I am always on the lookout for programs that are successful for special education students, especially since I have two children who fit into this realm. IPads are very engaging as most children are drawn to electronic devices that can function similarly to video games. I was particularly intrigued by the fact that these I-pads can be used to speak for someone who does not have adequate language skills. My son for example, has excellent receptive language skills but in unable to form words in a way that is recognizable to others. He is now almost seven, and while speech therapy does seem to help a bit, I imagine his language skills are something he’ll be struggling with for years to come. I think iPads would be a great fit for a student like my son who can read and write well, but needs help speaking. The older forms of communication devices that still exist in many schools are very limiting in that they usually just have a set of pictures for you to choose from, where as a computer will allow you to type anything you may want to say. I think I-pads would be advantageous for general ed students also. As mentioned in the article, games such as math ninja can be very engaging for students and can present math problems one at a time for those who get overwhelmed by a large sheet of problems. I’d like to see schools in the future diversify in the way they invest in technology. A mix of computers, laptops, I-pads, and other forms of technology would allow students the opportunity to select and use the correct tool at the time it’s needed.
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