Dexteria- Fine Motor Skill Development
This month I reviewed an app that has been talked about for months in the therapy community, but only recently did I add it to my library. Dexteria has received numerous accolades, most recently being awarded the Editors Choice in Children's Technology Review for Excellence in Design!
Age Range: Dexteria is suitable for children and adults of all ages.
In a Nutshell: Dexteria is basically a portable OT session, and a good one at that!!! It presents users with a series of exercises focused on fine motor coordination and handwriting skills. Users are able to create an individual profile, which allows parents and or therapists to follow multiple clients progress. Upon signing on, users choose from three types of activities titled "tap it" "pinch it" and "write it".
Tap it- Focus on finger isolation, precision and dexterity. Tap it goes through a series of 10 progressively difficult levels.
Pinch it- Cute, little, green crabs grace the screen when using pinch it. Users are required to "pinch" each crab to make it disappear (pincer grasp, thumb & pointer finger isolation/coordination) As users progress through the levels they will be given more and more crabs, and eventually the cute little suckers begin moving about the screen, requiring the user to motor plan on a higher level. In my experience, this is the most motivating part of the app for clients!!!
Write it- As a handwriting "specialist" (if you will) I am not overly impressed with many of the pre-writing, handwriting apps that I have encountered. Most allow children to get away with starting letters in the wrong place, and do not enforce proper formation or control. Dexteria, however, does require precision and encourages proper formation. Users are required to use their finger to connect dots within a given form. Each letter presents the child with the proper "start point" and actually holds the user responsible for touching each individual dot which encourages attention and precision leading to good handwriting habits.
Praise: I could go on and on with praise for Dexteria!!!
1. At only $4.99 it is an affordable app that could benefit countless users. It's free!!!
2. Excellent home programing opportunity!!! Dexterity has a built in Activity Log which allows clients to complete activities from the comfort of their own home, and send a report of progress to a therapist on a regular basis. This is a fantastic way of allowing the therapist to track progress without having to transport the iPad or iPhone to and from each session!!!!
3. Usable on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
4. Comes in various languages including English, Spanish, Chinese and French
Needs Improvement: Dexteria lacks the bells and whistles that many other "therapeutic apps" offer. As clients progress through levels, there is a very basic bell that chimes and a screen prompt to move on to the next level appears in the upper corner, however there is no praise for success or improvement. I find that younger clients and those that really respond to verbal and visual praise, tend to tire of this app. rather quickly. I recommend parents or therapists sit close by, when children use dexteria so praise for success can be offered!!!
Survey Says: Two thumbs up!
Check out a video blog of Dexteria: http://vimeo.com/22428863
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