A question I was asked recently is how many iPads (or iPod Touch and iPhone) can you put an App on? The answer to that would be as many as you want. However, that doesn't mean that these devices can then be used by a clasroom of pupils at the same time if only 1 licence for that App has been purchased. Some points from the Apple App Store Terms and Conditions for the use of a single licence App are highlighted at the foot of this blog post. 

What it looks like you can do is:

• Sync the App to as many devices as you wish;
• Use the App as an individual on all of those devices;
• Use the App as a group of individuals (at a resource centre or library) on one of those devices;

What you are not allowed to do is give each of those devices to students and allow them to use the same App (single licence) at the same time. If you wish to do this then you need to purchase the App for each of those devices.

In the US there is an Apple Volume Software Licensing scheme available for education but this has not been made availble to the UK.

Apple App Store Terms and Conditions

• (i) If you are an individual acting in your personal capacity, you may download and sync an App Store Product for personal, noncommercial use on any iOS Device you own or control.
• (ii) If you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, you may download and sync an App Store Product for use by either (a) a single individual on one or more iOS Devices used by that individual that you own or control or (b) multiple individuals, on a single shared iOS Device you own or control. For example, a single employee may use an App Store Product on both the employee's iPhone and iPad, or multiple students may serially use an App Store Product on a single iPad located at a resource centre or library. For the sake of clarity, each iOS Device used serially by multiple users requires a separate licence.
• (iii) You shall be able to store App Store Products from up to five different Accounts at a time on a compatible iOS Device.

Over the past few months there have been more and more 'apps' available to buy, which could be useful tools for communication for some children and adults. These apps are available for iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad and vary in their features, possible uses and cost.

Some of these apps have synthesised voice output (text to speech) as well as symbols and can be used as comprehensive AAC solutions (e.g. Touchchat AAC); some allow you to record speech along with symbols and photos to create a system similar to a 'communication book' or medium tech AAC device like a Go Talk (e.g. Tap Speak Choice); and some can be used very effectively for 'photo stories' or 'talking books' using photos, symbols and video to create personalised resources like social stories, communication passports, visual scene prompts and interactive photo albums of special events (e.g. Scene & Heard).

CALL has been keeping a keen eye on these developments and has started to compile a database of the apps we have found most useful or show most potential in the field of AAC.

We will be updating the database as new AAC apps come out and are tested out by CALL and will also be including apps for reading, writing and literacy in the coming weeks.

Check out the apps we have included so far on the CALL App Database

A new item in CALL is the Hue HD Studio which includes a webcam and animation software. The animation software (Zu3D) is available for both Mac and PC and the webcam comes in 5 different colours. The webcam can be bought separately so can be used, for example, with other animation software such as I Can Animate from Kudlian, in videoconferencing (GlowMeet) or even as a (very) cheap visualiser or document camera to share documents, science experiments, pupils artwork etc with the whole class. It plugs into the USB port either directly or for greater flexibility usingthe supplied 1.8m cable, has a good quality picture and an internal microphone which picks up sound well. There is also a button on the back of the camera which brings up the snapshot function when plugged into a compouter using the supplied AMCap camera software (WebCam Monitor on a Mac). This can also be used to record video.

Go to the Hue Animation website to see a video of a group of young children exploring the Zu3D software and making their own short video. If you buy the package it even comes with some plasticine to get you started but using plastic models and lego can be quicker to get going. The Zu3D website has ideas for using the software in the curriculum (Learning Tools), a useful video tutorial and a link to download a demo version to try it out.

Quite a number of schools in Scotland already have other animation software such as I Can Animate form Kudlian Software. I Can Animate is available for Mac, PC and as an App on the iPhone and iPad. The Kudlian website has links to a tutorial, a number of resources and a link to download a version that can be used for 5 days before purchase (or removal).

For an opportunity for hands on training CALL Scotland is running a half day of workshops on Saturday 1st October and I Can Animate is one of the sessions to choose from. Go to the CALL Scotland training area for more information.

As expected, yet more apps are appearing for the iPhone. The latest one is called iComm, and it seems to have hit the media headlines, which is a good advert for AAC.

iComm is designed by a parent as are some of the others discussed in earlier blogs and in the CALL review paper.  It seems pretty similar in many ways to some of the others reviewed, such as iCommunicate. It comes with some photos in it and you can upload your own photos, and record yor own voice to make it fully personalised. Content is organised into categories (20). When you choose your category, it displays 4 items per page. When you make a selection it offers a confirmation Yes/No step (useful for users of eye pointing).  The points to note about iComm for now are:

• It is on SALE right now, at £1.79 (usually £15.99). You get the free version first (limited features), and then click to upgrade to the full version, which you pay for.
• it will ONLY run on an iPhone, not on an iPod Touch. The Daily Mail says it works on the iPad, but I would want to check this. It may only work on the WiFi + 3G version, and not the cheaper WiFi only version??

This blog has mentioned before the growing range of communication Apps for iPhone and iPod Touch.

You can download an updated CALL Information Sheet reviewing different communication Apps, (and even a Nintendo DS app). Times are changing - many of these Apps are (much) cheaper than a roll of Velcro - makes you think!

The week of the US launch of the new Apple iPad seemed a good time to update that list, and some Apps have already been re-versioned to fit the iPad's larger screen. (iPad due to launch in the UK towards the end of April.) The first reviews of the iPad as a possible communication aid are looking pretty positive - apparently the sound output is not bad and might be enough without amplified speakers, and P2Go runs beautifully.