iPads & Autism Workshop in a Can

Here's the outline from the three hour Morgan Autism Center iPads & Autism workshop I gave today. I went much more in-depth on these topics during the presentation, so if anything isn't clear, do ask. Please note that I update the handout for every workshop, and so have to qualify that this information is current as of today. The workshop was oriented towards parents and professionals working with autistic children, but much of this information is useful for autistic adults and anyone interested in iPads.

The workshop itself went well -- lots of great questions from the audience, plus a Deaf attendee brought up several issues I had not considered, like the need for a labeling app that integrates user videos for pre-reading Deaf users, so they can see the signs for the objects -- as voiceover is not going to help in that context. 

iPads and Autism:
Helping Our Kids Learn, Helping Our Kids Play

Shannon Des Roches Rosa | www.thinkingautismguide.com | www.squidalicious.com

“My son Leo's life was transformed when a five-dollar raffle ticket turned into a brand-new iPad. I'm not exaggerating. Before the iPad, Leo's autism made him dependent on others for entertainment, play, learning, and communication. With the iPad, Leo electrifies the air around him with independence and daily new skills. People who know Leo are amazed when they see this new boy rocking that iPad. I'm impressed, too, especially when our aggressively food-obsessed boy chooses to play with his iPad rather than eat.”[1]

Benefits: Accessibility and Convenience

• No cursor analogy – direct touch screen
• Fine motor ease – stylus/mouse not required
• Portable
• Can replace backpacks – and cupboards -- of activities

Benefits: Cost

• Entry level iPad 2 (16 GB Wi-Fi) is $499
• Refurbished original iPad 16 GB currently on eBay for ~$300
• Other AAC devices (Vantage, etc.) cost several thousand dollars (but iPad may not be best choice, do AAC evaluation)

Benefits: Learning

• So much more than an AAC device! (Sometimes an issue)
• Screen is big enough to be digital parallel to paper or books
• Keyboard and screen are in same space, most kids aren’t touch typists, child doesn’t have to move eyes from screen to keyboard[2]
• Apps are organized, accessible, predictable framework
• Apps break learning down into discrete chunks, topic areas
• Learn without needing to read, including read-aloud books
• Learn independently or with support (but always supervised)
• Incidental learning opportunities abound

Benefits: Social and Play

• iPads are cool, they attract other kids – including siblings
• Can support social skills, formally and informally
• Independent leisure time: Learning activities, games, videos.

Overuse and Abuse?

• What about recent study: “Autistic Kids Obsess Over Screen Technology”? [3] 
• Autistic adults say “Yes, we’re visual and very focused, why not explore how to harness these traits productively.”
• Savvy kids can be experts, help other kids, mentor them.
• Makes me laugh, for kids like Leo, for whom independent is good!
• Valid concern for kids who crave screen time (so ... Screen Time app, etc.)

When iPads Are Not in Your Budget

• Go through insurance, school district – write into IEP
• AAC evaluation
• SLP recommendation
• Research[4] (longitudinal studies are ongoing)
• Fundraise: Community/Online – it works!
• Free: ChipIn.com, GiveForward.org
• Commission: Crowdrise.com
• iPad Donation Charities – watch out for scams
•  HollyRod4Kids, etc.

iPad Protection – Insurance, AppleCare, Loss

• All iPads come with 90 days of phone support & one year limited warranty
• Insurance (3^rd party): Protects against damage & physical loss
• AppleCare: Service, support for technical issues, up to two years
• Purchased content loss
•  iTunes iOS 5 remembers purchases, will let you re-download content (everything except movies)
• If something happens to your device, Apple can do a "Full History Regrant" of your iTunes account purchases

iPad Protection – Cases, Covers, Other Accessories

• Cases: Protection vs. Convenience
• All-Purpose Cases: ZooGue – Strap mounting for in-car movies, carrying, Targus 360° Rotating – sturdy, flexible stand options
• o   Protective: Otterbox Defender, GumDrop Military, Trident Kraken, Griffin Survivor
• CushPad for pillow-like support
• iBallz for corners (comes with cases, too)
• Bubcap for Home Button

Free Activities

• Paperless worksheets shared with DropBox/Photos/DrawFree
• Friend/Relatives facial recognition & interaction via Skype (free app)

Apps!

• See apps spreadsheet – collaborative effort with an SLP and autistic adult
• iPad Resource page: http://www.squidalicious.com/p/on-ipads.html

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[1] Rosa, Shannon Des Roches. “The iPad: ANear-Miracle for My Son With Autism.” BlogHer.com. http://www.blogher.com/ipad-nearmiracle-my-son-autism.

[2] Shap, Jacqui. “It was one of those ‘Oh Wow’ Moments.” iPods, iPhones, & iPads in Education. http://ipodsiphonesineducation.wikispaces.com.

[3] http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/01/26/autistic-kids-obsess-over-screen-technology/34118.html

[4] Sistach, Francesc. “Links to Academic Articles.” iAutism. http://www.iautism.info/en/2011/04/09/links-to-academic-papers.

A Case for Your iPad

A question I hear a lot, especially at iPad workshops, is "what case should I buy for my iPad?" My answer, unsurprisingly, is "it depends."

Do you just need something to make your iPad grippable and/or protect the screen? Do you need it HULK SMASH-proof? Do you want to attach to the back of car seats so kids can watch videos in the car? Do you want it to convert to a stand in both landscape and portrait mode? Do you want it to be gorgeous, and go incognito as a book? Do you want a built-in keyboard? Do you want a soft, pillow-like stand? Here are some of the cases we and our friends use, but your comments and suggestions are welcome.

ALL-PURPOSE CASES

Leo has two cases for his iPad 2. Our favorite is the ZooGue* ($49.99). Leo doesn't need a super-protective case, he needs one that makes the iPad easy to hold and use, so this works for us. The leather case is nice for gripping, it has a fold-over cover to protect the screen, and it uses velcro for stand positioning -- which means that no matter how hard Leo taps the screen, it won't fall over or dislodge. When I took Leo's iPad into a local Apple store, one of the Geniuses declared the ZooGue "the best iPad case I've ever seen!"

Watching Lina Lamont & Don Lockwood

It also has a velcro strap that can be used as a carrying handle, to secure the cover -- and to attach the iPad to the back of a car seat for multiple viewings of favorite videos. We've been watching a lot of Singin' in the Rain, Mali now works "...more than Calvin Coolidge -- put together!" into conversations whenever she can, and Leo loves singing Good Morning.

Caveats: The ZooGue doesn't stand up in portrait mode for reading books or other documents. It also leaves the corners of the iPad exposed, and when Leo accidentally dropped his iPad on its corner on some concrete pavers, the screen shattered. But now that I've regained my composure, I suspect the issue was more the pavers than the cover.

For three months after the iPad shattering incident, I was leery of the ZooGue, so we switched to a Targus 360 ($60 - $65) instead. Also leather, also nice for gripping. With an elastic strap for keeping the cover shut, and which covers the iPad's corners.

It also swivels stand position between portrait and landscape, which is excellent for those of us who like to read documents while our hands are busy. And the Apple logo peephole generally gets a comment or two -- it's a clean, stylish design. It's a good, solid case, one that a speech therapist friend uses with the kids who are her clients.

Caveats: See that pretty blue fuzzy interior padding? I have three kids. Which means that padding got grubby, really quickly -- after a while, I was too embarrassed to take this case to iPad workshops or even out in public. And the leather on the screen frame started peeling off unattractively. And while the stand does switch from landscape to portrait, it rests in a groove rather than being anchored like the ZooGue -- Leo's enthusiastic screen tapping often knocked it over.

PROTECTIVE CASES

But what if you need a substantial case, one that lets its tablet keep up with (and not become a casualty of) the enthusiasm of its owners? There are many options. Bay Area parent Laurel Miranda's daughter has worked her way through several case models, and now uses the Gumdrop Military Edition ($69.95). Laurel says,

"This case rocks, highly recommend it. The buttons are easy to push even though everything (even the screen) is encased in plastic or silicon. It's well designed. The only draw back is that the iPad is now really heavy and doesn't have a stand, but I can live with that!"

The fallback you-can-almost-drive-a-truck-over-it case is the OtterBox Defender ($89), and I know many folks who use it (including Leo's class staff). It's a bit of a PITA to put on and take off, but it does the job, and it is very popular.

Caveats: Can be hard to get on and off, can make iPads clunky or heavy.

BOUTIQUE CASES

DodoCase, closed

San Francisco-based DODOCase ($59.95) makes iPad cases using traditional bookmaking techniques. These cases are gorgeous and widely coveted. When closed, you are toting 'round a lovely, handcrafted, hardbound notebook. When open, folks either oooh and aaah at the clever, hand tooled case, or quietly moan. From the DodoCase site:

"The DODOcase cradles your iPad in a strong, yet eco-friendly bamboo tray.   The multifunctional design allows you to use the case as a stand for typing or watching videos.   The DODOcase's magnetic insert activates the iPad's auto wake/sleep feature to wake and sleep your iPad instantly."

Leo does not have a DODOcase (this particular, artist edition case belongs to his father).

Caveats: Not for kids (kids like mine, anyhow). And even your best friends will try to steal your DODOcase when you're not looking.

PILLOW(Y) CASES

The CushPad* ($34.95) is a good match for kids who like to use tablets on unstable surfaces like couches, bed, or floors -- though of course my kids are trend-buckers and use it on the counter. It can be used in portrait or landscape mode. It is nice and soft for resting in one's lap. It has a handle for hauling around. And ... it can be used with non-iPad tablets (You're looking at a Motorola Xoom. Blasphemy! The pictures was taken with an iPad, though.) It's nice for using when multiple children are using videos, as the kids are less inclined to be grabby.

Caveats: Your tablet nestles in your CushPad rather than being securely fastened, so if the setup gets knocked about the tablet will fall out. It's big and bulky, so if storage is an issue then storage is an issue. And right now, they're selling so briskly that they're backordered -- so if you want one, I'd get on it.

KEYBOARD CASES

My cousin and my father-in-law both have iPad cases with built-in keyboards like the one available from Brookstone ($74.99). I hate typing on an iPad itself, so if I was using the iPad for productivity or for teaching the kids to type, I'd consider this route before an accessory and therefore easily misplaced keyboard. I was pleasantly surprised by the slimness of these cases -- the keyboard adds almost no thickness.

Caveats: The keyboard needs to be charged separately, which is One More Thing. And these cases generally do not allow portrait mode, which is a bummer for some document modes.

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What iPad/Tablet cases do you uses? If you use any of these, do you have a different opinion?

*The ZooGue and CushPad cases were gifted to Leo by their creators, but that has no bearing on our opinion here.

Leo's iPad 2: First Look, Contemplating Cases

Look what's here!

And look what it says, to Leo's sisters' chagrin!

We're having a grand old time with it so far, Leo and I are. We spent this morning running errands and taking pictures with the iPad 2's built-in camera. And when we got home, and since we didn't have to do any photo uploading, it took us all of 15 minutes to make a social story about our morning, using one of our favorite apps Stories2Learn:

 The photos are not the same quality as those from my camera, but the trade off for convenience? Oh yeah, I'm there. Next we'll see how the integrated videotaping & editing works for creating social story videos. Too exciting!

Leo himself is reacting as I hoped he would: In a state of pure delight to have all of his favorite videos and movies in one place again (this is the reason we sprung for the 64 GB version; the 16 GB filled up months ago and required constant content weeding.)

Our next step is to get a case. Having a naked iPad makes me nervous about accidents and smashing. Adding to my discomfort with taking it out of the house is Seymour's tale of a friend who had one snatched right out of her hands as she stood on a San Francisco street corner. iTunes will let you re-download purchased apps for free, so hopefully she was able to restore most of what she lost, but still -- I don't favor walking around with a big shiny silver Apple bullseye in my arms, especially since I'm almost always completely distracted by my kids.

So, cases. Apple's iPad 2 Smart Covers do not protect the back of the tablet from banging and scratches, and Apple currently does not provide iPad2 case options. OtterBox's iPad 2 covers are coming soon, but they're not here yet. Our ideal is a case that is easy to install and use and provides protection around the back of the case and ideally around the front too -- but it's the dropping factor we're most worried about. Here are some iPad 2 case options we're considering for Leo. I'd appreciate any other suggestions:

• ZooGue
• DodoCase (although admittedly this is me swooning over stylishness)
• Case-Mate Vertant
• Proporta
• iLuv Flex Gel Case
• Case Mate Gelli
• And most likely: The extremely rugged GumDrop Drop

We're going to make our decision soon. For now, back to playing with our Leo's new not-really-a toy!