Ipad as a tool for those with learning disabilities.

[sonchy]

Hi,

I am trying to make a case that an Ipad is a great organizational and Learning tool for students with learning disabilities. To be honest I'm not a tech guy and I don't know were to start, does anyone have advice on how to make the Case of the ipad being as effective or more so then a PDA/smart phone? As well have you come across any really good daily planning or general idea organization apps? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[shaman]

It more effective then PDA/smart phones
1) because of widest screen
2) because more natural touch experience
I am not sure about organizers, but I think there is a number of them in app store. But if not, we can help to create one

 

[Robertt]

I'd say the iPad (or similar device) has great potential in education. The biggest problem at the moment is the quality of the apps. I frequently look through the programs in the Education category in the appstore. From what I've seen the vast majority are crappy, thrown-together pieces of software with little educational value. If you want to learn your colors or learn the ABCs with drill-and-practice programs, they've got you covered. But if you pick up one of the many "encyclopedias of..." you'll find them to be short colorful electronic books with a tiny amount of content, most of it pulled from public domain (or not) sources. If you want some serious apps that teach you something at the adult level, you can basically give up on the idea.

Apple has crippled the marketplace by forcing developers to use its tools and sell through it's portals. Programmers writing good software simply put their efforts toward other, less restrictive platforms. This is exactly why the PC overtook the Mac and nearly put Apple out of business in the mid-80s. Sad to see them making the same mistake again.

And before someone jumps in and says so-and-so is a great app, sure, there are some fine pieces of software available for the iPad. But 80% of it is useless junk and Apple won't let you go elsewhere to look for something better.