app shuffle”.

#BHSM #BHSM2016 #SLPeeps #SLP2b
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{App Review} My PlayHome: Hospital

Posted on April 23, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Totally LOVE this new app from My PlayHome! So many areas to explore: reception desk, wheelchairs, elevator, gift shop, waiting area with a TV & vending machine, treatment area with oxygen masks, vital signs monitors, syringes, saline and blood bags, privacy screens and a computer with realistic typing and clicking. In the private patient rooms the curtains can be shut to darken the room. The doctor’s office has a functioning stethoscope to hear the heartbeat. The X-ray area is amazing. Love how the X-ray machine responds accurately to the part of the body being scanned and then you can “print” a copy and view it.

Love the arrows that make it clear how to navigate to other areas. Also love the intuitive way that the apps in the series link to each other and it’s especially cool that you can drive the ambulance from the hospital to the school, stores and home. The sound effects are very realistic. Unless you press the “tidy the hospital” button on the opening screen, the items & people remain where they are the next time you open the app.

Only a few wishes for a future app update to make the app even more accurate: it would be nice to be able to change the TVs to a couple of different channels, when a tray is placed in the sink in the upstairs break area it partially shows through in an odd way, the soda in the bottle from the vending machine needs to disappear as it’s being consumed, the characters need to be able to hold the phone to their ear, it would be cool to have an overhead paging system microphone at the reception desk and the doctor’s office needs a biohazard disposal can for the needles. Being a SLP, it would be super cool to see an option added to the X-ray area to do a dysphagiagram (swallow study).

See the App Trailer: http://youtu.be/v91tMkFAFPc

This app is a bargain for only $2.99: My PlayHome Hospital by PlayHome Software Ltd
https://appsto.re/us/FAksbb.i

I highly recommend SLPs have all the apps in this series. Lots of opportunities for language, following directions, spatial concepts, etc. plus this particular app could be used as part of a social story to help prepare a child for an upcoming medical procedure or hospital stay.
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

2016 Autism Awareness Month: AAC App Sale Roundup & Tips

Posted on March 31, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Here is a round up of the AAC app sales that have been announced so far for Autism Awareness Month. I have been announcing them in individual posts on my OMazing Kids Facebook page but thought a post listing them all might be helpful. AAC app sales are pretty rare. So this is a great opportunity to get an app that you have been considering:

aacorn AAC by aacorn: https://appsto.re/us/dA9PR.i, 50% off, 3/30-4/5/16
Avaz Pro – AAC App for Autism (Augmentative Picture Communication Software for Children with Special Needs) by Avaz, Inc.: https://appsto.re/us/19nrH.i, 52% off, 3/30-4/5/16
ChatAble – symbol and scene based communication app by Therapy Box Limited, https://appsto.re/us/mfo3V.i (50% off, 4/1-4/5/16)
LAMP Words For Life by Prentke Romich Company, https://appsto.re/us/maU2G.i, 50% off, 4/1-4/2/16
Proloquo2Go – Symbol-based AAC by AssistiveWare, https://appsto.re/us/Kmvys.i, 50% off, 4/2-4/4/16
Proloquo4Text – Text-based AAC by AssistiveWare, https://appsto.re/us/KItZS.i, 50% off, 4/2-4/4/16
Scene & Heard – Augmentative Communication by Therapy Box Limited, https://appsto.re/us/uDOpz.i (50% off, 4/1-4/5/16)
Speak for Yourself by Speak for Yourself LLC, https://appsto.re/us/M2NWC.i, 50% off, 4/2-4/4/16
Tobii Dynavox Compass by Tobii Dynavox LLC, https://appsto.re/us/y-lf2.i (According to the the company’s press release, the Compass with PODD, Compass with Gateway, and Compass with Eyetracking are NOT included in the sale), 50% off 4/1-4/3/16
Total Talk by Panther Technology, https://appsto.re/us/Ei-uab.i, special intro pricing 33% off, 3/30-4/4/16

FYI…
* Always verify an app price BEFORE purchasing it. App prices often change at 10:00pm CST (adjust for your time zone) but can change at any time without any notice.
* These app sales and prices will be in the USA App Store. Some apps may be on sale in other countries but I have no means of verifying that since I only have access to the USA App Store.
* If you plan on purchasing an app during a sale, it is wise to get it early in the sale to insure you don’t miss the sale pricing.
* Occasionally app developers decide to start a sale early or extend a sale but you can’t count on that happening.

Additional important info:

* Most app developers have a Facebook group for that app. I highly suggest joining these groups for an incredible amount of support from the app developers as well as other parents, therapists & teachers. Every group has it’s own “culture”. Some are very open to discussing any topic. Others are pretty strict about only posting info or questions directly related to that particular app. Here is a list of the FB groups:

I have suggested to the developers of the GoTalk Now app that a group be started but so far I’ve only seen a parent led one in Swedish. I have also suggested to the developer of the new Total Talk AAC app that they start a group. He was very open to the idea so I hope to see that soon.

There are also numerous other AAC-related Facebook groups. Again each having it’s own culture and dynamic. I’m not going to list all of those here…. but if you are a SLP, I definitely suggest joining the AAC for the SLP group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1539830846285663/.

* All states in the USA are supposed to have an Assistive Technology Lending Library program where parents & professionals can borrow AAC devices, iPads with AAC apps & other AT for short-term trial. It’s a great way to try various options out before making purchasing decisions. There are lots of great AAC apps…. but like anything there is no magical solution that meets every child’s specific needs. That’s why doing a good feature-match and trial of options is critical. I highly suggest an AAC eval with a SLP. The AT Lending Library in your area should know of folks in your area who do them.

Find the AT Lending Library in your state: http://www.ataporg.org/states.html. Also can look on: http://www.resnaprojects.org/allcontacts/statewidecontacts.html

* If you are a parent of a child with special needs and you are either tired of waiting on professionals being the gatekeepers for your child’s AAC options or have decided that don’t want to wait on an AAC evaluation, I still highly suggest doing a little “homework” to help you consider whether or not a particular AAC is a good match for your child before purchasing it. You can make informed purchasing decisions by watching videos of that app in use, reading parent blogs, joining the Facebook groups I listed above, find someone in your area who has the app, etc.

* Before commenting that these AAC apps are “so expensive” even on sale, please consider that “expensive” is a relative term. Compared to traditional AAC devices that cost thousands of dollars, these apps even at full price are a bargain and many parents end up purchasing an app themselves rather than continuing to wait for someone else to meet their child’s needs. The developers of these AAC apps have continued to invest their time and $$$ to add improvements to the app and pay licensing fees for high quality voices and symbol sets so we should not ever expect one of these apps to be free or cheaper than these sale prices. That being said, if the sale price is still out of reach for your budget then you may want to look for funding assistance. The AT lending programs I mentioned above are typically good resources for info about grant options for AT / AAC in that state.

* To find the pricing history of any app in the USA App Store, search for that app on this website, tap on the name of the app and then scroll down to the bottom of the page: http://appshopper.com

* Disclaimer: I do not have a financial relationship with any app developer or AAC company. I am only sharing this info to help spread the word to get more AAC options into the lives of kids who need it. My “favorite” AAC app is the one that has the features that best match that individual child’s needs at that particular point in time.

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There may be other AAC apps go on sale. For the most current info, be sure to “like” my OMazing Kids Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga – see this post for details on adjusting your settings to see all the posts: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2015/12/09/tip-how-to-get-all-the-facebook-posts-from-omazing-kids-and-other-pages/) & join my AppPeeps Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/)
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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
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{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

BalloonMaker Cause & Effect App: a current fave at OMazing Kids!

Posted on March 24, 2016 by OMazing Kids

A current fave at OMazing Kids… this cause & effect app is worth it’s weight in gold! I have a young patient with an extremely short attention span (typically under 5 seconds) who usually just mouths and throws toys. I created choices on the GoTalk Now AAC app and within one session he activated “iPad” several times to get to play this app. He maintained sustained joint attention to it for over 5 minutes at a time and vocalized more than I’ve ever heard in a session (pop, bubble, bi (big), ge ih (get it) & yeah). His mom was so excited she videoed a bit of it on her phone.

iTunes App Store: BalloonMaker by TegTap, LLC
https://appsto.re/us/9E-lv.i, a bargain for $.99, iOS Universal app.

I was initially leery since the app hasn’t been updated since 2011. Usually not a good sign. Since it was only $.99, I decided to buy it. It works fine on my iPad running iOS 8.4 and on my iPad Mini that I just updated to iOS 9.3. Best $.99 I’ve ever spent 🙂

There is an Android version…. but since I don’t have any of those devices I can’t verify how well the app works on that platform: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.domainname.BalloonMaker. It’s only $.99 there too so worth trying.

These were the choices on the GoTalk Now AAC app on my other iPad. It’s a dedicated “talker” and my other iPad has the fun stuff like this BalloonMaker app and other therapy apps.

Of course I still use “real” bubbles & lots of real toys with kids in therapy sessions…. but the incredible results with this app in this particular session with this particular child were amazing and the giggles were priceless.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
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Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog. I have no control over the ads nor do I profit from them}

Grump Meter app – new emotional self-regulation app currently FREE

Posted on March 2, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Last chance to get the new emotional self-regulation Grump Meter app while it is FREE. The app developer has an update pending in the App Store. Once it is released this app will become a paid app priced at $1.99. App Store link: https://appsto.re/us/MxnGab.i

Here is a description of the app provided by the developer:

Have you ever had a feeling you wished you could explain? Did you ever wish someone else could describe their feelings to you? The Grump Meter could be for you! It can help you describe your feelings–through color. Blue, green, yellow orange or red! The Grump Meter reminds you to find your way to calm blue and not to lose your head on red! On blue you have more words to share and stay connected to those you know and love. What color are you on? The Grump Meter came to life in a center where children, teens, and families came to learn how to manage their anger. People’s anger flew, sparked, and spread like forest fires. People don’t necessarily consciously recognize, articulate, or notice their feelings, but they act them out. This happens with kids and adults in our households, on playgrounds, in classrooms. Until now, the Grump Meter has always been made on a piece of cardboard. Now you can make it on your iPhone or iPad! Families like the Grump Meter. Kids happily explain the Grump Meter to their parents. Families use the Grump Meter to create new opportunities to talk about feelings and know each other better. Have a blue day!

More info on their website: http://www.thegrumpmeter.com/

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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

Research Study Survey: SLPs who use iPad apps in therapy

Posted on February 2, 2016 by OMazing Kids

Speech-Language Pathologists are invited to take part in a research study survey to identify the factors that they feel are important when using iPad apps for language intervention with children.

Who is being asked to participate?

Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) in six predominantly English speaking countries (South Africa, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and United States of America).

SLPs who use iPad apps in their intervention with children with language impairment.

I just completed the survey and it took about 15 minutes.

See more details and complete the survey at: Continue reading →

Free printable symbols for Tiggly apps & styluses

Posted on January 21, 2016 by OMazing Kids

My favorite therapy activity today was using the Tiggly Safari app with the shape styluses on my iPad to create lots of opportunities for language, listening, matching, sustained attention, joint attention and tons of fun! This particular patient is a preschooler with Autism and newly emerging verbal skills. I use symbols with him in a combo of PECS communication, as a visual support for choices and as aided language input. His smiles & giggles were the highlight of my day. 🙂

There are currently 10 Tiggly apps and three different sets of styluses. Here are some free printable symbols that I made for my patients who use PECS to be able to choose a particular Tiggly app as well as which stylus they want to use. Now that I have the images created, I can also import them into a variety of AAC apps as fringe vocabulary for a couple of my patients who have a high interest in these particular apps.
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For those of you who have Boardmaker, I saved it out on the Boarmaker Share website: http://br.boardmakershare.com/Activity/1908065/PECS-symbols-for-Tiggly-Apps–Styluses
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For those who don’t have Boardmaker, I also saved a PDF version in Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8nthta3ufmlshhw/tiggly%2520apps%2520and%2520styluses.pdf?dl=0
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Want more info about Tiggly? Check out their website: https://www.tiggly.com & their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Tiggly. Link to the application for their their Tiggly Educator program: http://goo.gl/forms/x8g0Pr3ZGE

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog. I have no control over the ads nor do I make any profit from them}

OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP. Over 36 years experience in AAC. OMazing Kids AAC and app consulting. Creator of several AAC Feature Matching resources (https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links/). Includes info about unique features to support Gestalt Language Processors

Category Archives: app

{Book + AAC} Wild About Us! and the GoTalk Now Plus AAC app

{Five Faves} Five of my favorite apps by Smarty Ears: Phono Learning Center, Minimal Pairs Academy, Fun & Functional, Go-Togethers & Basic Concepts Skills Screener

{Articulation Testing Apps} Reviews and Comparison of Articulation Test Center, Sunny Articulation Phonology Test Kit & Test of Articulation and Phonology (iTap)

{App Deals} Better Hearing & Speech Month ~ May 2016

{App Review} My PlayHome: Hospital

2016 Autism Awareness Month: AAC App Sale Roundup & Tips

BalloonMaker Cause & Effect App: a current fave at OMazing Kids!

Research Study Survey: SLPs who use iPad apps in therapy

Free printable symbols for Tiggly apps & styluses