Monday, November 14, 2011

APP ATTACK! Spelling Notebook Lite



I am always looking for apps that allow you to customize. On the hunt for something for spelling that wasn’t just a sight word program. Spelling Notebook Lite is an app that you can customize the words. You can create a weekly spelling list. You can pick a word that is on the list or you can add a word if not present in the program list. Once you select the word, it announces the word. You can record the word in your own voice. Or for a student that struggles with typing, you can have them record a sentence for the word. When the student clicks on the word, they hear their sentence as they recorder it. You can delete the recording and allow the digital voice play the word.

The app has two specific features: you practice your words with a model or you test your words. This app is for elementary all the way to high school.

Things that I would like to see added even in a paid app.

  • Change of font size.
  • Ability to do some of the activities that teachers expect from their students in elementary. Alphabetic order, definition, building sentences.
  • Ability to turn off modeling in practice

Company Website: http://www.spellingnotebook.com/
iTunes Website:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spelling-notebook-free/id461225509?mt=8

Cost: Free for the lite

Cost: Full Verison $0.99

A little trick, if you want the ads to go away while your students are working, turn off the internet access to the device. The ads only work while the device is connected to the internet.

Do you want to learn more about APPS?

Do you want to learn how to implement iPads in your school?

Contact us - we can help! We will work collaboratively with your team to determine an effective course of action for your specific situation.

Friday, November 11, 2011

The "Badass Project" - Feel Good Fridays


I have not been able to write a Feel Good Friday post for a few weeks, but when I saw this website, I knew I had to get back on the wagon.

Straight from the website, "The Badass Project exists to share these amazing people with the world. To celebrate the ways in which they kick it. And to put the excuses that most people make in their proper place."

It is a compilation of interviews of people with disabilities doing very cool things. Things that, the founder Johnny says, people might think they shouldn't be doing.

There are many good ones on here, but I will highlight one for today.

Michael McKeller is a motivational speaker and daredevil. He decided that being born with spinal muscular atrophy would not stop him from doing things he enjoyed.
To read Michael's full story and to check out his video, click here. You won't be disappointed.

Enjoy and Happy Friday!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

TLC Spotlight - USB Mini Keyboard

Micro Smallest Mini Keyboard with Retractable USB Cable for PC Laptop


Features & Specs:
- 56 keys office keyboard
- Interface: USB
- Fn & Num lock change function
- Static resistant magnetic,field disturb resistant
- Silent switch feeling,feel comfortable
- Compatibility: WIN/2000/XP/VISTA
- Size: 17 x 87.5 x 1.8cm (L x W x H)
- Color: Black

What do you think? Do you want to TRY IT before you BUY IT? Then join our Technology Lending Center. Click here to join today! 

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

APP ATTACK! Money Money Money

Today we are going to discuss 2 money apps. They are made by the same company. These are two money apps that I feel are worth downloading.

The first is Counting Money. The description from the website is an app designed to help people of all ages count money. There are two game play types. In practice mode the user must answer the question correctly in order to proceed to the next question.The user presses the check button after each attempt to check the answer. In quiz mode the user has an opportunity to answer the question correctly. There are two difficulty types, beginner and normal. You use four coin buttons to add to the tally.

Pros:

  • Actual Currency. This is extremely important as children don’t often see parents model using cash and some does not handle money as often to get practice.
  • Data collection. The apps scores and grades the answers.
  • You can set it for visually or mentally tallied.
  • Sound can be turned off.
  • Has a timer 1, 2, 4, and 8 minutes
  • Set expectation 10, 20, 30 or 40 questions.

Things that I would like to see added even in a paid app.

  • A method for the student to send their teacher the data either email or capturing the screen.
  • A way to set up a class list so you can customize each student activity.
  • A way to change the background – solid colors.
Company Website: http://kingsapps.webs.com/
iTunes Website: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/counting-money/id469420537?mt=8
Cost: Free

The second app is My Money Counter. It is made by the same company that makes Counting Money. This app is a simple app that allows a user to count their own money. The user counts the number of coins and dollars they have in their wallet and the Alps calculated how much money they have in total. The user can then also subtract money spent. This app can be used when going grocery shopping with students or adults that need support handling money, making change and identifying how much money they should have left after their purchase. This can be used to work on word problems with students. The possibilities are endless.

What I would like to see:

  • This app made for the
  • itouch or iPhone so that it is portable for an individual to use in public.
  • Speech. Say how much money in total.

Company Website: http://kingsapps.webs.com/
iTunes Website: Free: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-money-counter-free/id446496983?mt=8
iTunes Website: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-money-counter!/id466277633?mt=8

Cost: Free or $0.99

Do you want to learn more about APPS?

Do you want to learn how to implement iPads in your school?

Contact us - we can help! We will work collaboratively with your team to determine an effective course of action for your specific situation.

Email Mike Marotta, Assistant Director, ATS Dept. at mmarotta@advopps.org

Thursday, November 03, 2011

TLC Spotlight - ChesterMouse

One-button computer mouse the ChesterMouse


A tiny single-button mouse with no scroll wheel, that’s easy to control and made of rugged plastic for strength and durability.

Young children can be confused about whether to use the right or left button on a mouse, and clicking on small objects, using drag-and-drop and click-and-move can be frustrating. A standard mouse doesn’t fit into small hands or the buttons are just too far apart. Welcome Chester, a tiny single-button mouse with no scroll wheel, that’s easy to control and made of rugged plastic for strength and durability.  

What do you think? Do you want to TRY IT before you BUY IT? Then join our Technology Lending Center. Click here to join today! 


 


 

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