Assistive Technology Applications for Tablets and Mobile Devices

ADHD Treatment Monitoring

ADHD Tracker 1.0 By American Academy of Pediatrics Cost: Free

Using the Vanderbilt Scales published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, ADHD Tracker makes completing and submitting a behavioral assessment easier for parents and teachers of children ages 4 through 18 years who have already been diagnosed and treated for ADHD. This app helps track behavior patterns and ADHD symptoms using the NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Follow-Up, part of the American Academy of Pediatrics “Caring for Children with ADHD: A Resource Toolkit for Clinicians, 2nd Edition.” This app is not a diagnostic tool. It can assist a healthcare team to monitor a child’s progress with ADHD treatment in school and at home, helping them gain a better understanding of how ADHD is impacting the child’s mental and physical health.

Pros:  Improves communication with healthcare providers  Helps provide a more accurate evaluation

Cons:  No option to scales other than the Vanderbilt

Time Management and Organization

Remind 101 By Remind 101 Cost: Free

Remind 101 provides a safe way for teachers to text message students and stay in touch with parents. It is 100% free and is used by over 200,000 teachers, students and parents to send millions of messages every month.

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Pros:  Unlimited messaging  Assists students who require extra support

Cons:  App is exclusively for teachers

ADHD Alarm (CP On Time) By Cognitive Psychiatry Cost: $3.99

This app is designed to help those with ADHD get to work, school or any other appointment in their day, or get to bed, on time every day. The app prompts the user to enter your personal bedtime, morning, or other routines, along with an estimate of time for each task in the routine. The app then asks you to enter the time of the appointment (or bedtime), and how late you were the day before. Based on this data, a formula will automatically set the alarm clock for the time that you need to start your routine, in order to be on time for your appointment or bedtime.

Pros:  Easy to use  Can set multiple routines and alarms  Takes into account the users individual difficulties with time management  Prevents “snoozing”

Cons:  Does not seem to appear that users can delete routines (perhaps the next update will fix this problem)

Time Track By Lunit AB Cost: $0.99

This app is used to visually display time between 1 and 300 minutes. It is intended for children and adults who have a hard time understanding the abstract concept of time. This app can be set when children do their homework to teach them that 10 minutes is not so bad, it is only 10 small lights away!

Pros:  Simple and easy  Provides visual representation of time

Cons:  If children focus too much on the lights, time may seem very slow to them, especially when setting for higher amounts of time and 1 light equals 5 minutes. Page 2 of 14 3930 20 Street SW | Calgary, AB T2T 4Z9 P: 403 686-9300 | F: 403 686-0627 | TF: 1 877 686-9300 Email: [email protected] | www.canlearnsociety.ca

DropTime: A Pomodoro Timer By XiaoZhou Su Cost: Free

DropTime is a countdown timer that uses the Pomodoro technique. It sets up a loop sequence of timers and records how much time you spent on a task. The timer breaks down periods of work into intervals of your choosing. You can name the timers and arrange them in any sequence. An important interval to add is one for breaks or rest periods. If you alternate periods of work with breaks, you may be surprised at how much you accomplish. A great timer for keeping individuals with AD/HD on task.

Pros:  Add new timers and rearrange timers  Change timer interval and name (personalize)  Loop all timers for continuous work productivity throughout the day

Cons:  Free version includes advertisements  The break period plays music – unable to turn off (must mute volume on phone)

It’s Focus Time By Buket Sarer Cost: Free

This productivity timer will help individuals boost their focus and manage their time more efficiently. Users can customize work/break sets and monitor their progress over time.

Pros:  Simple and easy to use  Users can launch other apps while the time is running

Cons:  Does not visually represent the passage of time (only digital count down)

HomeRoutines By Wunderbear Cost: $4.99

This app provides the user with a way of keeping track of recurring household routines. Users create routine checklists, then complete them on their chosen days of the week, with reminder notifications to keep them on track. Gold stars are provided for each completed task.

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Pros:  Able to break large cleaning tasks down into manageable chunks  Reminders can be used for routines and tasks

Cons:  Could be overwhelming for some users. Not always straightforward to use

Dropbox By Dropbox Cost: Free This app allows users to store and access up to 2GB of computer files from multiple devices and share these files with others. Excellent for users who are busy and forget which device a file is saved on. Also good for parents to share files with their children and monitor school work completion.

Pros:  Provides convenient access to files anywhere, anytime  Allows for file sharing  Straight forward to use

Cons:  Files deleted on one device will delete the file on other devices – be careful myHomework Student Planner By Rodrigo Neri Cost: Free

This app allows students to track and organize their homework and provides reminders when homework is due. It also allows students to check off when homework has been completed, providing a sense of accomplishment for them.

Pros:  Fairly simple to use  Allows user to categorize homework by subject, type of homework, and priority  Tracks upcoming, late, and completed homework

Cons:  May require help from parent or teacher to initially set up  May require reminders from adults to keep up on tracking and inputting assignments

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Evernote By Evernote Cost: Free

This app helps individuals stay organized, save ideas, and improve productivity. Evernote allows the user to take notes, capture photos, create-to-do lists, and record voice reminders. All of the notes are organized and are searchable on any device to allow for easy access.

Pros:  Provides an organizational structure for an individual’s electronic files

Cons:  Premium version requires a subscription

Cozi Family Organizer By Cozi Cost: Free

This app is a mobile family calendar that also includes shopping lists, to do lists and more. The entire family shares the account and each member is color-coded. You can view the entire family calendar or an individual’s schedule. A great app for keeping the whole family organized.

Pros:  Shared access and immediate updates of new items added by other family members  Encourages all family members to be involved in planning, scheduling and communicating tasks and events

Cons:  Premium version has additional features (birthday tracker, more reminders, mobile month view) but costs $29.99

Keeping Track of Belongings

Find My iPhone By Apple Cost: Free

This app will let you use another device to find your iPhone and protect your data. This app may be useful for individuals who often misplace their iPhone.

Pros:  Simple to use Page 5 of 14 3930 20 Street SW | Calgary, AB T2T 4Z9 P: 403 686-9300 | F: 403 686-0627 | TF: 1 877 686-9300 Email: [email protected] | www.canlearnsociety.ca

 Ability to remotely lock your phone or delete data to protect personal information  Provides driving directions to location of phone

Cons:  Must have two devices to work  The missing device must have iOS 6 or later installed

Studying

Quizlet By Quizlet LLC Cost: Free

This app allows students to create flashcards that can be used to study and learn new information. Students can make their own cards or search the Quizlet database for card sets on a wide range of topics.

Pros:  Encourages active studying because the student makes the cards themselves and reviews them  Allows students to study with each other by connecting to their friends sets

Cons:  Accuracy of information is not always guaranteed when using other users card sets  Creating card sets may be tedious for students with AD/HD - they may require help

Organization of Ideas and Writing

Dragon Dictation By Nuance Cost: Free

Dragon Dictation is a voice recognition application powered by Dragon NaturallySpeaking that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages. You can also dictate status updates to your social networking applications (Facebook, Twitter) or send notes and reminders to yourself all using your voice.

Pros:  Up to 5 times faster than a keyboard  Voice-to-text texts, emails, and notes  Compatible with social media  Supports a multitude of global languages  In app save feature

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Cons:  Some users report slow dictation and spelling and grammar mistakes  Punctuation is not automatic (ex: have to say “John comma” to get “John,”)  Lose unsaved text if answering a phone call  Lack of shortcuts  Need to be familiar with iCloud or have an email account to print  Does not work well in a noisy environment, must speak directly into microphone for best results

Kidspiration By Inspiration Software Cost: $9.99

This app helps elementary aged students learn to graphically organize and classify information, gain sight word knowledge and expand their ideas into written and verbal expression. This app can be used to organize written tasks, help with reading comprehension, and aid in the understanding of information by allowing students to classify, organize and sequence related pieces of information.

Pros:  Colourful and visually appealing  Fairly easy to learn and use  Comes with pre-made activities using mind mapping, categorizing, and visual representations in the areas of reading, writing, social studies, science, and math (users do not necessarily have to create maps from scratch)

Cons:  Will initially take more time to complete learning tasks as children and adults learn to use the program.

Penultimate By Evernote Cost: Free

This app allows the user to create and use digital notebooks. A stylus (Jot Script Evernote Edition) is required so that users can handwrite in the notebooks. This app links to Evernote, allowing the user to organize their notebooks, access them anywhere, and search by keyword.

Pros:  Allows individuals with AD/HD to have digital notebooks available to them anywhere  Provides a structure for organization of work

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Cons:  Users must purchase a stylus  Premium version requires a subscription

Writing, Spelling, and Phonics

Simplex Spelling Phonics 1 By Pyxwise Software Inc. Cost: $4.99

This app helps students who struggle with spelling to learn over 450 high frequency English words. These words are divided into 42 lists based on spelling patterns and difficulty. Users have the option of listening to the individual sounds of the words as they learn how to spell them. Brief lessons are provided for each spelling rule and feedback is provided letter by letter.

Pros:  Combines sounds and letters for spelling instruction  Provides lessons on spelling rules  Monitors mastery of correctly spelled words

Cons:  Cannot select grade appropriate spelling lists  Does not allow user to create their own spelling lists

Little Writer – The Tracing App for Kids (lite) By Innovative Mobile Apps Cost: Free

This app allows young children to develop their writing skills by practicing tracing letters, numbers, shapes, and words. Colorful graphics and fun sounds keep children engaged in the activity.

Pros:  Very straight forward and simple to use  Option to upload your own pictures and words (e.g., the child’s name)  A fun way to practice writing skills

Cons:  Geared towards younger children even though older children may benefit from using

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Touch and Write Phonics By Fizzbrain LLC Cost: $2.99

This app helps children practice their writing skills while learning the sounds of the English language, including vowels, blends, and digraphs. This app integrates visual, kinesthetic, and simulated tactile modalities to enhance learning and fun.

Pros:  Provides explicit lessons on vowel sounds, blends, and digraphs  Makes writing fun by allowing children to choose from 35 different writing papers and 18 different writing textures (e.g., shaving cream, ketchup, syrup, pudding)  Option to create your own word lists  After each word, children have a brief reward time. They can make a little monster eat cupcakes

Cons:  Sometimes difficult for the app to pick up on the letter tracing and forces you to start the letter over again.

Graphophonics: Vocabulary By Logouplasis Cost: $2.99

This app aims to help children ages 4 to 9 develop phonemic awareness through a simply spelling game of words from 5 different categories. Each word is presented with a picture and the child must align the individual letters to spell the word. As the child touches each letter the sound of the letter is given.

Pros:  Simple and straight forward  Combines speech sounds, letters, and letter names  Teaches vocabulary

Cons:  No options for tracking or monitoring progress  Only 44 words. No option to add your own words  A little expensive for how simple it is

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Dictionary.com Dictionary & Thesaurus By Dictionary.com, LLC Cost: Free

This app is able to work offline and online to search for English words, definitions, synonyms, and antonyms. Additionally, the app provides audio pronunciation of words, examples of words in sentences, and translation into 30 other languages. If the user is unsure of spelling, the app provides spelling suggestions for possible words. An excellent app for individuals with writing, spelling and vocabulary difficulties.

Pros:  Everything you could possibly need in a dictionary  Upgrades available for grammar tips, encyclopedia, slang, idioms, and voice search

Cons:  Advertisements

Text-to-Speech

Voice Dream Reader Lite – Text to Speech By Voice Dream LLC Cost: Free

This app makes written text accessible to everyone. Voice Dream is able to read PDF and Word documents as well as eBooks, DAISY audiobooks, articles, and webpages. Users can connect the app to Dropbox, Evernote, and other applications to provide text- to-speech almost anywhere.

Pros:  Adjustable reading speed and voices  Compatible with a wide range of other apps and file types

Cons:  Premium version costs $9.99

Audiobooks from Audible By Audible, Inc. Cost: Free

This app allows individuals to access audio books through an Amazon based app. Users have access to a range of 150,000 books anytime, anywhere. This app may be beneficial to individuals with AD/HD who have difficulty reading. Reading along with the audio can also be helpful for children who are learning to read.

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Pros:  Able to switch between reading and listening with Whispersync for Voice  Transfer books to your device over Wi-Fi

Cons:  Users still pay for books

Problem Solving iMazing By Fiendsoft Cost: Free

This game challenges users to develop their initiation and planning skills by moving from a starting point to the end and planning a way through. The app shows a green line as you trace your way forward through the maze and a red line when you back track. The more red on the screen, the more the user needs to stop, think, and plan his/her move.

Pros:  Simple and straight forward  14 different level difficulties  May help to develop planning skills

Cons:  No exciting graphics or rewards – may be difficult for a person with attention problems to persist

Where’s My Water? By Disney Cost: Free

This game provides experience with problem solving through several puzzles where the user has to move water through obstacles to provide a friendly gator with a shower. The user must identify the water source, the end goal (a pipeline to the shower), and the various challenges in the way (rocks, mud, pesticide, algae, fans, and more) before cutting a path through the dirt for the water to follow.

Pros:  Excellent graphics  Encourages problem solving in a rewarding way

Cons:  Some children may not be able to persist with game as difficulty increases Page 11 of 14 3930 20 Street SW | Calgary, AB T2T 4Z9 P: 403 686-9300 | F: 403 686-0627 | TF: 1 877 686-9300 Email: [email protected] | www.canlearnsociety.ca

Sleep and Noise Reduction

White Noise Box By Skunk Brothers GmbH Cost: Free

This app provides several high quality white noise samples that individuals with AD/HD can use to increase their concentration by blocking out distracting noises in their environments.

Pros:  Free and simple to use  Provides an oscillation feature that varies the volume

Cons:  White noise might not work for everybody. Experiment with each one to meet individual needs.

Relax Melodies HD: Sleep zen sounds & white noise for meditation, yoga and baby relaxation By iLBSoft Cost: Free

This app allows the user to select and mix sounds to help them relax and fall asleep. Sounds include melodies, rain, ocean, wind chimes and waterfall. This app also has a white noise option for drowning out background noises.

Pros:  Very simple to use  Has an alarm  Allows you to mix several sounds together to create custom relaxation sounds (you can save these mixes as your favourites)  Has a sleep timer so that the app will turn off automatically while you are sleeping  Can be an effective component of good sleep hygiene, which is crucial for individuals with AD/HD

Cons:  Users need to upgrade ($2.99) to the premium edition if they want to receive more sounds and the capability of adding their own music to the sounds mixes

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Sleep Monitoring

Sleep Time+ Alarm Clock and Sleep Cycle Analysis with Soundscape for Health and Fitness By Azumio Inc. Cost: Free

This smart alarm clock analyzes your sleep and wakes you up at the perfect moment of your lightest sleep phase. The sleep lab component analyzes your sleep cycles and average amount of time spent sleeping. This app may be beneficial to individuals with AD/HD who want to increase time spent sleeping and wake up feeling refreshed.

Pros:  Simple and easy to use  Also has music that you can fall asleep to  Learn more about your sleep patterns

Cons:  Users have to develop sleep hygiene strategies on their own. The app only monitors sleep time

Stress Reduction

Take a Break! - Guided Meditations for Stress Relief By Meditation Oasis Cost: Free

This app provides to popular meditations from the Meditation Oasis podcast: one for a break at work and one for stress relief.

Pros:  Simple and easy to use  Option to have relaxing music or nature sounds in the background  Instructions are also provided to enhance meditation experience

Cons:  Users must pay for access to more meditations

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Managing Finances

Spending Tracker By MH Riley Ltd Cost: Free

This app provides users with a simple way of keeping track of and sticking to their monthly budget. Monitoring money can help individuals with AD/HD make better financial choices and decrease the chance that they will spend money impulsively.

Pros:  Simple to use and easy to look at (not overwhelming)  Edible spending and income categories  See spending history over time

Cons:  Pro upgrade costs $2.99

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