541: Assistive Technology

The Accessibility of the iPad

An iPad, in and of itself can be assistive technology for students of all abilities.  It can assist students with different disabilities in numerous way using the iOS system.  “With these innovative technologies built right in, iOS devices become powerful and affordable assistive devices” (Apple, 2015).

Cognitive Disabilities/ASD

Roblyer, 2016, mentions impairments can range from  learning disabilities, emotional disabilities, and intellectual disabilities to moderate and severe cognitive disabilities (p. 410).  These students will need help with learning and lifestyles.  The iPad operating system has features to assist these individuals.

Siri, Apple’s intelligent assistant, allows the user to do everyday tasks.  You just have to double click the home button and ask Siri a question or to find something. “Siri can send messages, place phone calls, schedule meetings, and even turn on and off VoiceOver, Guided Access and Invert Colors. And because Siri is integrated with VoiceOver, you can ask where the nearest sushi restaurant is and hear the answer read out loud” (Apple, 2016).  This could allow a student to set reminders to help remember their schedule.  It could help give students visual instructions.  It could help them complete social tasks as well as academic tasks.  

Predictive Text predicts words that the user might be trying to type.  It gets to know the user and predicts words based on the way they type.  This would be beneficial to students who have a hard time spelling.  They would only need to type the first letter or two and the text would be predicted.

Physical Disabilities

According to Roblyer, 2016, a physical disability usually affects an individual’s mobility and agility.  This means that their fine and gross motor skills can be impaired. “Innovative iOS technologies make the Multi-Touch screen easily accessible to those with physical or motor challenges who find it hard to tap or use gestures” (Apple, 2015).

Siri can again be used for individuals who cannot type in a word processing app, or to open an app on the device. Students who struggle writing with and holding a pencil can get their words in the document without having to write.  Siri can also help the user navigate the device just by speaking.

Assistive Touch is another beneficial feature for individuals with physical disabilities.  This feature allows you to change setting for gestures that would tell the device to do certain commands.  When you pinch the screen of the iPad, it zooms out.  When you stretch your finger, it zooms in. If an individual struggles with this movement, the Assistive Touch feature allows them to tap the screen instead to give the device the same command. This can help students when they need to zoom in or out on the words or a picture.

Similar to the Assistive Touch, the iPad also has Touch Accommodations that determines how the screen responds to touch. “Control how long you touch before it’s recognized or whether repeat touches are ignored.  So you can put your finger down anywhere on the screen and move to the item you want without mistakenly performing an action” (Apple, 2015).  This could help students navigate the device without the frustration of the device responding in unfavorable ways.

Switch Control is a feature that allows you to navigate through onscreen items sequentially and completing actions using Bluetooth-enabled hardware.  It has a beginner and advanced setting.  You can customize actions or use the default ones. This will help a student highlight anything on the screen, point to anything, or move an item.

Sensory Disabilities

“Sensory disabilities involve impairments associated with the loss of hearing or vision” (Roblyer, 2016, p. 413).  iOs has many features to assist an individual with these impairments. “...you can use VoiceOver, an advanced screen read, to get the most from your iOS device.  And Siri and Dictation help you type, launch apps, and read your calendar” (Apple, 2015).

VoiceOver could help a student navigate a screen without seeing what is on it.  By simply touching the screen, the screen reader with read what is on the screen.  

Speak Screen is similar to VoiceOver.  “Turn on Speak Screen and swipe down from the top with two fingers, or just tell Siri to Speak Screen and have all the content of the page read back to you” (Apple, 2015). This could read the student emails, messages, and even books.  It can also be set to highlight words as it reads.  You can also set the dialect and speaking rate.

For students with visual impairments, there are features such as zoom, font adjustments, invert colors and grayscale, larger text, increase contrast, reduce motion, and labels.  These can be adjusted right from the general settings.

For students with hearing impairments, settings such as subtitles, captions, and audio descriptions can be used.  Another feature in the Mono Audio feature.  This beneficial if an individual is using headphones.  They may miss some audio when it is played in either the right or left channel audio track.  The Mono Audio feature plays the audio through both channels so that it is playing in both ears.  The balance and the volume can be adjust for either ear.  This would help students when listening to an audiobook or when they are using a screen reader.

Recently, Apple has developed a braille display for iOS.  This supports more than 50 Bluetooth braille displays.  You simple pair it with a device and it can work with the VoiceOver.  For more information about the braille display, go to this link from Apple: http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ios/braille-display.html.

I always knew that iPads were great for motivating students, getting them to take pride in their work, and showing their creativity.  I also knew that they had features to benefit students of all abilities.  Before doing this assignment, I had know idea how many opportunities to help students with disabilities came in one little device.

References:

Apple. (2015). iOS. A wide range of features for a wide range of needs. In Accessibility-iOS. Retrieved November 17, 2015, from http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ios/

Roblyer, M.D. (2016). Teaching and learning with technology in special education. In J, Johnston, (Ed.) Integrating educational technology into teaching (pp. 400-420). Boston: Pearson.