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Pure Friendship for Individuals with Special Needs
Lauren Lewis
Friendship Circle, Products

The Top 10 Special Needs Apps from 2013

Over the last year, the Friendship Circle App Review has presented 300 special needs apps. Over that time, these apps have been rated and reviewed by users. Here is a list of the most  popular apps of 2013. Have an app to add to our list? Submit it here.

1. Birdhouse for Autism Birdhouse-Logo

Birdhouse is a web and mobile based Autism management platform designed for you to organize the important information related to your child’s care. Birdhouse enables you to keep track of medications and supplements, therapies and therapists, and easily track your child’s behaviors and daily activities.  Use Birdhouse to find correlations and patterns in your child’s everyday life so you can see what’s helping and what needs to be changed.

2. Proloquo2Go proloquo2go

Proloquo2Go is an award-winning Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) solution for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch for people who have difficulty speaking or cannot speak at all. Proloquo2Go can be adapted to suit the needs of a wide range of users with varying literacy levels. Featuring natural-sounding voices, speech can be generated by tapping buttons with symbols or typing using the on-screen keyboard with word prediction.

3. Niki Talk Niki_talk

Niki Talk is an easy to use and highly customizable application for AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), available for iPad, iPhone and Android. Niki Talk can help all the children with autism, aphasia, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, stroke or any disability that impairs the ability to communicate.

4. Sign Me a Story SignMeAStory

The app teaches sign language and reading in story and video format. The first in a series GreenBeanies- One Cool Cat has a fun plot line that features pop-up videos demonstrating 14 signs demonstrated by my 11 year-old daughter with DS.  The second story: GreenBeanies- Two Magical Hats teaches 12 more signs and revisits previously taught signs within the highly interactive story.

5. Story Maker for Social Stories StoryMaker

StoryMaker allows users to create Social Stories using pictures, text and audio. Add pictures from the built-in Library, or expand the Library with pictures from the camera, Google, Bing or Flickr. Email the stories you create as a PDF. Coming soon: sample stories and additional content from Carol Gray, creator of Social Stories.

6. My Life Skills Box MyLifeSkills

My Life Skills Box allows a child to learn about life. If your child has difficulty learning in a natural environment, My Life Skills Box is a must – have application for your child.

7. Autismate Autismate-1

A first step to helping individuals with autism become more independent starts with their ability to understand. AutisMate’s tools not only help individuals understand environments around them but also teach the skills needed to live in them.

8. Behavior Breakthroughs Behavior-Breakthroughs

Behavior Breakthroughs™ is an interactive training simulation created for parents and caregivers of children and adults who display challenging behavior. The simulation was created using game-based technology to provide an interactive environment in which parents and caregivers learn to effectively implement proven behavioral strategies and techniques.

9. Model Me Going Places 2133-1-model-me-going-places-2

Model Me Kids videos demonstrate social skills by modeling peer behavior at school, on a playdate, at a birthday party, on the playground, at a library, at the dentist, restaurant, and more. Designed as a teaching tool for children, adolescents, and teenagers with Autism, Asperger Syndrome, and developmental delays, the videos are used by teachers, parents, and therapists. Real children model each skill.

10. Bitsboard Bitzboard

Bitsboard is both an app and global platform of millions of teachers, parents, students, and lifelong learners. Bitsboard is a place where learning is FUN, SIMPLE, and a BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE. Bitsboard offers free access to tens of thousands of gorgeous flashcards and carefully curated lessons across dozens of languages. No matter what you want to teach (English, German, Telling Time, Sight Words, ABC, etc.), you will find it on Bitsboard. Here are some more popular apps from the Friendship Circle App Review Check out all 300 special needs apps at: www.friendshipcircle.org/apps

WRITTEN ON December 27, 2013 BY:

Lauren Lewis