Reading on a device can be much more appealing to some students. It can engage them and motivate them in ways that traditional books do not. In addition, it can provide accessibility features that promote comprehension, processing and independence.
Book Creator is an app that allows you to create a variety of robust reading materials. It is available in the iTunes Store for $4.99, and the Google Play Store for $2.49.
iPad Screenshot
Uses for this app include picture storybooks, comic books, journals, textbooks and social stories. You can create daily journals to provide self-reflection or create visual schedules to help with task analysis, transitions and anxiety. Book Creator can also be a teaching tool used to create tutorials, lessons or video modeling.
TO CREATE A BOOK:
- Select NEW BOOK in the upper left corner
- Select a book shape
- In the upper right corner, select +
- Choose what you would like to add…photo, pen, text, sound
- You can start by adding a photo, choosing from your camera roll or taking a pic
- You can then add text and move it on the screen
- To add sound or music to the text, select + and ADD SOUND
- Make a recording. You can move the sound and put it above or below the text. You can also put it directly over the text, as the sound icon will be invisible when you publish the book to iBooks. Now your pictures or words can speak!
- Adding sound/text description to images can be especially helpful for those with visual impairments
- To draw or annotate, select + and select PEN
- To add shapes and other graphics, select + and SHAPES at the bottom of the box
- In the upper right corner, select i and you can change the page color or change the settings
- Continue creating pages by selecting the arrow to the right
- Once complete, select the arrow in the box in the upper right corner
- Share via email, AirDrop, DropBox, Google Drive, iCloud
- Export as a PDF
- Publish to iBooks
- If you use video, it requires MV4 for iBooks
- If you use a video from YouTube, copy the link
- Double click and highlight the entire link
- Select LINK
- You can now hyperlink and paste the URL
- Give the TITLE one word
- The URL is now hyperlinked and requires a tap on just one word
For more iPad information, check out our website at http://www.stlouischildrens.org/our-services/cerebral-palsy-center/ipad-resources.
– Nicole Weckherlin, OTR/L, St. Louis Children’s Hospital Occupational Therapist – Team NF