iPad App Review: Pictello

 Pictello, created by AssistiveWare for Android and Mac systems, is a visual talking picture book app created for children with disabilities of all ages.  This app has been recommended by speech pathologists and teachers of the visually impaired because of the customizable voice over feature within the app and its text-to-speech capabilities paired with personal photographs and videos.  Experts in the areas of autism, visual impairments, and speech language pathology recommend this app because of its consumer friendly design to create social stories, which caregivers use to help a child transition from one activity to the next.   An important feature of the app is the 92 text-to speech voice options in 27 languages, including the choice for the student or caregiver to record his or her own voice.   The student activates the text-to-speech voice option in the story when he or she touches the corresponding picture at midline.  This challenges a student with low vision or visual processing issues to maintain visual attention on the photograph while also bringing their hands to midline to activate the application.  A child with no vision can also benefit from this app when he or she touches the screen to activate the text-to-speech voice.   Since Pictello is interactive and tells a sequential story through pictures, many caregivers use this app as a picture schedule for children to use within their routine throughout the day.   This app is also recommended by orientation and mobility specialists  to use with students who are learning routes around different environments within their daily schedule

Pictello is a great purchase for both parents and teachers to anticipate various types of  transitions between activities in their child’s day while also facilitating opportunities for creative storytelling.

Below is a video of a recent play routine book that a mom created for her daughter.

How have you used the Pictello App as a learning tool?