A List of Free Apps for Students with Hearing and Visual Impairment

People with disabilities have just the same right to enjoy life the same way normal people do. It really rips the heart to see someone with a certain impairment trying hard to do the simplest things in life with such a hardship. These people struggle with the day to day situations that we might simply take for granted or do not really have an entire appreciation of .

Imagine having to teach visually impaired students or those with hearing problems.Do you think they are having an easy school life like the other mates ? The answer is definitely no. They are in fact doubling the efforts to catch up with the rest of the class. Thankfully with the integration of technology into education we can help these students and give them a leg up.

Reach out for mobile technology apps and you will find a plethora of educational apps designed just to help students with different impairments. I know not everybody can have access to them because mobile technology gadgets to run them on such as iDevices are still scant in schools but this is not an excuse not to introduce some to your students. They might get their parents to buy them these devices. Additionally, there is an ongoing revolution in the world of education due to mobile technology boom and schools are now planning to get iPads and use digital textbooks. Some in the United States have already started experimenting the use of digital Chrome Books. That is really very promising and we are very sure that this is just the beginning and there is more to come.

In this regard, The Best of Mobile Technology has gathered and reviewed some of the apps that you can use with your students. These apps are for students with hearing and visual impairement. I have included these apps into different presentations to make it easy for you to share and access them anytime you want.

Here is the presentation in Google Docs






Here is the same presentation using Issuu

Open publication - Free publishing - More free apps

How Educators, Teachers,Students Use Evernote

Evernote is a great web service not only for teacher and educators but for all internet users. I have already covered this tool in one of my posts here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning almost a year ago and today I am updating it via adding another important feature that has just been included in the Evernote service.

As you know Evernote allows its users to bookmark their websites and access them wherever they are. It has now a mobile app that is free and works on both iOS and Android devices. I personally used to use Google Bookmarks to do all the bookmarking but have switched now to Evernote because it offers way more features than Google Bookmarks. I really do like the tagging and sorting options available in Evernote.

As I said earlier there is a new feature being added to Evernote called  Evernote for Education. This is basically a page devoted for education topics. They provide samples of how Evernote is being used by educators, students, and teachers from all around the globe. There is a webinar there explaining in depth how students and teachers can use this service. Head over to Evernote for Education to learn more.

Watch this video to learn more about Evernote


Evernote for education webinar from Ronald Toledo on Vimeo.

Write Your Own Textbook with Apple's iBooks Author App

                        This is a guest post by Samantha Peters from The Education Update


I just got an email from Samantha who is the guest writer of this post asking me to delete this post. It looks like this article has already been publsihed somewhere else and keeping it here means duplicate content which I wont accept. Only unique articles are accepted for guest posting.

Make your Own Books for Free Using Apple iBooks Author App

In conjunction with the release of iBooks app, the digital textbook app, Apple has also announced the launch of its new iBooks Author app that is designed specifically to help users create ebooks.. It seems quite obvious that Apple is moving some of the focus of its technology into education. They  knows that there is a big potential in this ' promising market " and so a few smart investments in it will boost up their company's gainings. As educators and educational technology experts we would but welcome all these innovations and wish that the competition would heat up between all the major corporations to come up with new products to fooster education.

Some features of iBooks Author App

Here is a list of the manin features that iBooks Author app offers to its users :

• It is free
• It lets users create  apple ebooks
• It provides a variety of different book templates
• It offers several customization options to users such as the layout, design , cover etc
• It lets users include multimedia features to their ebooks
• Users can choose and customize theor ebooks 'table of contents, chapters an sections
• There are several page layout users can choose from
• It allows for importing text directly from a page or Word file
• Users can integrate some interactive widgets into their pages such as images, 3D objects, video, photo slideshows, quiz questions,custom HTML and keynote presentations.
• Users can preview their ebooks on their iPads before publishing
• Ebooks are stored in the library of iBooks store

iBooks Author seems to be a great idea in the democratization of knowledge sharing and information access but to what extent this new experience will succeed is a question that   needs  some time to see how things go  before judging the usability of this app.

For more educational apps reviews head over to my website The Best of Educational Technology

Here is a video about iBooks Author

iBooks 2 Is It The 21st Century Digital Textbook Revolution ?

In its first major announcement since the death of Steve Jobs, Apple Inc has recently released iBooks2 and iBooks Author.It seems like Apple is planning to radically transform the digital textbook market. iBooks 2 which is an updated version of the company's iPad e-reading app that supports interactive textbooks, is a complete reinvention of the textbook as we know it.

There are several reasons why Apple is trying to revolutionize the textbook world and among these :

•  1.5 million iPads currently used in education
•  more than 20,000 educational apps are now available
•  Traditional textbooks are expensive and not interactive
•   Major educational publishers including Pearson,, McGraw-Hill and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt have already partnered with Apple to develop iBooks Author.

This is Apple's video to promote iBooks 2.

Educational technology experts and curriculmum designers see this move as the beginning of the end for the " big backpack" and a major step in taking advantage of the device's portability and cost-effectiveness. Roger Rosner, VP of Apple's iWork, said " Clearly, no printed textbook can compete with iBooks2 interactive digital texts."

Some features of iBooks 2

Here is a list of the main features that iBooks 2offers to its users:

• It is free
• It has a user friendly interface
• It is easy and simple to use
• It allows for highlighting and note-taking
• Books can be owned forever and re-downloaded at any time from the cloud
• It offers a more dynamic user experience

This is all awesome and promising and yes iPad with its ability to play video and combine informatio from many resources has definately positioned it as the lead of the evolution of the digital textbook but the question that remians unanswered is that both Students and schools will need  iPads to use iBooks but who is going to afford the cost of this digital transformation ?

Here is a hands-on video to learn more about iBooks2

Head over to iTunes Store to download iBooks 2

Here are some screenshots of iBooks 2

Juice Defender – a mobile app to extend battery life

Juice Defender is a free mobile app for educators. It manages and controls power consumption on your mobile device. In fact one the drawbacks of the continuous dependence on mobile phones is the battery power savings. How many times you are caught in the middle of somewhere say a trip or a long travel and your battery is going dead on you? I hate it because it happened to me more than once especially when i had to travel back and forth from Canada to Morocco which normally takes me 24 hours. Now with Juice Defender the problem is probably solved , i say probably because i have just installed it on my phone and i am going to see if it really works as they say but i am hoping it does.

Juice Defender is mainly an Android app that is free but premium versions are also available.

Some features of Juice Defender

Here is a list of the main features that Juice Defender offers to its users:

• It is free


• It is easy to use


• It has a very interactive interface


• It optimizes your power consumption


• It makes your battery life longer


• It automatically manages the battery draining components of your phone


• It offers WiFi toggle automation + auto-disabling option


• It has location-aware WiFi control

How can i get started using Juice defender ?

Head over to Juice Defender main page and  install the app
watch this video tutorial to learn how to use it.

That’s it about Juice Defender – a mobile app to extend battery life.

Smart Traveler – Great mobile app for educators

This post is a gift from my part to my loyal American readers. The majority of the readers of this blog are Americans, i can say that its about 70 per cent of the readership of this blog comes from the US. i always take this fact into consideration and whenever i stumble upon something that is related to US than i would straight forward post it here. So thank you very much my American readers and the same gratitude goes to all the other readers from different countries and continents , i am so thankful to all of you for your loyalty and i hope i will always live up to your expectations.

Today’s post is about Smart Traveler . Smart Traveler has been designed by The United States Department of State with the aim of helping American citizens worldwide “to see  and access the updated official country information, travel alerts, travel warnings, maps, U.S. embassy locations, and more”. This app can also be used by any other person from any other country. I find it very educational for it is packed with a tremendous treasure of information about countries around the world. It is a useful app not only for travelers but for any person interested in learning about different countries.

Some features of Smart Traceler

Here are the main features that Smart Traveler offers to its users:

• It is completely free


• It is very handy and easy to use


• It has a great intuitive interface


• It provides you with a packed set of information about any country


• It gives you alerts about travel warnings and related issues


• It provides access to the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).”Free STEP enrollment enables the State Department to better assist you in emergencies such as natural disasters, unrest in foreign countries, or lost/stolen passports overseas. During your travels, STEP can help your family and friends reach you in an emergency”.


• It also gives you access  to the Department’s Consular Affairs Facebook and Twitter pages.


• It is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later

I hope you liked the post and until we meet again here my blessings to all of you.
That’s it about Smart Traveler – Great mobile app for educators.

Show Me – a great learning app

Show Me is a great learning app for educators. It allows its users to create and share lessons on the iPad. It offers a nice and intuitive whiteboard surface where lessons can be shared very easily.This app , though still in closed beta, looks like it is going to be a great app for educators. Teachers can use it to create lessons on the go and share them with their students. I am hoping Show Me will go open to public in this summer for it is the ideal tool  for this season when teachers have much more free time to create nice staff to share with their learners. I have picked up this video to let you have an idea about what this app is going to be all about.

If you want to get an instant access to Show Me and be the first to be informed when it is officially launched then submit your email to Show Me.


ShowMe iPad App from San Kim on Vimeo.
That’s it about Show Me – a great learning app.

PuppetPals – Free mobile storytelling app

Puppet Pals is a cool free  mobile app. It allows its users to create their own animated stories in such an easy way that you do not need any extra tech knowledge to do so. This app is totally free and it is one of the best storytelling apps online. Now you can create your own characters and combine them into an animated clip using your own creativity. This is exactly what students need , they need apps to teach them or at least improve their creative skills. If it happens that you have an iPhone or iPad then why not give this little app a try and see how it works , remember it wont cost you a penny.

Some features of Puppet Pals

Here are the main features that Puppet Pals offers to its users:

• It is free


• It allows you to create you own animated shows using photos


• It lets you create your own actors from photos


• It is very easy to use


• Easy zooming and rotating options


• It offers a wide variety of characters to download

How can i get started using Puppet Pals ?

As i said before this storytelling app is very easy to use. Just pick out the characters, drag them onstage and tap record. Movements and audio is recorded for your performance.
That’s it about PuppetPals – Free mobile storytelling app.

InClass : Free Mobile App to Organize, and Share your notes

InCalss is a great app for mobile learners . It allows its users to take text, audio and video notes and not only that it can also help you manage your tasks by keeping track of your schedules and due dates. I think this mobile app should be a must for our students and learners .

 

Some features of InClass

Here are the main features that InClass offers to its users:

• It is free


• It is easy to use


• It has an intuitive interface


• It allows you to take photo, video, audio or text notes


• It lets you schedule your tasks


• It provides tasks and courses alarms so that you would never forget your homework again


• To share notes, images, videos, and schedules students can connect InClass to their Facebook accounts

How can i get started using InClass ?

To learn how to use InClass here is a video tutorial to watch and if you need more videos about InClass then you need to visit their Youtube Channel.

That’s it about InClass : Free Mobile App to Organize, and Share your notes.
You might also like:

• ibrainstorm : a free brainstorming app for the iPad and iPhone


• GRADEKEEPER : A GREAT MOBILE GRADEBOOK


• To Do ( Tomorrow) : Mobile Virtual Notebook for Educators


• Mobile Technology in education


• SKETCH : A FREE BRAINSTORMING AND MIND MAPPING APP


• Storykit : a free mobile multimedia storytelling app

Videolicious: Free Mobile App for creating awesome videos

The App store is a great source for mobile apps both free and paid ones. One of the apps i found in this store is called Videolicious. This mobile tool allows its users to create a great looking videos in a very simple and easy way . I am presenting this app to you because i know it can help us in our teaching . We can create videos on the go and share them with our students .

 

Some features of Videolicious

Here is a list of the main features that Videolicious offers to its users :

• It is free


• It is simple and dead easy


• It works faster than other video recording and editing tools


• It offers videos in a documentary film style


• It works with the videos and photos in your phone’s library


• It automatically saves the video to your Camera Roll

How can i get started using Videolicious ?

To learn how to use Videolicious you need to watch this short video.

That’s it about Videolicious: Free Mobile App for creating awesome videos.
You might also like:

• ibrainstorm : a free brainstorming app for the iPad and iPhone


• GRADEKEEPER : A GREAT MOBILE GRADEBOOK


• To Do ( Tomorrow) : Mobile Virtual Notebook for Educators
  
  


• Mobile Technology in education




• SKETCH : A FREE BRAINSTORMING AND MIND MAPPING APP



• Storykit : a free mobile multimedia storytelling app

Google Docs for Android

Google Docs for the Android is a great app for mobile technology users . Educators having an android device should really be using this free app . I have already covered the leading features that Google docs offers for its users in a post entitled Google Docs in Education , but today the mobile  version has already been released and  is there waiting for you . Thats the best piece of news any android user would have ever heard from goole . . And here is the rest of it.

Some features of Google Docs For Android

Here are the main features that Google Docs for Android offers to its users :

• It is free


• It is very easy to use


• It is feature-rich app


• It has an intuitive interface


• It lets you create, edit, upload and share your documents


• Edits to your documents appear to collaborators in seconds


• It lets you make quick changes to spreadsheets


• You can also view your documents, PDFs, images and more


• It lets you Upload and convert files to the Google Docs format


• You can also take a photo of printed text and convert it to a Google document


• It allows you to share docs with your phone contacts

How can i get started using Google doc for android ?

To learn how to use this great app you need to watch this shor video

That's it about Google Docs for Android.

Evernote : Take notes and snapshots right from your mobile

Evernote is a great mobile app for educators. I have already covered  the web application of  Evernote that we can use on our computers in a post entitled Evernote : a new way to get organized in education and today i will be talking about the mobile version of Evernote . If you do not have an idea about what Evernote is then it is an application that allows its users to take notes , brainstorm ideas and even do recordings . If you are an educator with an iPhone or iPad then Evernote is a must for you .

 

Some features of Evernote

Here are the main features that Evernote offers to its users :

• It is free and it also has some premium services
• It is simple to use
• It lets you create notes or take photos and audio notes
• It lets you synchronize  your notes to Mac, PC, and web
• Organize your notes into “ favorite” to access them easily
• It makes text within snapshot searchable
• It lets you take screenshots
• It allows you to Pull images
• It offers notes with geo-location information for mapping and search
• it is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later

How can i get satrted using Evernote ?

To learn how to use Evernote you need to watch this video tutorial

applications of Evernote in education

Evernote is a great mobile app that educators should be equipped with . We can use Evernote to :

1. do searches and register class notes
2. To brainstorm ideas about new topics
3. To record voice memos to share with students

That’s it about Evernote : Take notes and snapshots right from your mobile .
You might also like :

• ibrainstorm : a free brainstorming app for the iPad and iPhone
• GRADEKEEPER : A GREAT MOBILE GRADEBOOK

• To Do ( Tomorrow) : Mobile Virtual Notebook for Educators

• Mobile Technology in education

• SKETCH : A FREE BRAINSTORMING AND MIND MAPPING APP

• Storykit : a free mobile multimedia storytelling app

ibrainstorm: a free brainstorming app for ipad and iphone

ibrainstorm is a free brainstorming application for the iPhone and iPad. It allows its users to take notes , manage them then share with others. If you are an educator and it happens that you have one of these mobile devices then why not try this free little app .

Some features of ibrianstom
Here are the main features that ibrainstorm offers to its users :

• It is free to use


• It lets you record your brainstorming using hand drawing or sticky notes


• You can rag your notes on the iPad into any ordered hierarchy you want


• You can use colours to give additional meaning and focus


• You can draw , zoom and erase anything you want


• It lets you share your collaborative sessions via email

Learn more about ibrainstorm in this video .

That ‘s it about  ibrainstorm : A Free Brainstorming App for iPad and iPhone .
You might also like :

• GRADEKEEPER : A GREAT MOBILE GRADEBOOK

 

• To Do ( Tomorrow) : Mobile Virtual Notebook for Educators

 

• Mobile Technology in education

 

• SKETCH : A FREE BRAINSTORMING AND MIND MAPPING APP

• Storykit : a free mobile multimedia storytelling app

Storykit : a free mobile multimedia storytelling app

Storykit is a multimedia storytelling mobile app . It allows its users to create electronic storybooks and share them with others . Storykit is a practical tool for teachers . They can use it to create their own storytelling books and share them with their students . It is all free and anyone can use it easily . Storykit is compatible with iPod touch, iPhone touch, and iPad .

Some features of Storykit

Here are the main features that Storykit offers to its users :

• It is free


• It lets you write a text or draw right on the screen


• It lets you attach photos or take one you like


• You can record your audio and add sound effects


• It offers a simple drag and drop and a resizing  utility to arrange the layout of your story including text boxes, images, and sound clips.


• Upload your story to the StoryKit web server and email a link to the story from within the app. No account is necessary. Stories are private

How can i get started using Storykit ?

Watch this video to learn more about using Storykit

That’s it about Storykit : a free mobile multimedia storytelling app.
You might also like :

• GRADEKEEPER : A GREAT MOBILE GRADEBOOK

• To Do ( Tomorrow) : Mobile Virtual Notebook for Educators

• Mobile Technology in education

• SKETCH : A FREE BRAINSTORMING AND MIND MAPPING APP

Gradekeeper : a great mobile gradebook

Gradekeeper is a terrific grade book application for the iPad. It is actually one of the important apps teachers should have on their mobile devices . Gradekeeper makes dealing with grades easy .If you want to manage your grades on the go then you need to consider it. unfortunately Gradekeeper is not free but it is very cheap it costs $4.99.

Some features of Gradekeeper

Here are the main features of the Gradekeeper as mentioned in the apple page :
“1-  Copy existing classes to your iPad using iTunes file sharing
2-   Create new classes right on your iPad
3-   View student progress reports, including category and term summaries
4-   Add new assignments and scores
5-  Take attendance
6-  Assign seats or make a new seating chart
7-  Set up your school year to use semesters, trimesters, quarters, or six terms
8-  Set up assignment categories and weights
9-  Compute grade using total points or category weights10- Set up your own letter grades and percents”.

If you like this application then consider using it in your work to manage your grades and be updated . The purpose is mobilizing your teaching and students learning .


That’s it about Gradekeeper : a great mobile gradebook.