my new favorite app

I'm finding it a bit tricky to keep up with the blog at the same time as planning and implementing activities in the MMC...which is why it's been so long since I've posted.  I guess that's a challenge most folks who blog regularly learn to overcome.  I'm still new to the whole "blogging" thing...so, clearly, that is something I need to work on. :) 

Today (a day without classes in the MMC),  I am working on getting the iPads all updated and "supervised" using the Apple Configurator app (on the new MacBook we got to go along with our new mobile iPad cart).  This has been a learning experience to be sure--and I'm still trying to get the hang of it.  

Anyway...while I was purchasing app codes and installing apps, I was playing around with an app I had purchased for myself (to try it out before buying it for the school).  I was looking for some good cause/effect apps for our students with more significant disabilities and stumbled upon this one.  I thought it was cool on the surface...but then today I really played with it, and found out just how cool it is.  

So, here it is--Cause and Effect Sensory Light Box.  It's $2.99, but if you have kids at this level, it's totally worth it.

Cause and Effect
Sensory Light Box app

This is the main *menu* page...with all the different cause/effect activities.  Touching one of the choices opens up the activity--they all have sound & something visual...some have music.  Note: it works best if you disable the Multitasking features in the Settings.

Light box menu page

If you click on the circle up in the right-hand corner, though, you get to the settings...which opens up all sorts of opportunities for kids at all different levels!  

*Settings* menu within the app

As you can see, you can set it up to work with a Bluetooth switch (which is one of the things I tested out today...works great).  If you're not sure what settings you might want, you can touch the ? at the bottom (right) to get suggestions.  There are some "what you might want" ideas along the left side...and some "here's which settings to change to get there" on the right once you touch one of the ideas.  Nifty.  I thought the "encourage vocalization" one was pretty cool.  I tested that one, too, and it also works great!

suggested settings to encourage a student to vocalize

I'm excited to try this out with some of our groups!  There's a PTA practice performance tomorrow, so I don't know if we'll get any classes to the MMC tomorrow...if not,  we'll try it out soon and I'll let you know how it goes.