iPad in Education For Dummies

Chapter 12

Utilizing Assistive Technologies

In This Chapter

Examining the iPad’s built-in accessibility features

Surveying popular accessibility apps

Schools have traditionally adopted a “one size fits all” philosophy when it comes to mainstream education. Students are grouped by age and academic discipline and are then expected to use the same textbooks, sit in the same lectures, do the same homework, and submit the same (typically written) assignments. It’s the easiest way to deal with large numbers of students, but it doesn’t accommodate the sometimes vast differences in learning styles, preferences, and individual challenges faced by so many students in our schools. The past decade has seen a positive movement toward more differentiated learning, and many students now receive assistance and accommodations that enable them to learn more effectively and remain within standard school environments.

Apple has typically built features into its hardware to assist anyone who has difficulties with vision, hearing, communication, motor skills, and more. iPads are no exception, and the educational sector that has benefited most from iPad use is probably special education. Built-in features for screen reading, support for playback of closed-captioned content, and other universal access ...