Description
Special Stories makes it easy to create ‘stories’ containing text, pictures and sound. Once created users can read and listen to them, print them, and share them with friends and family.
It was designed with children with specific learning difficulties in mind; it has plenty of scope if used in this context. It can be used for sequencing stories, creating books about home/school, developing basic storytelling skills, and more.
Users can create as many stories as they wish and there is the function to edit them later on. Each story can have any number of pages, and each page can have any or all of: a photo (or any other image), up to 60 seconds of sound you record, and several lines of text.
A range of settings allows you to configure the app and adjust as your child develops. For those who are unable to use a touch screen, but who can operate assistive switches, the app can be used with 1 or 2 Bluetooth-connected switches.
What our experts think
Special Stories is a simple app with an endless amount of scope for children with communication difficulties and disabilities. The children enjoyed adding the sounds and taking photos to add to their ‘story’; this part caused some giggles among our testers! We loved how creative they could be with the app, alone or with support if needed.
We loved the way the app could be tailored to the needs of a specific child, with so many different options. It can be used to create a visual timetable; as a record of a specific event; as a way to develop language in a certain area; as a family photo album, and more! This feels like the kind of app users would keep coming back to.
It would be even better if…
As there was no parent gate, it was easy for the users to click on the parts that they didn’t need to access (like the settings)!
A drawing function, a stock of pictures and different coloured backgrounds (as white isn’t ideal for all children) would have been good additions to the app.
What our testers said
“This is awesome, I’m going to make something really cool.” – Girl aged 7
“It’s good and the wolf blew down the house.” – Boy aged 5
“I like to take picture for my stories.” – Boy aged 7
