Dictation using Siri on the iPad 2

Although there are a couple of options for students to be able to create and store notes, I've tried to explore the most cost effective way of enabling students who have difficulty with written production to create and organize notes. Months ago, I discovered the Notability app, which allows you to create notebooks and within each notebook, store note pages.  At a reasonable cost of $1.99, this app has great functionality. You can add photos, audio recorded content, graphics, web links, and sticky notes.  I have now discovered that when you enable SIRI in your iPad settings, you can easily dictate the notes you would like to create into the notepage.  With SIRI activated, one can create highly customized notes with visual content to support the ideas covered in the classroom.

Here is an example of what can be created with the options in Notability.  I dictated the text from a book called,  A Buffet of Sensory Interventions: Solutions for Middle and High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders by Susan Culp, MS, OTR/L.  I added a photo, wrote on a sticky note, and added a link to a video on sensory integration.  The note was automatically dated and stored in the notebook of my choosing.  This is a great tool that has a multitude of options to allow students to easily gather and store information.

Visual Supports and Students with Autism

A month ago, I attended the Linda Hodgdon session titled, Discovering the Possibilities with Visual Strategies: Meeting the Communication, Behaviour, and Social Skill Challenges in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Related Learning Needs.  The Autism Society of Manitoba invited Ms. Hodgdon to speak about the supports that educators can put in place to meet the needs of both visual learners and students with Autism. Linda spoke about the communication needs of learners, honing in on the fact that a great deal of behaviour issues are related to communication.  Often, learners behave inappropriately or in a negative way because they are unable to comprehend the requests or instructions delivered by the instructor.  Hodgdon offered many different low-tech and high-tech possibilities for supporting visual learners and those students requiring visual supports, including picture cards that indicate the desired behaviour, apps, visual schedules, and videos.  These tools can be used to provide structure for students, model appropriate social skills, and assist with learner communication.  I found a great video on the Ohio Centre for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) YouTube channel, which I think provides a great rationale for building visual supports into the educational setting. You can view the video here.  If you are interested in learning more about Linda Hodgdon's work surrounding visual strategies, please check out her website.

The Human Brain

If you haven't discovered TED talks, there are hundreds of inspiring talks given all over the world and compiled for your viewing pleasure.  A variety of stimulating talks, delivered by high profile individuals throughout our global world, covering everything from human rights, environmentalism, medical research, politics, economics and beyond.  Here is a very relevant video for educators dealing with current brain research.  Please listen to Aditi Shankardass deliver insight into the human brain and the diagnosis of Autism and learning disabilities.