My Video Schedule

 Appy Chat, Review & Giveaway

Developer:Acceptional Possibilities LLC

Description:

My Video Schedule is a teacher created individualized customizable app that combines video modeling within a structured schedule while providing positive reinforcement for individuals of all ages with special needs.

This is the only app with a full library of photos and videos pre-made at no additional charge. The library includes videos such as: changing your menstrual pad, putting on a bra, shaving (male and female), simple cooking, grocery store, music class, opening up a carton of milk, eating in a cafeteria, sensory time, loading a dishwasher, laundry, and much more! If I didn’t create a video that you need, you may add a photo or video of your own!

My Video Schedule combines several “established treatments” determined by The National Autism Center’s National Standards Project (2011, NAC).

Benefits of My Video Schedule include:
* Caregiver saves time and effort
* Increased structure and consistency within daily life
* Acquisition of daily living skills through task analysis based video models
* User can replay videos over and over
* User becomes more independent, confident and calm
* Eases transitions from activity to activity
* Appropriate for all ages from children to adults

Components of My Video Schedule include:
* Choose from a large library high quality, high resolution photos
* 100+ Videos have audio with step by step instructions
* Activity videos include community, home, personal care, hygiene and school
* We gave you the option to customize by uploading your own photos and videos
* Fading from full videos to video intros or pictures with ease
* Schedule and repeat events by time, day, week and month
* Motivation built in and customized to the individual’s interest with a rewards library which can also be customized
* Rewards are presented within a choice board

You Tube:

Specifications:

Category: Life Skills
Updated: Nov 14, 2012
Version: 1.0.3
Language:  English
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

Review:

This is a schedule, video modelling app, and rewards app all rolled into one! I have many apps for these areas, and love being able to meet my students’ (and own son’s) needs with just one app instead of several! And it works on iPod touch too, which is essential for us right now/ I am quite thrilled to see an app designed by a special educator, who knows the needs of our students. I particularly think the idea of embedding video into the schedule is fabulous!

Update: I have been using this for over a year and still find it a wonderful resource.My only wish list item is that it be more optimized for iPad, but I can use 2x just fine. There are other video modeling apps but this truly was the first of its kind and what sets it apart is the videos are free to download and cover sensitive topics that others shy away from. You can download them if you need them, and that is a very valuable resource to have for the special needs community. I have this loaded on our loan device library for parents to check out. (by Amy T.)

Appy Chat:

Why did you decide to develop this app?
I am an inner city self-contained teacher of students with autism. We do not have very many resources, so we have to be creative. While getting my masters in autism, I learned of video modeling. They taught me how to make a video, edit it, burn it then play it on the TV.  So I would do this process, but it was very time consuming and not very convenient. When I was teaching one of my students how to open a door knob, I needed a quick video so I used my phone, rather than pulling the TV all the way to the door. Soon my phone was filled with videos, but I wasn’t able to show them fast enough. The student would become frustrated or unengaged. I then decided to put all the video models in an order- making a schedule. We were already using picture schedules, so it was perfect. I looked to see if anyone else had done this and they had not, so I put it all together in an app.

What is your favourite page in the app?
I think that the library is my favorite part of the app. It is what makes this app unique. You have the option of choosing a full video, short video, photo so you can fade out the prompt once the skill is mastered. If you don’t like any of the options I have made for you, then you can add your own!  The library contains videos in the areas of: community, simple cooking, cleaning, hygiene, school and personal care. 

What is your favourite feature?
There is a feature which allows you to passcode protect the schedule so that the individual on the spectrum does not change their schedule! I always had problems with my Velcro schedules, when the non-preferred activities all of a sudden “disappeared”.   This feature allows you to “Set” the schedule without it being changed.  I also like that once you set it up, you can have it continue forever if you like.  You don’t have to “reset” the schedule daily!

When did you first release this app?
About one year ago in September of 2011!

Are any new updates coming soon?
Yes, as you know Apple is constantly providing updates. We were supporting versions back to 3.0, so the next update will support 5.0 to the current version.

How long did it take you to develop this app?
It took me about a year to get it all together and produce all the videos.

What age range would this app most suit?

This is truly a lifetime app. It will benefit children who are able to benefit from video modeling all the way up to adults who may need additional support on daily living skills. I tried to think of what a person does within a day, then made videos teaching each of those.

I would like to address the app reviews on the app store, since I have no way of contacting the people who made those comments.

1.     The comment where the app is crashing is because those people have the newest version (6.0) and the update next week will fix this issue.

2.     There was a mistake in the taping of table setting.  I was setting up the table from the other side of the kitchen counter, so that I would not be in the way of taping but unfortunately I set it up basically upside down. There will be a fix for this soon.

3.    Some people want the calendar to be connected to the app, as you can set alerts or view the day/weeks events in one place.  Some people do not want it connected.  If you do not want the app connected to the calendar, simply add another calendar for it to sync to.  I have detailed instructions on this.  If you would like them please email me at Myvideoschedule@gmail.com.  

Overall, I am excited with the positive comments that I have received regarding my app.  As long as I can make a difference in the lives of people with special needs and their families, then it was worth it.  As I can afford to do so, I am trying to add features.  I am a teacher and do not have money for advertising so word of mouth has been important. If you do like My Video Schedule, please review it or pass it on to someone who can use it!  I also have a teachers pay teachers store, where you can get My Video Schedule photo cards for free at

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Autism-Sped-Teacher.

This is also a very good sample of what I have available on the app.

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Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to interview!
You have some very knowledgeable, kind and honest people behind The Appy Ladies!  I am honored to be a part of it!

Giveaway:

We have a Rafflecopter giveaway until January 10, 2012