Tablet and apps advice — Scope | Disability forum
If we become concerned about you or anyone else while using one of our services, we will act in line with our safeguarding policy and procedures. This may involve sharing this information with relevant authorities to ensure we comply with our policies and legal obligations.

Find out how to let us know if you're concerned about another member's safety.
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Tablet and apps advice

CamillaS
CamillaS Community member Posts: 3 Listener
Hi. We are looking to get a tablet for our 10 year old son who has CP. He has some function in his left hand (so can swipe, type slowly, be fairly accurate when touching the screen etc), he can speak, though his speech is not immediately clear to those who don't know him (or it isn't uniform, if that makes sense). He is bright, good comprehension, finds some concepts difficult but is very open to learning. We have a 'family' iPad at present but as he is going to secondary school soon we wondered if a windows based tablet will be better this time. Do you have a view about whether which system is better for accessibility in terms of use and apps available? Do you have any recommendations about apps you've found useful in past? I can't help feeling that the right IT will make all the difference for him. Thanks for any help.

Comments

  • CathyInSouthAfrica
    CathyInSouthAfrica Community member Posts: 16 Connected
    Hi Camilla,

    I cannot comment about what is best but I love my Samsung tab :smile: 
    I like the idea of your son being exposed to the different platforms, so he can learn the quirks from each.

    When I was at school in the early 80s I had a bright orange electric type-writer, and I could re-type my notes - they were so neat! I really loved it and it was a great moral-booster as my writing is atrocious.  Your post brought back some really happy memories - thank you.

    I hope your son gains much enjoyment and learning from whatever you decide to go with! Merry Christmas
  • Zec Richardson
    Zec Richardson Community member Posts: 154 Pioneering
    I personally loathe Apple, the android tablets are better and have more apps and options available!
    A larger screen would be good and some of the tablets have toughened glass. There are so many apps available and I'm sure there will be something to help your son learn and help with his skills.
  • Markmywords
    Markmywords Community member Posts: 419 Pioneering
    Hello @CamillaS

    You should first find out if the school will issue a device to him. Secondly, there is nothing to gain by using different software to that which the school uses.

    The discussion over which is best has gone on since they were first made. They both get the job done equally well so it comes down to personal preference. Apple devices will cost roughly double that of an good alternative.

    Schools often choose Apple simply because other schools do.

    Software availability will follow market share.
    For PC class devices Windows has about 85% market share and Apple 10%. For lower power tablets Android has about 60%, Apple 23%.

    Tablets have very little built-in assistive features. I'd recommend one of those laptop like devices with a touch screen and detachable keyboard. Windows and MacOS do have lots of built-in assistive features.

    Also a rubber tipped screen stylus will be a great help.
  • CamillaS
    CamillaS Community member Posts: 3 Listener
    Thanks for your comments. Happy Christmas!
  • Stayce
    Stayce Community member, CP Network Posts: 843 Pioneering
    edited December 2016
    Hi Camilla 

    I would personally recommend a Samsung device  as these products tablets or phones have an "Acessibility" option that can be operated including dexterity and interaction, vision, hearing and single tap mode so that you can moderate or overide key functions to suit your needs.

    Apple probably has something similar but have not personally used.

    Be interested to hear what you choose and how it goes.

    Good luck 

    Merry Christmas :)
     Best wishes

  • Kim_AssistiveTech
    Kim_AssistiveTech Community member Posts: 50 Courageous
    CamillaS said:
    Hi. We are looking to get a tablet for our 10 year old son who has CP. He has some function in his left hand (so can swipe, type slowly, be fairly accurate when touching the screen etc), he can speak, though his speech is not immediately clear to those who don't know him (or it isn't uniform, if that makes sense). He is bright, good comprehension, finds some concepts difficult but is very open to learning. We have a 'family' iPad at present but as he is going to secondary school soon we wondered if a windows based tablet will be better this time. Do you have a view about whether which system is better for accessibility in terms of use and apps available? Do you have any recommendations about apps you've found useful in past? I can't help feeling that the right IT will make all the difference for him. Thanks for any help.
    Hi Camilla, 
    Thanks for getting in touch. 

    Both windows, android and apple tablets all have great accessibility features and as you can see from above comments, each person has a particular preference. 

    It really depends on what your son is going to be using it for, is it purely for communication or will the school be recommending apps that will help him with the curriculum? 

    Look forward to hearing from you.
  • mossycow
    mossycow Scope Member Posts: 500 Pioneering
    No experience of cp but as a teacher I know all 10 year old drop everything!  We got our daughter a fairly reasonable lenovo tablet and spent money on a good protective cover (then I crocheted an even fatter protective cover....). 

    Our daughter doesn't have cp,  but again I'm making the assumption he will want games,  research stuff and maybe stuff to write and draw on?   We found Android easier than Apple or Windows as we found it more intuitive to use.  

    I put on games but also easy language Wikipedia,  kids YouTube,  normal YouTube with parent lock on,  apps similar to Word so she can write things and print them. 

    I'm the disabled family member in our house and I agree that I. T.  is life changing!  I got funding for a laptop as a student and it saved my education.  I'm now a teacher and used electronic whiteboards before my peers!  Before that it was crappy ohps.... (remember those?).  I know if tablets had existed,  school would have been better and less painful.
    Best of luck.  Let us know what you get as interested 
  • Rainbow_wheelz16
    Rainbow_wheelz16 Community member Posts: 30 Connected
    There are certain apps that you can get on Apple on not on android. A lot of the Android ones are free. Are there any specific apps that he is interested in using and for a specific purpose as that may influence your decision. If he needs to use it for school work and he finds typing on the keyboard slow and difficult, he may want to try speech dictation. For this, apple is great, but it does depend on how well the device pick up his speech. Take a look on the app store for  Apple and search the apps you require and then do the same for Google play store on android to compare. You might be able to borrow a friend's android tablet. Maybe you could try them out in a shop, too, to see which one works best? 

Brightness

Complete our feedback form and tell us how we can make the community better.