iPad Proves Valuable in Speech Therapy

Guess it’s more than just a shiny toy, after all. Apple’s iPad is lending itself to unforeseen uses as a tool for parents with children who need speech therapy. Third-party companies have developed a growing number of apps that cater to a special-needs audience, such as apps that speak words for users who can’t do so or use pictures to teach basic speech patterns. “We take no credit for this, and that’s not our intention” said Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs, though he encouraged researchers to take advantage of the opportunity. Parents and teachers are attracted to the iPad’s relatively low cost, compared with Medicare-funded specialty devices that go for thousands more, due to low demand.