Apples for Autism I. Description of Grant My name is Earl Swayze and I am a teacher at Hammarskjld Middle School.

I have taught high-functioning students on the Autism spectrum for the past five years. Throughout my years of teaching, I am constantly coming up with new strategies and accommodations to help enhance my students learning experience. Motivation and relevance are huge factors for my students, which drives me to try and incorporate handson learning situations to make the lessons come to life. Each student has strengths and weaknesses in their learning styles and I try to tailor each lesson to help them become successful. I have discovered a technology that I believe will revolutionize the way students with Autism can learn. This innovative technological device will enrich the current ABA programming and will coordinate with the districts current Smart technologies. That technology is the Apple iPad. The iPad is a tablet computer designed and developed by Apple. It is particularly marketed as a platform for audio and visual media, such as books, periodicals, movies, music, and web content. In reference to a study done by Education Council, many researchers believe it has the potential to become one of the greatest assets to education that there has been since Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. Therefore, its features can remarkably change the way students learn. One of the greatest advantages the iPad has for my students is the capability of displaying books. Students will be able to download any type of book the teacher assigns. Reading on an iPad is just like reading a book; a student could hold it in the palms of their hands, flip its pages, and also read on a high resolution screen allowing for crystal-clear viewing that doesnt hurt the eyes. While reading, students who might have difficulty viewing normal sized text will now have the option of zooming in with a swipe of a finger. Also, if students do not understand the meaning of a certain word, they will have the opportunity to click on the word and get an immediate definition, which they can then discuss with their classmates. In addition to these features, there are options to support reading comprehension by listening to an author read a favorite passage, watch supplementary video, or flick through a library of photos. Students will now be able to personalize their reading experience. As a result, these individuals with special needs can significantly improve their reading skills using this piece of technology. Another great advantage for learning with an iPad is the endless capabilities of available learning tools. The iPad allows you to download applications through a wireless network, which is installed throughout the Hammarskjold building providing access right into my classroom. Through Apples iTunes site, educational applications (apps) are offered in the following subject areas: English Language Arts with apps such as Shake and Spell Pro, English Language Development with apps such as Kaplan TOEFL Vocabulary Flashcards, Mathematics with apps such as Algebra Prep-containing several components, Science with apps such as NASA & 3D Sun, and History and Geography with apps such as GEO Master and We the People. There are also applications to increase vocabulary, sight word recognition, math facts, reading comprehension, organizational skills, and drawing

skills. The iPad can change the way students interpret text. Typically, we ask students to use paper/pencil to express their learning or to demonstrate what they know. But with Think Worksheets and Think the Five Paragraph Essay, students with Autism will not have to bear the challenge that sometimes comes with the task of handwriting in order to be successful. The inability to fluidly type on a traditional keyboard will also no longer impede their success. The iPad offers two new alternatives. Dragon Dictation, a free app for speech recognition, in which students record into the microphone and their text appears, ready to be emailed. Another alternative is Shape Writer, which is a fun way to input text using touch technology. Both of these alternatives can significantly reduce the amount of stress put on students to finish a writing assignment within the time period they are assigned. Also, several textbook publishers have already begun to move toward an increase in the production of technologies to be used within the classroom, including textbooks that can be delivered digitally. This would be great for my students because they would no longer have to weaken their energies by transporting heavy books and excessive materials. All of these applications I have listed are highly effective learning tools. The cost of most apps through iTunes is less than $5.00 an app. Many apps can additionally be downloaded at no cost. In summary, the iPad provides inexpensive and free teaching tools that would immensely benefit learners with Autism. Another area that makes the iPad important to learning is how it can cover each of the three learning styles. The three learning modalities that students work through are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. All technology options provide fantastic visual and auditory learning opportunities. However, unlike the three common technology options currently used, such as desktops, laptops, or net books, the iPad is the only one that addresses all three modalities. Students are entering a world of virtual kinesthesia in which they can now manipulate information by touch and control spatial design. As students continue to grow in the era of this technology, it would be so advantageous to give them the opportunity and comfort of learning at their fingertips in their own classroom. Currently, workshops are being offered through various groups, on how to incorporate this new technology into Applied Behavioral Analysis programs for Children with Autism. Our district has students using augmentative devices and both Boardmaker and Proloquo, both picture based language programs mirroring the augmentative devices, are available as apps, so the non-verbal student can interact with their peers. In the education field, there are many specific programs that could easily incorporate the use of an iPad, both mainstream and specialized. Many programs have been written for every day tasks that most people take for granted, but there are some children that need extra assistance. These tasks could be as simple as the use of a digital voice recorder to record verbal directions, lectures, or assignments. But if implemented correctly, an iPad could become an indispensable tool in my classroom that helps to ease trepidation and hone skills. According to Apple, Apple products inspire creativity and hands-on learning with features you wont find anywhere else. And theyre easy to integrate into your curriculum. Once you do, youll see teaching -and learning -in a whole new way. As you can see, the possibilities that an iPad could provide my students are endless. Thank you

for your time and I hope you can help me take my teaching and my students learning into the twenty first century. Please use the website www.apple.com for more technical specifications on the iPad device. Earl Michael Swayze Teacher of Autism Spectrum Disorders Hammarskjold Middle School East Brunswick, NJ

II. Budget 1. 8 iPads $499.00 each total: $3,992 2. 8 Apple iPad keyboard dock $69.00 total: $552 3. iTunes Application store $500.00 (one-time fee) This includes various applications that will be downloaded to each iPad. Applications include all core curriculum subjects such as language arts, Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies. Example Applications include: ibooks-which includes various childrens books as well as textbooks Kaplan Vocabulary Flashcards We the People NASA & 3D Sun Shape Writer Alphabet fun