Bluebee Pals: Social-Emotional and Academic Learning in an Interactive and Engaging Way

As a mother of a child with special needs (PDD-NOS and high functioning autism spectrum disorder) and as an early childhood educator, I have spent nearly a decade reviewing apps.  When considering Educational Technology, it's important to choose tools that enable the learner to become independent in his/her learning and lead him/her to show mastery of a specific skill.  I am not only referring to academics; I am also referring to social, emotional, self-help, and adaptive learning as many of these are challenges for children who are developmentally delayed.  The technology needs to be flexible, student centered, relevant, and presents the learner with the opportunity to choose what he/she wants to do.  Most importantly, the technology needs to be used in a constructive way as opposed to merely being a babysitter.  Technology should be used as a "means to an end" and not an end in itself.  The learner should be focused on the content and skills being taught, rather than the technology itself.  The goal is that the learner should be able to demonstrate the skills WITHOUT technology; technology should help the learner to reach that point.  I recently had the opportunity to review Bluebee Pals, developed by Laura Jiencke of Kayle Concepts, and found that it is definitely a tool that meets the criteria above.

Designed for children ages 3-7 as well as those with special needs, the Bluebee Pal is an interactive plush learning tool with a FREE companion life skills/educational app.  Using Bluetooth, it connects to all iOS and Android Devices and pairs with all apps with a narrative. Its patented technology allows Bluebee’s “mouth and head” to move while reading stories, teaching through educational games, learning a language, and singing songs.

Lily the Lamb

What sets Bluebee Pals aside from other children's learning apps?  First of all, a stuffed animal is included as part of the learning.  There are six different Bluebee Pals to choose from.  This is great for those children who crave physical stimulation and sensory input.  I don't know of any preschool child who doesn't enjoy the company of his/her own stuffed animal.    For example, Second Step, an early childhood curriculum that teaches social and emotional learning, features the use of stuffed animals.  Second, the ability to use the stuffed animal when reading a story enables the learner to listen to the narrative alone and pay attention to the Bluebee Pal, instead of watching the screen on the device.  We know children learn best when it's done in a way that is multi-sensory; the more senses that are stimulated, the greater the chance that the children will grasp the material.  However, it is also important that children strengthen individual senses when learning as they will not always have the option to experience multi-sensory learning.  This is also a good idea when wanting a child to hear a story without giving him/her additional screen time.  Adults can assess the child's comprehension and listening skills by asking questions after the Bluebee Pal narrates the story to the child.

Children with special needs benefit from apps that are flexible and those that afford them the ability to make choices.  They need to feel in control of their learning.  Many of the activities in the Bluebee Pals app are designed with that purpose in mind.  For example, when the child first opens the Bluebee Pals app, he/she is given the opportunity to choose one of six Bluebee Pals to learn with.  The next step is for the child to select his/her favorite color of balloon, category, and the room of the house that he/she wants to explore.  As there is no sequential order in which the child must complete a given activity, the child can choose the order in which he/she completes the given activity.  In addition, the child can easily choose to repeat that activity without feeling that he/she must move onto another activity. 

Bluebee Pals House

A common goal for for younger learners and those with special needs is the ability to follow one and two step directions.  For those who have difficulty with the reception of language, the Bluebee Pals app includes activities that can help them in this area of language and communication.  Examples include but are not limited to: feeding the Bluebee Pal, brushing its teeth, and putting it to sleep.  This is a great activity which can be integrated within a child's speech and language therapy sessions.

Lily the Lamb gets ready for bed.

Developmental delays in language often affect one's literacy skills in a variety of areas, such as comprehension, vocabulary, and phonics.  To strengthen the child's vocabulary skills, the app includes a sound-board feature where the child touches an object on the screen and the app identifies what the object is.  Adults can practice these words with children by using them part of daily conversation when participating in these routines.  To strengthen comprehension skills, the Bluebee Pals' app includes a number of mini-games that target inferencing and critical thinking skills.  The child is given a specific situation must infer what the character must do within that context.  Last but not least, the Bluebee Pal app includes a number of games that focus on phonics and letters in an interactive and engaging way.

When choosing digital media, the content and skills that are being taught need to be relevant to the child's life.  The Bluebee Pals app incorporates various daily living skills, such as hygiene, cooking, and cleaning up.  The end goal is that the child will apply these skills to his/her own life.  Needless to say, there is a greater chance that the child will do so when an adult is supervising the child using the app and reinforces the desired behavior each day.

I am very impressed with Bluebee Pals and all that it has to offer.  With all of the activities that were created to strengthen children's development in all areas of learning, it's a win-win.  And the fact that the developers are open to listening to suggestions on ways to constantly improve it is invaluable.  Looking for a gift for a preschool child or a child with special needs?  A Bluebee Pal just might be the answer.  It's no surprise that it has been the recipient of various awards.  You can learn more about Bluebee Pals by visiting https://www.bluebeepals.com/apps-bluebee-pals/.

Are You Taking Advantage of Apple's iOS Accessibility Features To Promote Student Learning?

Apple has included a variety of powerful assistive features that are built into the iPad itself to complement one's vision, hearing, motor skills, learning, and literacy. I am sharing some of these features below.  All of this information has been gathered from Apple's website.  Technology is constantly changing and improving with each iOS update.  Apple offers free sessions at many of its stores on the topic of Accessibility and how its technology can play a beneficial role in one's life, especially those with special needs. To learn more, visit https://www.apple.com/today/. You will need to change your location and search for sessions that focus on "Accessibility." You can also call your local Apple Store and ask to speak to the manager to inquire about setting up a session.  Further, Apple has a 24/7 Accessibility Hotline where one can receive free support for Accessibility Features. That number is 1-877-204-3930.  You can find some resources that include an iPad User Guide with Accessibility Features by visiting https://support.apple.com/accessibility/iphone-ipad.

To accommodate users in the area of vision, Apple has built-in features that include but are not limited to: VoiceOver, Audio Descriptions, Display Accommodations, Zoom, Font Adjustments, Magnifier, Speak Screen, and Dictation.

VoiceOver Image Recognition

VoiceOver can now describe images to you, such as telling you if a photo features a tree, a dog, or four smiling faces. It can also read aloud text in an image — whether it’s a snapshot of a receipt or a magazine article — even if it hasn’t been annotated. And in the Photos app, you can touch to explore the facial expressions of people in your photos. Just tap the image with three fingers to have VoiceOver describe what’s there.

Speak Screen

The Speak Screen feature can be used to read one's email, iMessages, web pages, and books if one has a hard time reading the text on the iPad. Turn on Speak Screen and swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers, or just tell Siri to Speak Screen and have all the content on the page read back to you. You can adjust the voice’s dialect and speaking rate, and have words, sentences, or words within sentences highlighted as they’re being read.  To learn more in detail about the various features that Apple offers to complement one's vision, visit https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/vision/.

In iOS 12, Apple has included features to complement hearing to support various apps/tools on the iPad. For instance, one can actually ask Siri a question by using the onscreen keyboard to ask questions, set up reminders, issue commands, and more. This option is called "Type to Siri" and can be found in the Accessibility area of the Settings.

Closed Captions

Watch movies, TV shows, and podcasts with closed captions. Just look for the CC icon to buy or rent captioned movies from the iTunes Store or find captioned podcasts in iTunes U. Download straight to your iPad to watch on the go. iOS also supports open captions and subtitles. You can even customize captions with different styles and fonts, including styles that are larger and outlined for better legibility. For those who are deaf-blind, iPad lets VoiceOver users access closed caption and subtitle tracks through their braille displays.

Hearing Aids Made for the iPad

Apple has worked with top manufacturers to create hearing aids and sound processors designed specifically for iPhone and iPad. These advanced hearing devices provide outstanding sound quality, offer many helpful features, and are as easy to set up and use as any other Bluetooth device. You can quickly access the features and settings of your paired hearing device by triple-clicking the Home button. Glance at the battery status or change the left and right volume, together or separately. And quickly apply your audiologist’s environmental presets as you go outdoors or enter noisy locations, like restaurants, without having to rely on additional remotes.  Additional information on Apple Accessibility features for Hearing can be found by visiting https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/hearing/.

Switch Control

Built directly into iOS, Switch Control is a powerful accessibility technology for anyone with extensive physical motor limitations. Switch Control allows you to navigate sequentially through onscreen items and perform specific actions using a variety of Bluetooth-enabled switch hardware. It also has features like expanded word prediction and a media playback menu to make it easier to use. And Switch Control is customizable for both beginners and advanced users — you can simplify existing actions or create your own.

Assistive Touch

The iPad is remarkably intuitive and easy to use. AssistiveTouch lets you adapt the Multi-Touch screen to your physical needs. So if you need to change some gestures, like pinch, you can make them accessible with just a tap of a finger. You can create your own gestures and even customize the layout of the Assistive Touch menu. And if you want an alternative to pressing the Home button, you can activate it with an onscreen tap. So if your iPad Home button is not working, this features comes in extremely handy! Gestures like rotate and shake are available even when your iPad is mounted on a wheelchair. And iOS devices support a number of third-party assistive devices that help you interact with your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

You can learn about additional features in the area of Physical and Motor Skills by visiting https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/physical-and-motor-skills/.

Reading Support

The more senses that students use to learn new concepts and skills, there is a greater chance that they will process the material and be able to retain it at a deeper level. If you learn better when you can hear what you’re reading or writing, features like Speak Screen, Speak Selection, Typing Feedback, and Predictive Text can help by adding an auditory component to text. Turn on Speak Screen and swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers, or just tell Siri to Speak Screen, to have all the content on pages read back to you. Or use Speak Selection to highlight the specific range of text you want to hear, in colors that you can customize. Then follow along as highlighted words, sentences, or words within each sentence are read aloud. And with Typing Feedback activated, each letter you type on the keyboard is spoken aloud as well. You can also use Predictive Text, which suggests word options that you can listen to and choose from to get help with spelling.

Guided Access

Guided Access helps people with autism and/or other attention and sensory challenges stay focused on the task (or app) at hand. With Guided Access, a parent, teacher, or therapist can limit iPad to stay on one app by disabling the Home button and limit the amount of time spent in an app. You can even restrict access to the keyboard or touch input on certain areas of the screen, thereby limiting the amount of possible distractions.

Safari Reader

For some students, navigating the web can be a sensory overload.  Safari Reader reduces the visual clutter.  It strips away ads, buttons, and navigation bars, allowing you to focus on just the content you want.  And Safari Reader works with Speak Selection and VoiceOver to provide auditory reinforcement for what you’re seeing.  You can learn about additional features in the area of Learning and Literacy by visiting 

https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ipad/learning-and-literacy/.

Want to know more information about various accessibility features and how to use them on the iPad? Check out my Thinglink below.