Autism Iceberg – free visual to document unseen supports needed for the child to be successful (print or fill in with SnapType app) – created by Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP at OMazing Kids

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A free visual support for parents to use to help document the often unseen supports that they are providing that help their child succeed at school.

Unfortunately it’s common for evaluators who are not familiar with a child to state things like “But I don’t see any signs of Autism” or “But he doesn’t “look” Autistic” when they haven’t gathered all the info, looked deeper below the surface or even done any tests that would be part of the process to confirm that diagnosis.

This is especially unhelpful for a child who was accurately diagnosed with Autism at a very young age, has had years of intense intervention and they, their family, their teachers, their SLPs, etc… have worked very hard to make gains to achieve this level of success. You may mean well but pushing to change the eligibility category based on such limited info is harmful.

I worked with lots of kids, teens and young adults with Autism over my 28 year career. Most of the patients on my caseload either had that diagnosis or very similar needs.

So I know firsthand that Autism doesn’t just disappear. A particular individual’s needs may ebb and flow over time and can vary greatly even day to day depending on how they feel, sleep patterns, dietary changes, hormones, environmental sensory triggers, etc… And I’ve read numerous posts from adults with Autism who describe their part time use of AAC and varying need for supports depending on the needs, setting or communication partners. At it’s core Autism is a life-long neurological difference that we need to acknowledge, honor and support over the lifespan.

 

If you are in the process of completing an evaluation on a child you just met or don’t know very well, I invite you to:

  • Look deeper
  • Understand that Autism is a life-long neurological difference
  • Listen to that individual, their family and those who know them well regarding their journey and the types of supports that are needed in order for them to be successful
  • Remember what you are seeing in an eval, even one done over a couple of sessions, is just a tiny tip of a much larger unseen iceberg

I created this visual for the mother of one of the most amazing kids I ever had the pleasure of working with. I saw him for several years and his transformation was quite extraordinary.  But he still has Autism and still needs support. He has an incredible family who have always been willing to move heaven and earth to get him the services and supports that he needs. I have no doubt he will either discover or invent something that will be world changing. So when she reached out to me of course I had to do something. I will never “retire” from caring 💕

So I’m posting a FREE PDF and pictures of this in case anyone else might find it helpful.

If you want to print and fill out by writing in the boxes, there are three versions in this PDF (full color, faded color and black/white) so you can choose the one that best fits your printing needs: Autism Iceberg – Supports Needed for My Child to Appear Successful (free printable from Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP at OMazing Kids)

Or tap to open each full sized picture and then save the full sized picture of the one you want to the Camera Roll on your iPad or iPhone and then use the fabulous SnapType app to easily add text to the boxes. You can also take a picture of any worksheet to import it into that app to fill it in.

Full Color:

Faded Color:

Black and White:


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App: SnapType by SnapType, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snaptype/id1124115982, iOS Universal, iOS 9.0 or later, FREE.

If you want more features, check out their very affordable full version: SnapType Pro by SnapType, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snaptype-pro/id1124123246, $4.99. There are other PDF filler apps but this is by far the easiest one that I’ve used.

Example of me filling it out on SnapType (not specific to any particular child… just examples based on commonly occurring supports). After you are finished you can save it and export as a picture, as a PDF or as a SnapType file to share via e-mail or text message. The yellow highlighting only shows up while you are completing it… not in what you share.


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I made this visual using the iESLp app by Irmgard Raubenheimer, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ieslp/id912953895, iPad only, iOS 8.3 or later. The SymbolStix symbols are included in that app. The iceberg photo is an open source, non-attribution photo that I found online.

Please feel free the share this blog post but do NOT upload the PDF, any of the pictures or any of the links to those items to any online files, servers, Boom Cards, Teacher Pay Teachers, or any other sharing platforms. Just refer folks here to this post to get the items for themselves. I feel that it’s important for them to read this blog post to understand why they were created.

Thanks 😊

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

Saving Videos vs. Linking to YouTube Videos for use in GoTalk Now… plus how to save YouTube videos

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Why I prefer to save videos to the iPad vs. linking to YouTube when using the GoTalk Now app:

  • I had too many patients’ highly preferred videos disappear from YouTube. That typically triggered a meltdown or they lost interest as I attempted to find a different version of it on YouTube.
  • Saved videos play immediately (no delay = immediate reinforcement of that request). I had several patients who had been seen multiple times by various SLPs over the years at the facility where I worked and they never appeared to understand cause/effect or be motivated to communicate when in fact the issue was the reinforcement wasn’t immediate enough for them to form that connection.

See a side by side comparison in this video.

Also added the video to YouTube:

I used the Screen Recording feature in the iPhone Control Center to take a screencast video while I was playing the YouTube video to save it. Then I edited the video to crop off a little at the beginning and end. My iPad Pro running iOS 10.3.3 doesn’t have a Screen Recording option in the Control Center. My iPad Mini 2 running iOS 12.4.8 could record but didn’t have sound. I was able to do this via my iPhone 11 running iOS 13.5.1 and then used AirDrop to send it to my iPad Pro to use in the GoTalk Now Plus app. My guess is an iPad running at least iOS 13 would have sound in the screen recording but have no way to know for sure 🤷🏼‍♀️

Update 12/15/20: It is also possible to play saved and play linked YouTube videos within the TouchChat AAC app.

Here’s some differences between playing a “linked” YouTube video in GoTalk Now vs. playing a “linked” YouTube video in TouchChat:

In GoTalk Now, a button programmed to link to a YouTube video exits the app and takes you to YouTube on Safari (that would be blocked if using Guided Access or on a managed dedicated iOS based device). It would be difficult for most AAC users to get back to the GoTalk Now app (have to tap a tiny thing in top left corner of screen and if they play other videos that might disappear).

In TouchChat, a button programmed to link to a YouTube video opens it on a screen within the TouchChat app. It’s easy to tap “done” to return to the previous TouchChat screen. The linked YouTube video will play within TouchChat even when Guided Access is active. But you’d still have issues if YouTube is down or that linked video disappears from YouTube. I’ve used “linked” videos in both of those apps if it’s something I wanted to program on the fly in the middle of a session. If it turned out to be a highly preferred video then I went through the process of saving it to the camera roll and then programming to open it that way 😊

When using either app for this purpose I consider this to fall under the category of “Assistive Technology for Adapted Leisure”. So this is giving them an adapted means of accessing videos. I also use it as an adapted means of accessing music.

There are several other way to do this that don’t involve using AAC apps. I have sections devoted to them on this very recent blog post. The Table of Contents is on page 4. Then tap on to jump directly to that section. https://omazingkidsllc.com/2020/11/29/the-ipad-the-slp-in-2020-and-beyond-interactive-pdf-resource-list-of-ios-apps-boom-cards-teachers-pay-teachers-materials-teletherapy-resources-and-online-resources-organized-by-goa/

Info about the Control Center: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210981

An alternative to using Screen Recording is to download free software onto your laptop that will allow you to download and save videos from YouTube and several other sources. I just tried out the YouTube ByClick software and it worked very well. The resulting video was a little larger on the screen than the one made via screen recording. But it involves having to use your laptop to download the video, e-mailing the video to your iPad and then saving that video to the Camera Roll. https://www.youtubebyclick.com.

Update 11/5/20: Here’s another option that worked directly on my iPhone: https://qdownloader.io

Update 11/4/21: Here’s an option that Lauren Enders shared: YT1s YouTube Downloader, https://yt1s.com/en65

[Note: Many of these websites or app disappear pretty quickly so that’s why I just use screen recording on my iPad instead. ]

I can see using YouTube ByClick when I want to save several videos ahead of time to prep for a session. But the Screen Recording method would be my “go to” for the convenience.

In a pinch you could even just use the iPad to video a YouTube video being played on a computer or TV. I’ve done that before. The quality isn’t nearly as good but the patient still enjoyed watching it.

Reminder: GoTalk Now & GoTalk Now Plus are both on sale through the end of October 2020. Extremely rare sale so if you’ve been wanting either of these apps NOW is the time to get it.

See this post for sale info and more ways that I use this app: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2020/10/17/rare-sale-on-gotalk-now-gotalk-now-plus-aac-apps/

Update 9/30/21 – GoTalk Now Facebook Group – informal networking via the “GoTalk Now AAC App – Ideas and Sharing” group that I started on 9/29/21: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

Using Guided Access and Screen Time to Prevent Exiting an App + preventing deleting apps, installing apps and in-app purchases + info for those using Android, Amazon Fire and Windows devices (updated 12/23/22)

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Updated 12/26/22: See this new blog post for the newest info & a free printable handout: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2022/12/26/tech-safety-aac-prevent-exiting-an-app-block-specific-apps-or-websites-prevent-deleting-apps-prevent-installing-apps-prevent-in-app-purchases-on-ios-android-amazon-fire-google-chrome-am/

**** Archived **** See newer blog post linked above ⬆️

If you will be using an iPad with kids, then Guided Access and Screen Time are your new BFEs (Best. Features. Ever!). They can be used to disable the home button (or swiping to exit on devices without a home button), lock the child into an app, prevent access to specific apps, etc.. Especially critical if you will be using the iPad as an AAC device or using it in therapy with kids with poor impulse control.

Apple’s video:

Also see this written info from Apple for the most current info and step by step directions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202612 . Written info from Apple in Spanish: https://support.apple.com/es-lamr/guide/ipad/ipada16d1374/16.0/ipados/16.0. Note: It took quite a bit of digging but I discovered that you can view the official Apple website in numerous different languages.

And info at:

How to Lock Into a Single App on iPhone & iPad with Guided Access

Nice tutorial from The TalkLink Trust about Guided Access: https://youtu.be/FlQODNugXxA

Unfortunately Guided Access automatically turns off when the iPad gets low on power. Even when it’s on it’s not hack-proof. So it’s important to backup any customized programming: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2021/03/21/backup-aac-customized-programming/

How to Maximize Battery Life on an iPad or iPhone: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2022/08/24/how-to-maximize-battery-life-on-an-ipad-or-iphone/

What to do if you’re stuck in Guided Access:

And there are a few important settings to adjust in order to prevent the AAC app (or any other apps) from being deleted. This is also where you need to toggle off the ability to download apps and the ability to make in-app purchases. Be sure to set a strong password.

Use Screen Time alongside Guided Access to provide even more control.

Apple – Use Screen Time on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208982

Nice tutorial from The TalkLink Trust about Screen Time. It’s more complicated that Guided Access but not hard to do once you get the hang of it. https://youtu.be/8EWNVcWWWVM

What happens after failed Screen Time passcode attempts: https://www.softwaredive.com/what-happens-after-10-failed-screen-time-passcode-attempts/

How to block deleting an app: https://osxdaily.com/2020/06/13/how-stop-deleting-apps-iphone-ipad-screen-time/

How to block installing apps: https://osxdaily.com/2020/07/13/how-prevent-app-installation-iphone-ipad-screen-time/

How to block in-app purchases: https://osxdaily.com/2020/05/22/how-turn-off-in-app-purchases-iphone-ipad-screen-time/

How to disable Safari browser: https://www.mobicip.com/content/how-do-i-disable-or-enable-safari-my-childs-iphone-or-ipad Note: iPads on a “managed” system will have even stronger ways to lock down the device. Check with the IT department in charge of that managed system to determine the options.

Android: Screen pinning (similar to Guided Access): https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-use-guided-access-android-4689158. The exact steps may look different or vary depending on your exact model of Android device.

How to pin the screen on an Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite: https://www.devicesfaq.com/en/pin-screen/samsung-galaxy-tab-s6-lite-2022

If you have a Samsung Android tablet, also look at Samsung Kids as a way to create a secured area where you can add any combination of apps: https://youtu.be/9154zJmOxis. Can use the included My Camera to take pictures and videos and then view them within My Gallery. The included Bobby’s Canvas app has a fun drawing area. Exiting Samsung Kids is secured with a PIN. More info: https://www.samsung.com/us/apps/samsung-kids/

The YouTube Kids app (https://bit.ly/3O0FpIT) or the Video Collections app (https://bit.ly/3zEuW1k or on Samsung Galaxy Store: https://bit.ly/3zGG7q7 ) can be used as a way to save links to specific YouTube videos or channels. Adding one of these apps within the secured Samsung Kids area would allow Gestalt Language Processors to access videos as part of their communication system in a secured way.

Google Family Link: https://families.google/familylink/.

Amazon Fire tablet: Amazon Kids can be used as a way to create a secured area with just the app(s) and access to device features that you choose: https://amzn.to/3Pfz2BN. You can also use Screen Pinning to lock into a single app: https://www.devicesfaq.com/en/pin-screen/amazon-kindle-fire

Windows: Set up a single-app kiosk on Windows 10/11: https://bit.ly/3Ocxdo3 (applicable for Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education & Windows 11. Unfortunately you can not set Kiosk mode for Windows 10 Home edition (the operating system on my AWOW AiBook 10 Windows tablet / mini laptop: https://bit.ly/3IJRBf8).

Important Note: Decisions about when and how to secure devices need to be made based on individual needs, age of the user, how long they have been using AAC, etc… The needs of a young child first learning how to use AAC are very different than the needs of an older teen or adult who uses tech to multitask.

I would never hand a young child a totally unlocked / unsecured iPad or tablet that then could access all of the internet. There are several reasons why that could be very risky.

Follow the National Online Safety page to see info about specific risks: https://www.facebook.com/NationalOnlineSafety. Website: https://nationalcollege.com/channels/national-online-safety

You also need to consider financial risks. Several years ago I had a patient who had run up over $1,000 in credit card charges making app purchases and in-app purchases on an unsecured iPad. Fortunately they were eventually able to get it refunded but that’s not always the case.

As you can see above there are ways to choose how secure a device needs to be by using a combo of options. It doesn’t have to be “all or nothing”.

See “Game Apps & AAC: why these need to be on separate devices” for a real life example and considerations: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/07/31/game-apps-aac-why-these-need-to-be-on-separate-devices/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/omazingkidsaac

Personal Professional Facebook Page (linked to OMazing Kids): https://www.facebook.com/angela.moorad (adding “friends” who have a direct role in AAC or Assistive Technology – AAC / AT app or product developers, AAC / AT consultants, SLPs who specialize in AAC, other professionals who specialize in AAC or AT, etc.)

OMazing Kids AAC Consulting Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkidsaac/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1

Visual Supports with Voice Output for the “Win”! – Incredible 5 Point Scale and the GoTalk Now app

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Visual supports with voice output for the “win”! I attended a presentation by Kari Dunn Buron, coauthor of The Incredible 5 Point Scale, at the Oklahoma Autism Conference offered by the Oklahoma Autism Network in 2017 and was inspired to make this for a patient who had been having a particularly difficult time and exhibiting a significant increase in aggressive behaviors. I watched for very subtle signs of increased agitation and modeled use of this to both talk about emotional states and offered choices to help calm before he got beyond a “Level 3”. He showed understanding of it the very first day and smiled when I acknowledged that he was struggling. He chose “go for a walk outside” and “go back to the house and rest”. The next day he spontaneously tapped “go for a walk outside” before he got beyond a “Level 2” and a huge smile washed over his face as we exited the sensory overload inside the building into the brisk air and total peace outside. I was often totally overstimulated by all the “Christmassy” stuff at our facility too so we ended up taking lots of walks outside 😉.

A video showing several boards including this one:

Thanks again Attainment Company, Inc. for making such a versatile app and giving me access to the most full featured version as well as several extras within it to help the patients at the nonprofit facility where I worked for the last half of my career. I was able to show this to his mother and she was very impressed with how easy this app is to program and to use for AAC and visual supports.

This app is definitely in the top 5 most used apps on my iPad. I saved this to the Online Gallery. Those who have either the GoTalk Now or GoTalk Now Plus versions of the app should be able to find everything that I have uploaded to the public Online Gallery by searching by my last name (Moorad) or a word in the title. See page 23 in the in-app Users Guide for info on how to find it.

There are several versions of the app with varying levels of features:

GoTalk NOW PLUS by Attainment Company, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gotalk-now-plus/id742150885?mt=8 (most full featured, includes SymbolStix, offers PCS symbols (High Contrast, original and thinline) as in-app purchases, etc…)

GoTalk Now by Attainment Company, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gotalk-now/id454176457?mt=8

Updated 4/3/22 to add: Encouraging Emotional Conversations in Children With Complex Communication Needs: An Observational Case Study (free access to the full research article & supplementary materials): https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.674755/full. The AAC app in the article is TD Snap but the concepts could be used when adding this type of vocabulary to any AAC system. If you have access to Grid for iPad / Grid 3, take a look at some nice preprogrammed content in the Voco Chat grid set.

GoTalk NOW LITE by Attainment Company, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gotalk-now-lite/id953164338?mt=8 (FREE lite version, limited to 1 book with up to 5 pages, cannot backup, share or access the Online Gallery)

See this post about the current sale on their apps from 10/16 – 10/31/20: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2020/10/17/rare-sale-on-gotalk-now-gotalk-now-plus-aac-apps/

(Note: Most of the content in this post originally appeared on my Facebook page on 12/12/17.

I updated some info from that to create this blog post.

—- 

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

(Please ignore any ads that may pop up. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them)

Rare sale on GoTalk Now & GoTalk Now Plus AAC apps

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Wow! AAC news flash….. Attainment Company, Inc. announced a GoTalk AAC app sale (10/16 – 10/31/20) 👏🏼 I just checked pricing history on the AppSliced website and this is the lowest price on GoTalk NOW since 2012 and the lowest price ever on GoTalk NOW PLUS. ✅ So if either of these have been on your wish list NOW is the time to get them. ✅ (Tip: It’s wise to get apps at least a day before a sale ends to insure you don’t miss it)

GoTalk NOW by Attainment Company, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gotalk-now/id454176457, iPad only, iOS 9.0 or later. They recently added Core Vocabulary Communication Pages and GoTalk NOW Curriculum Pages to the app. The Core Vocabulary pages are easy to find in Downloads – Core Words – options for 4, 9, 16, 25 and 36 locations. The Curriculum Pages are trickier to find. Those are free downloads from their Online Gallery (see page 23 in the in-app guide for details on how to find that). More info about the features: https://www.attainmentcompany.com/gotalk-now. Usually $99.99 -> on sale for $49.99

GoTalk NOW PLUS by Attainment Company, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gotalk-now-plus/id742150885, iPad only, iOS 9.0 or later. This is the version that I have. This version has everything in GoTalk Now and adds a SymbolStix symbol library, a premade Ready-Set-Communicate book, and Acapela text-to-speech English voices. Usually $169.99 -> on sale for $119.99

Here are posts that I have done showing examples of how you can use this app:

***** Those who have either of these versions of the app can find everything that I have uploaded to the public Online Gallery by searching by my last name (Moorad). See page 23 in the in-app guide for details on how to find that *****

The GoVisual Scene Maker app is also on sale in case you missed it being on sale back in May. GoVisual Scene Maker by Attainment Company, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/govisual-scene-maker/id1324635847, iOS Universal, iOS 13.0 or later. More info: https://www.attainmentcompany.com/govisual

I posted screenshots showing original and sale prices in the USA App Store in the comments on this post on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga/photos/a.191017694282577/3556073367776976/?type=3. Prices outside the USA vary based on the exchange rate.

Here’s the link to the Facebook post on their page announcing the sale. Feel free to head there with any questions: https://bit.ly/3lWgBDa

….

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

(I’m not affiliated with the company and am not being paid to do this post nor do I make anything off ads that may pop up. This is a free blog so I don’t have any control over ads)

 

FREE Names of Animal Sounds app – great for 2-word phrases, vocabulary and kids who have a high interest in animals

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Found another FREE hidden gem in the App Store! Names of Animal Sounds by Pioneer Logics, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/names-of-animal-sounds/id1351844864 (2 word phrase (animal name + verb of the sound they make, ex: Lion roars) while showing short video of it, 61 animals organized alphabetically and can swipe to choose specific one).

List of what’s included… a few of the names of the sounds seem a little off but when I researched names of animal sounds some had several listed or varied between sources:

  1. Antelope snotes (snorts?)
  2. Bear growls
  3. Bison grunts
  4. Cat meows
  5. Cheetah chirrups
  6. Cockatoo squawks
  7. Cow moos
  8. Crocodile bleats (bellows?)
  9. Crow caws
  10. Cuckoo clocks (coos or cuckoos?)
  11. Deer bleats
  12. Dog barks
  13. Dolphin clicks
  14. Donkey brays
  15. Duck quacks
  16. Eagle screeches
  17. Elephant trumpets
  18. Flamingo squawks
  19. Frog croaks
  20. Giraffe bleats
  21. Goat bleats
  22. Gorilla growls
  23. Hen clucks
  24. Hippo growls
  25. Horse neighs
  26. Hyena laughs
  27. Ibis chirrups
  28. Kangaroo grunts (chortles?)
  29. Koala wails
  30. Koel clocks (?)
  31. Lemur gibbers (?)
  32. Leopard snarls
  33. Lion roars
  34. Mockingbird chirrups
  35. Monkey gibbers
  36. Moose bellows
  37. Mouse squeaks
  38. Owl hoots
  39. Panda bleats
  40. Parrot squawks
  41. Peacock screams
  42. Pelican chirrups
  43. Penguin honks
  44. Pig grunts
  45. Pigeon coos
  46. Polar bear growls
  47. Raven croaks
  48. Robin chirrups
  49. Rooster crows
  50. Seagull squawks
  51. Seal barks
  52. Snake hisses
  53. Sparrow twitters
  54. Swan cries
  55. Tiger growls
  56. Toucan squawks
  57. Turtle grunts
  58. Wolf howls
  59. Woodpecker chirps
  60. Yak grunts
  61. Zebra clicks (neigh or whinny?)

I had a couple of patients with Autism who had a high interest in animals that would have LOVED this app!

In particular I remember one who had a very driven passion for animals so we got to see a peek into his amazing skills when we tapped into that high interest. I used the I Read – Animals (Reading Comprehension for Kids) app by Nerea Sanchez Dominguez (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/i-read-animals-reading-comprehension-for-kids/id940688959) & the First Nouns app by KIS Publishing LLC (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/first-nouns/id930990828, before it switched to only being accessible to their online school) and was blown away by his ability to type and spell animal names. Ended up taking video to prove it to the rest of the team and immediately went through the process to get him an iPad with a robust AAC app. Speak For Yourself ended up being a great match for him since it has only 1-2 hits to get to any word and uses the native iOS keyboard. I think about him often and wonder how he’s doing 😊

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

Zwuggels – Beach Holidays and Treasure Hunt app – fun and affordable for targeting multiple goals (iOS and Android)

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The Zwuggels – Beach Holidays and Treasure Hunt app by Ploosh GmbH is so much fun! Priced affordably (you’d spend that much on an item from Target’s Bullseye’s Playground) and full of lots of opportunities for targeting multiple goals (following directions, spatial concepts, problem solving, emotions, predicting, action words, describing, storytelling, Core Vocabulary, etc….)

iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-zwuggels-beach-holidays-and-treasure-hunt/id1143084088, iOS Universal, iOS 8.0 or later, $2.99

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zwuggels.beach&referrer=utm_source%3Dzwuggels_website, $2.99

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0FDTJU, $2.99

Gameplay video: https://youtu.be/OINa58R2cPc

Website: http://www.zwuggels.com/en/

Core Vocabulary in each section:

  1. Elfina rock climbing: up, help, eat, drink (moving through rock climbing maze)
  2. Feed Ubo: get up, eat, sleep
  3. Olfred’s book, hats & car, plane, train: Like, put on, go
  4. Zilda’s chemistry lab: Put in, turn on
  5. Professor Zigmund’s mixed up plugs: There, here, put in, turn on
  6. Captain Zach: put on
    7-8. Pirate Cat Leonardo’s ship / Elfina’s dream: go, up (wake up), make, give
  7. Olfred & Elina packing: yes, no, in
  8. Load the luggage: put, there, help, turn, up, down, in, no
  9. Captain Zach waking up: get up, move, put on
  10. Captain Zach making sandwiches: make, put on, more, in, like (following directions for what each crew members likes on their sandwich)
  11. Brew breakfast tea: help, put on, there, wait, in, more, give (tea cup matches color of their outfit)
  12. Boarding the ship & find sunglasses: come, find, help, put on & Sailing breeze: wait, open, off, go
  13. Spyglass: look, sleep, up, give, look, close
  14. Storm cloud: help, move, up, down, out (through cloud maze)
  15. Hammer mooring ropes: there, help, in
  16. Swimming trunks: off, on, more (changing into swimsuit & putting on sunscreen, could also target body parts)
  17. Beach ball: help, more, big, my turn, your turn
  18. Beach umbrella & beach chairs: put, there, my, your, eat, no
  19. Sand pail: make, in, more, get, put, there, out, again, down, on
  20. Message in bottle: oh no!, wash away, sad, look, get, open, out, help
  21. Nico the Cat (fix rowboat): look, help, scared, give
  22. Scrape barnacles: off, more, here, there, in
  23. Paint boat: this, more, there, done
  24. Oars: get in, give, put on, off, go, Bye, look (passing several interactive items as they row), drink, tired
  25. Shark fin: help, scared, Hi, find
  26. Fishing pole: on, in, get, out, more, fast
  27. Dolphin: eat, his, her, turn, more, there, go
  28. Pirate hat: go, up, down, there (going through water in archipelago island maze)
  29. Leonardo the Pirate Cat: help, open, me, look, stop, no
  30. Bucket and shovel: help, look, there, here, not, again, open, find, look
  31. Sea Turtle: sad, look, find, sleep, up, there (to tell where to tickle Donatella the turtle)
  32. Goggles & snorkel: down, put on (flippers, goggles, snorkel), wait, in, open, look, there, find, not
  33. Keys: this, yes, no/not, again, more, open, out
  34. Campfire: worried, here, put in, more, there,

Each section has a check mark when you are “finished”/”done”. Initially the areas are locked but then you can go back and play one “again” or proceed forward in the story to explore “more”

Core Vocabulary list (alphabetical):

  1. again
  2. away
  3. big
  4. Bye
  5. down
  6. drink
  7. close
  8. come
  9. done/finished
  10. down
  11. drink
  12. eat
  13. fast
  14. find
  15. get
  16. give
  17. go
  18. help
  19. her
  20. here
  21. Hi
  22. his
  23. in
  24. like
  25. look
  26. make
  27. more
  28. move
  29. my
  30. no
  31. not
  32. off
  33. on
  34. open
  35. out
  36. put
  37. up
  38. sleep
  39. stop
  40. there
  41. this
  42. turn
  43. wait
  44. yes
  45. your

Emotions:

  • happy
  • sad
  • tired
  • excited
  • worried
  • scared

I purchased this app myself and love it so much I left a review on the App Store, am posting this here on my blog and will be sharing on social media. Part of a conscious effort to help support kids app developers 😊

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

Important Warning: Do NOT install iOS 14 yet

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⚠️ Important Warning: iOS 14 was released today. It is NEVER a good idea to install a new iOS when it first comes out. 🛑 There are always glitches…. sometimes big ones that cause devices to “brick” or ones that cause glitches in apps where they either crash or don’t work as expected. The developers of AAC and therapy apps need time to release updates.

Please wait until the developers of those apps announce that it’s safe to download iOS 14. Depending on how complex an app is that may take a few weeks to a few months.

  • I always keep automatic installation of iOS updates and automatic installation of app updates both toggled OFF.
  • Make sure your devices are backing up to iCloud and for AAC apps to make sure you back up any programming before installing any updates to those apps or to the iOS.
  • Be sure to toggle off the setting that automatically offloads apps to free up space. There is a trend in app developers switching to a subscription model and removing older apps.
  • I know most of us have to rotate apps on/off our devices due to storage issues. Before deciding to delete an app, it’s wise to check to make sure it is still available in the App Store and to read through the descriptions on recent updates to make sure nothing significant has changed (like it switching to a subscription based app). If an app hasn’t been updated in quite awhile that’s a red flag that it may no longer work when a new iOS is rolled out and if you have several apps like that you may want to consider purposefully keeping a device running an older iOS in order not to lose apps. I’m very glad I did that several years ago and still have an iPad running iOS 10.3.3.

Also posted this on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter to spread the word. Please share with anyone you know using an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch for AAC, therapy or learning.

https://www.facebook.com/174264525957894/posts/3463523390365308/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFN5B-kBDzr/?igshid=1gytitfxn0iw2
https://twitter.com/amoorad/status/1306385976856588288?s=21

See my previous post back in July warning that this was coming:

https://www.facebook.com/174264525957894/posts/3318983631485952/?extid=hIUZ8GqqFAgSEvTh&d=n

Thanks!
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

Interactive Activity for There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves (iESLp app & LessonPix)

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One of my favorite books for this time of year is “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves”. If you want free printable story props see this post: https://bit.ly/2FFaRy2.

Want a super simple way to make an interactive activity to use on your iPad or to print? Check out the iESLp app by Irmgard Raubenheimer, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ieslp/id912953895, iPad only, iOS 8.3 or later. A bargain for $19.99 (no subscription required & the app includes a huge library of SymbolStix symbols).

I didn’t see an “Old Lady” symbol that would work for feeding the items so I exported one from LessonPix in PNG format (transparent background), saved it to my Camera Roll and then imported it into iESLp. LessonPix working on mobile devices is a game changer (https://lessonpix.com).

I also imported a PNG “Achoo!” clip art that I found online.

Here’s a quick video to show what the finished activity looks like in use.

See this post for a video screencast showing how to export a picture from LessonPix:

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Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

{The iPad & the SLP in 2020} Calming / Mindfulness / Self Regulation iOS Apps for Kids and Teens (curated list by Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP at OMazing Kids) – updated 9/18/23

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Here’s the next section that’s finished in my new list of apps for SLPs list by goal areas. Like all of my app lists… this is a curated list of apps that I have personally used. I’m going ahead and sharing it now since 2020 has been especially uncertain and stressful.

– These apps are intended to be used as tools alongside other off-device strategies. Feel free to look through the archives here on my blog and the albums on my OMazing Kids Facebook page. I have shared lots of ideas over the years 😊.

– It is important to be mindful of individual needs, sensory issues and history of previous trauma when choosing any tool and to collaborate with other professionals on that child’s team.

– Availability and links were all checked at the time this post was written (6:45pm CST, 8/28/20; updated 11:00am CST 9/18/23)

– Availability may vary outside of the USA. You can check iOS requirements for each app in the descriptions in the App Store. Some older apps may not work on newer devices and newer apps may not work on older devices.

– This post includes a mix of free & paid apps.

– I worked with kids, teens and young adults ages birth to 21 years so I have a wide range of apps on this list. Please choose apps that will fit the age and needs of the patients / students you serve.

– If you have an Android device, the easiest way to see if one of these is available on that platform is to copy the name from this list and do a search on the Google Play app store.

Calming / Mindfulness / Self Regulation:

There will be a separate section on the big blog post for Social Skills & Emotions.

Want to suggest an iOS app to be added to this post? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page.

If it’s a free app, please send the link from the USA App Store so I can download and try it out. If it’s a paid app and you are the app developer, please send the link from the USA App Store so I can look at the info before you send a promo code. I want to make sure that one of my iPads or iPhone is compatible in order to try it out.

Please do not copy/paste this list onto other blogs or documents. I have it available here on my blog and plan on keeping my blog up for the foreseeable future.

See the Ultimate App and Digital Resource Guide for SLPs (2023): https://bit.ly/UltimateAppDigitalResourceGuideSLP

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting