Top Apps and Websites for Special Education at School

Special education is my area of expertise, so I am particularly keen to support fellow teachers, parents, and students on this long yet gratifying learning journey. I remember back in the day, it was much harder for us, educators, to provide the necessary level of training to children.

This was partially due to the limited knowledge we had of certain special needs. However, the lack of sufficient and easily accessible resources also presented a major obstacle. Therefore, I am extremely grateful that nowadays a lot of research has been going on in support of special needs children. Knowledge and technology have developed tremendously to advance the learning processes for these kids.

Today, we have plenty of mobile apps and online resources to help in the task of providing tailored education depending on each child’s special needs. In this blog post, I am going to talk about some of the best apps and websites I have encountered as a special needs educator that could be used at school to optimize results.

Special Education Apps and Online Tools Reviews

Before I go on any further, let me tell you that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to special needs education tools in general. This also goes for specialized apps and websites. It all depends on the child, the educator, and the goal you both strive to achieve.

Therefore, I suggest you experiment with different apps and tools to see which ones work for you. Just because something worked for student A does not mean it would be the best solution for student B. However, I would not like to bore you anymore, so let us jump straight to the list of the top apps and websites for special education at school.

Otismo

Otismo is an app that helps the learning process, both at school and at home, for children and adults with Down syndrome, autism, attention deficit disorders, Asperger’s, and a wide spectrum of other learning challenges.

The platform has won multiple awards, and has established itself as “the best autism app.” It was developed through the collaboration between special education teachers, psychologists, and parents. The app includes categories, such as:

Vehicles, animals, and the environment

• Numbers and letters
• Emotions and feelings
• Vocabulary and words
• Music and singing
• Colors
• And more.

It develops the cognitive, communication, and motor skills of individuals with special needs. There is also the functionality to create a personalized learning path. It is entirely customizable and features progress reports. Besides, the app does not include any ads.

Here is a quick introduction to Otismo:

Speech Blubs

Speech Blubs is a great app for kids who need additional speaking support. It is aimed at children above the age of 1. It can be used by kids with autism, Down syndrome, and articulation issues.

The app was created thanks to the efforts of 1000+ speech therapists, who vetted its quality and usefulness.

Speech Blubs works in a fun, easy way. Kids are encouraged to mimic and repeat after other children, who act as role models and teachers. There are also fun features like picture filters to help them “become” the word they are repeating.

Story Builder

Story Builder is an app for slightly older special needs students. It helps them advance their storytelling skills by improving paragraph formation, idea integration, etc. The featured audio clips make it particularly suitable for students with sensory processing challenges and autism spectrum disorders. It allows them to record narrative in their own voice and play with it to create compelling stories.

Story Builder is available as a stand-alone app or as part of the MES Speech Therapy Bundle. The platform was awarded “Best reading app of 2011” by the Huffington Post.

Handwriting Without Tears

Handwriting can be quite tough, especially for children with special needs. In this regard, Handwriting Without Tears is a great solution. Besides being an interactive app, the platform also exists as a print tool. It is suitable for Pre-K-5 students of all levels.

Handwriting Without Tears is based on a research-backed curriculum, which is easy to teach and learn both at school and home. In fact, in many ways, the app aims to bridge the gap between school and home learning.

The instructions are straightforward to understand. Additionally, there is guided practice. The platform employs multisensory learning tools and practical methodology to build the child’s vocabulary and advance fine motor skills and alphabet knowledge.

Epic!

Last but not least comes my favorite app called Epic! It is a reading app with more than 40,000 books suitable for children of all ages, including kids with reading difficulties. It offers a personalized library, learning tools, and rewards.

Parents can use the dedicated dashboard to track progress. Besides, you can enjoy special back-to-school offers and other deals.