So
far, the avant garde Apple iPad has streamlined the way people communicate with
each other and transmogrified the intuitive interaction with touchscreen.
However apart from the professionals and business users, the iOS tablet has
also cut the frills and simplified a lot of things for people living with
disabilities. While most of us may consider iPad more of a ‘smart’ gizmo to
hang out with, the device (on the other hand) grabs additional points for
serving as an amazing educational tool.
So
whether you have a kid with special needs or know of someone, we have
discovered a lot of other possibilities of the tablet. Listed below are the 10
most incredible ways to optimize your iPad for kids who have special needs.
Take a look.
1:
Pick the Right Specs
Although
iPad 2 lends support to an outweighing Retina display for a great visual
resolution, people with special needs might not really appreciate. Thus, make
sure that you settle upon the right specifications. The tablet with the right
dimensions and camera could be useful in the classroom environment – whereby an
illustration or an abstract concept can be explained with unprecedented ease.
2:
Volume Control
You
can jack up the volume on the iPad for people who have certain auditory
difficulties or any other special needs. If you don’t want to restrict control
over your device, a huge yet convenient case can be considered – which will
basically enable users to muffle some of the sound.
3:
Explore Accessibility Features
Many
would not realize but the iPad comes equipped with a great deal of
accessibility features. Kids with special needs can explore the embedded
‘Voice’ functionality, which helps one read what they swipe out loud. Visually
impaired people can even give a try to its ‘white on black’ view.
4:
Try an External Keyboard
Though
some find Apple device’s touchscreen keyboard extremely seamless and
comfortable to use, but with kids with special needs can also benefit from an
external keyboard. In fact, people who have fine motor issues may also benefit
from the external keyboard and type in easily.
5:
Make Time for FaceTime
Sure
enough, people who have autism problem tend to experience a difficult time
whilst learning to make eye contact with others. To minimize which, you can
undoubtedly benefit from the iPad’s FaceTime – a unique feature which allows
people to comfortably chat with friends and family outside the home. Not only
this, kids who find it difficult to associate with social groups may even build
the social interaction skills with utmost ease.
6:
DIY Keyguard
At
the same time, you can utilize your iPad for people who are uncommunicative but
by attaching a DIY Keyguard. The keyguard won’t only enable kids with special
needs to answer a sequence of yes or no questions, but will also let them share
or express their likes and needs.
7:
Set Boundaries
While
there come endless possibilities with Apple iPad, the device however does not
prance as thoroughly beneficial if you lack a plan. Thus, make sure that you
have set boundaries from the start as far as using the iPad for your kid with
special needs is concerned. In fact, parents should focus more on using the
tablet as educational and therapy medium instead of as an entertainer.
8:
Make Photo Albums
As
parents, you can even help your kid learn how to associate pictures of objects
with concepts. Although combining pictures with concepts is usually very
difficult for people with special needs, but the process can still be made
simpler by helping them make photo albums on the iPad. They can also learn how
to organize the photo albums and express their preferences.
9:
Keep Cleaning
Another
significant way to optimize the iOS device for special needs is by cleaning the
device on a regular basis. For your kids, you should generally focus on apps
that provide education and therapy. Try to remove and clean the device from the
apps that do not really provide any valuable information or do not flex their
muscles.
10:
Lock Screen
Last
but equally important, you can lock the iPad’s screen in order to prevent the
display from orientation. Since constant rotation of the screen can be irksome
for people with special needs, locking the screen would help them have a
greater feeling of control over the entire experience.
That
certainly brings us to a standstill for the ways that could be employed to
optimize the iPad for kids with special needs. Hopefully, they will add some
ease and convenience to your life as well as to your kid’s life.
About
the author: Diana Maria is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on
technology, health and parenting. Beside this she is fond of games and gadgets.
She also likes reading various articles on ecofriend.com
& cellphonebeat.com
