Using The iPod in Special Education

By Ricky Buchanan • April 24, 2008

Here’s a great video demonstrating how Louisa Muscatine Elementary school in the USA is using Video iPods to help special education students. They’re targeting students with reading difficulties who need tests to be read to them as well as viewing the test questions. Usually this would be done by having a teacher or aide sit and help them with the test, but using the iPods and an earphone the students can take the test in a “least restrictive environment” of a regular classroom without disturbing other students. The “least restrictive environment” is something USA law requires special education to provide for students - to be integrated with the regular classroom as much as possible.

Website: Louisa Muscatine Elementary using Video iPods to help special education students

- Ricky Buchanan

Categories: Educators, Information, Supporters, User Stories, iPods
Tags: ipod, special education

About the Author

Ricky Buchanan

Ricky Buchanan is 34 years old and the founder and main writer for ATMac. She's bedridden with severe CFS/ME or perhaps a primary mitochondrial disorder - the doctors are not sure. When she's not working on ATMac or her other websites she composes music, listens to audio books, does other disability advocacy, watches TV with her flatmate, and enjoys her cat.

5 Comments For “Using The iPod in Special Education”

robert seviour Jul 16th, 2009 at 7:04 am

You would have to take precautions to prevent cheating. There was a recent case where a student was fed the answers by collaborateurs with a transmitter sitting in a car outside the school.
Ricky Buchanan Jul 22nd, 2009 at 10:55 am

@robert: In these cases any iPod wifi connection isn’t being used so I wouldn’t think it would be switched on. It’s something to bear in mind but I don’t think it would be a big problem for schools.
Mike Kiesling Aug 24th, 2009 at 10:09 am

What was the process for getting the test on the iPod?
Ricky Buchanan Aug 26th, 2009 at 10:46 pm

@Mike: I believe they used audio versions of the tests, either using spoken or text-to-speech software.
Marilyn Oct 17th, 2009 at 4:12 am

I understand how to get the voice onto the iPod, but how did they get the questions on it? What program is used for that?

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