Assistive technology

Typ-O

Knowledge

My daughter has dyslexia so I am always on the lookout for software/apps that can help her. Dyslexia can be frustrating for students and she often needs to ask for my help with homework so was hoping to find something that will help her feel more independent.

Application

I found an app called Typ-O and it is available on Apple products. As the product's website states, "Typ-O is an easy to use dyslexia app that helps you write without spelling errors. It uses a powerful word prediction engine and a sophisticated spelling error model to help you write, even if your spelling isn't perfect. The integrated synthetic voice let you hear the word prediction suggestions before selecting and check your text before emailing or pasting it into other applications. The app is designed for children or adults with dyslexia."

Reflection

This would be a great app for my daughter as well as other dyslexic children or children with language disabilities.

Con's:

-Students could become too reliant on using Typ-O as a opposed to it being a tool to help. In the tutorial the lady states that they recommend students should be copying the word they need as it appears instead of just clicking on it.
-Only avaible for ios devices
-It is not a free app,

Pro's

- Can take some frustration away from students who struggle with spelling during homework time etc
While searching for searching for an assistive technology app I came across another app that could help students focus better in school and came across this one.

I also found this one:

Focus Keeper

The website describes their app as:
"Focus Keeper helps you keep your productivity high avoiding burnout using the timer. Work with time. Not against it!

App offers:

• Simple, beautiful and intuitive interface.

• Customize focus sessions, goals, colors and sounds.

• Track your productivity with insightful charts.

• Universal(iPhone/iPad) app with iCloud support.


Basic Focus Steps - It’s all about focusing your work efforts in timed 25-minute chunks, with a 5-minute break in between each burst of activity.

1) Choose a task to be done.

2) Set the timer for 25 minutes.

3) Focus on the task until the timer rings

4) Take a short break (just do something relaxing for 5 minutes)

5) Once you’ve completed 4 focus sessions, take a longer break. (20~30 minutes)


Features:

• Adjust the timer with your fingers just like you do with real egg-timer.

• Next session starts automatically when the current session ends.

• Track your progress with two different charts (14 days and 30 days)

• Set your daily goal (number of Focus Sessions per day)

• Set how many Focus Sessions you want to finish before taking a long break(number of Focus per round)

• Customize the length of Focus Session, short break, and long break.

• Choose your ticking from 10 different ticking sounds and your own music library.

• Choose your alarm from 14 different ring sounds.

• Set any sounds separately for the short break, long break, and Focus session.

• Set any colors separately for the​ short break, long break, and Focus session.

• Receive alarm notifications even when the app is running in the background.

• Today Widget for Focus Sessions

• Icon Badge shows how much time you left to finish the current session in the home screen Focus Keeper icon when the timer is ticking.

• Focus Reminder: If you're struggling to make a habit of using Focus Keeper, this could come in hand. You can set when you want to be notified to use Focus Keeper through weekdays and weekends.

• Option for resetting the Focus Count at midnight automatically. Now you can set your own reset time.

• Set different volume sounds for each ticking and alarm sound.

Here is an example of how the app would track a student's time and progress:




While in work mode the screen is colored red and turns blue in break mode.

Pro's:

This would provide a great visual for her and other children with ADHD as they can see the time as they worked. It tracks their progress and changes color.

Simple to use.

Con's:

Only the Pro version ($1.99 in the app store) gives the option to change the alarm sounds, ticking sounds, and colors.