Let's Talk About Apps!

App Review: Disfluency Index Counter

By: Smarty Ears

Today's Tip Tuesday is featuring the Disfluency Index Counter App! I’ve used this app many times when working with children who have disfluent speech. I typically use it during evaluations, when monitoring progress, and in therapy sessions. This app allows you to perform a live count of the number of fluent or disfluent syllables. The graphics are very clear and the buttons are grouped nicely, which helps for quick access during conversations or speech samples.

This app allows you to identify the types of disfluenices produced by the child. You can categorize the disfluency by Block, Repetition, and Prolongation.

I also really appreciate the fact that the data is then calculated into both the percentage of stuttered syllables and the types of stuttered syllables. This is a real time saver! You also have the option to print or e-mail the results.

Improvements: I always like to have the ability to save my students’ data to show progress within an app. This app does offer one, but you are only able to record and access a students’ progress through an additional app called the “Therapy Report Center”, also by Smarty Ears. Though this appears to be a well-organized app that allows you to create an in-depth profile of your child, it’s just one more step I have to complete before accessing results (which can be time consuming if I am conducting an initial evaluation or screening).

Overall, this is a very helpful app that I like to use with my disfluent kids. I think that teachers and parents would have a difficult time using this app, because they would need to be knowledgeable about the different types of disfluencies in order to calculate an accurate fluency index. Right now, this app is priced at $8.99!  Since this app does not have a lite version, you can check out a tutorial here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JXfAhqLXbI. 

What apps do you like to use with your students? Thanks for reading today's Tip Tuesday and App Reivew. Come on back next week for more!! Please follow me on Twitter and on my TeachersPayTeachers account for your most updated tips and FREE materials!