Speakit! for Chrome

Recently, I had to go looking for a text-to-speech extension for my Chrome browser.  I wanted an extension for the browser since I've had bad experiences with screen readers in the past, and was having some difficulty with the built-in accessibility features on my computer.  

And really, all I wanted was something fairly decent to read to me my course lectures and articles so that I can follow along with the text.   I tried one or two extensions, but they either sounded off, or would stop in the middle of the text. 

My best experience so far has been SpeakIt!  It has a lot of good quality voices, you can slow down or speed up the pace, even the pitch! I haven't tried the voice to text feature yet, but it has that too.  I do recommend it, and it's free. 

Shopping List Review

Shopping List is a productivity app by Hensoft.  There are two versions of it, a free lite version and the full version for $2.99.  It is simply, a shopping list app. 

I have to admit, I have been using the full version of Shopping List for about a year.  I really like it because it's fairly easy to use.  I can sort items in my list into categories like fruits and vegetables, meat, canned food, household items and so on.  I can also put in the price of an item and it calculates the total cost with tax, even if I want more than one of an item. 

It also saves items, so when I'm adding items to a current list, I can quickly select the items I need to buy.  There is also an option to sync with an account, but I haven't tested that function yet because I find the app useful even without. 

There are some differences between the free and full versions.  The free version is limited to a single list and the catergories that come with the app.   It also doesn't have all of the functions with calculating prices. 

With the full version, I can create my own catergories and can have multiple lists.  This is useful for me because sometimes having everything on one list is confusing and overwhelming for me.  Also, I can keep track of my budget for specific lists. 

For example, I am in charge of buying cleaning supplies for my house hold.  By keeping a separate list, I can keep track of what I'm spending with my own money and what I'm spending with the house hold money. 

As an adult Autistic, I found the Shopping List app to be useful for spending and budget keeping, as well as remembering what I need to buy.  I recommend it for other Autistic adults for the same purposes to support their independence. 

Reviewed by Corina Becker, 2012

I-Prompt

i-Prompt is an app I picked up from the ASD iPod Touch Project Apps (.pdf) and have tested it out.  It is a free app developed by iPrompter, a company that produces professional teleprompt devices. 

Since the software is originally for teleprompting, this is an example of technology created for one purpose being used in a similar way as assistive technology.

i-Prompt works for both iPad and iPod Touch.  I think that it can be used both by parents, teachers and caregivers to prompt those developing independence with the next steps of a task as well as by more independent individuals to remember steps in a task.  This means that it can be useful for people who have a hard time remembering instructions, and to overcome stressful and confusing situations when something unexpected happens. 

To test it out, I wrote my own prompt script, and tried out some of the features.  It can be set up to scroll through the script at a set pace, but can be paused and manually scrolled through via touch screen.  The font can also be adjusted to different sizes, font type, and the colours.  I found it very easy to use.  The only downside that I can find is that it's text-based and so requires the ability to read and follow written instructions.  Which means that it's a good in-step tool for independence, but is not appropriate for those who need images. 

EpicWin

EpicWin is a playful productivity app, created by Rebox.  It costs $2.99 US, and has to be the most effective to-do list on my iPod.

I first heard about it online, through Twitter, I think, as an effective to-do list that combines productivity with the fun and adventure of a role-playing game.  Since I didn't have an iPod or iPad at the time, I put it on the list of things that would be cool, and forced myself to continue in conventional to-do lists.

When I did get my iPod, it was one of the first Apps I bought, and it has served me well.  I have my own character, whom I level up by collecting experience points from completing tasks, or "quests", on my daily list. Not only that, but I also collect gold and loot, which gives me an immediate reward for my work.  The instant gratification then encourages me to complete more "quests". 

On really productive days, I've been able to complete two days worth of tasks, just because I have an easier way to keep track of what I need to do, and a fun way to cross them off my list.  So I've found that part of the app to work.

I also found that EpicWin is easy to use as well, and since the developers keep updating it, continues to increase effectiveness, especially, I find, with adding and organizing new tasks. 

Tasks/Quests are organized by when they're due, including Overdue and Whenever spots. When adding a new task, there are options on when it's due, to add an alarm, how much epic-ness the task is worth, and the type of feat it is: Strength, Stamina, Intellect, Social, and Spirit, which corresponds to your character's abilities and works towards the character's leveling-up.

What's also handy is the option to have tasks repeat, and if so, how often.  I know that I have a list of daily repeating tasks to remind me to do things like shower, take meds, brush my teeth, and exercise, as well as tasks that repeat every few days, like wash dishes and vacuum.  Combined with other one-time tasks, like calling specific people, or return library books, I've been able to become more productive than I was with paper and other app to-do lists that overwhelmed me. 

Therefore, I highly recommend this app, maybe not even just for Autistic adults, but for Autistic children and youth who are developing independent skills, or want to be more organized and remember what they need to do.  It combines a very easy to use interface with clear due dates, and fun instant-rewards.

FastMall App

I've been meaning to review this for a while, but it's taken me some time because I wanted to test it out in different cities and locations. FastMall is a free interactive navigation app, designed to be used by parents with strollers, people with wheelchairs or other physical disabilities, or anyone who's in a new mall and is feeling lost.


I actually talked to the creator of the app, Sam Feuer, who first thought of the app when in a strange mall and his wife desperately needed to find a washroom. Realizing that others could benefit from it, Feuer proceeded to develop this very nifty app.

After testing it out, I think that FastMall has great potential for Autistic adults by giving them a very reliable map with turn-by-turn instructions on how to get places.  After downloading a mall's map, I used the instructions to navigate the mall very well and was very impressed by how detailed the instructions and reference landmarks it gave. 

I did have some problems, mainly with learning how to operate the app, and then with finding maps in its database.  Both of these problems can be overcome with time, I think, by becoming familiar with the app, and by increasing the locations in the database. 

Overall, I'm very positive about this app, as it is seeking to expand not only for malls, but other locations such as hospitals, airports, convention centers and theme parks.  With a well-established database, I think that FastMall is very handy for adults to be more confident going to new locations, or assisting in familiar locations where sudden stress has caused a loss of navigational skills, or even just has forgotten the layout of places. 

I'm looking forward to FastMall's expansions.

iRewardChart lite app

The iRewardChat Lite App by iRewardChart is a reward system whereas children can earn special rewards by doing things like doing their homework, being polite, waiting their turn, helping mom, and so on. For each successful task, a child earns points and at certain point levels, is granted an award of their choice. 

This looks like a very good idea since I know that I at least have a hard time with delayed gratification, meaning that I have difficulty waiting in order to get rewards. Having a visual chart of my "points" towards a reward helps a lot.  As a child, my parents had a chart of my chores and tasks for morning and night (such as make bed and brush teeth) that was printed out each week and put on my door. As I grew older and more difficult, the tasks determined my allowance and even included bonus tasks.

This app, however, is designed for parents to keep track, set goals and reward. It is also designed to keep track of autistic children and not for the adult.  The full version is $2.99 and offers unlimited options for how many children to keep track of, the tasks per week and the rewards offered.  A more limited "lite" version is available for free.

The lite version only covers one child with four areas to reward, which is fine for single child who only have a few areas to work on. However, the rewards are editable and custom-able, so is potentially adaptable for a caregiver working with an adult or youth on specific areas, for developing routines or behavioural therapy.

As for an individual autistic, this app doesn't seem to be so useful to keep track of daily routines and self management of lifeskills, at least in lite mode. Especially if a person has more than four areas that they need to cover each week. 

So in conclusion, a very excellent App for parents and caregivers to use with their Autistic children and perhaps some Autistic adults, but I cannot recommend it for all Autistic adults.