The Door County Advocate writes on how the iPad is helping students with special needs learn and communicate.

For a child who has trouble with reading and writing or who cannot speak, assistive technology can open doors at school, socially and in the workplace.

Gibraltar High School senior Joe Desotelle, a special-needs student, saw his life change after he received an iPad from his parents last Christmas.

"Really the iPad wasn't ever designed to be an augmentative communication device"; its original design was as personal device, said Kris Bohn, speech language pathologist at Sturgeon Bay School District.

But the tablet's versatility has been expanded with the advent of programs like Dragon Dictation, Proloquo2go (a communication alternative app), and iCommunicate (allows the user to design a visual schedule or storyboard). Many of the apps engage more of the senses for the students via sound affects and colors.

Apps narrow the gap