iPad adventures in printing!

I hate that I've gone so long between updates, but a lot of things have been going on and my time has been limited. I'll try to do better (promise!). My husband went to Florida for a week leaving me alone with our 3 kids and a lack of free time; our IEP is tomorrow and I've been buried in calls and emails from support personnel and our advocate in preparation; and we're hosting a huge Halloween bash in 12 days that we're decorating and cooking for.

So, about the iPad. It turns out that there is no built-in print functionality, and any printing function is designed to be done wirelessly, even with the add-on purchasable "work around" apps. Yes, wirelessly. Which Caitlyn cannot do at school as no student devices are allowed, by district policy, to connect to the school's network.

Never tell me something cannot be done or a workaround cannot be found! I have now pinned my hopes on another addition, with another group of "I've already done this in case you're concerned about it".

Clear internet offers an iSpot for $25/month with no contract. Caitlyn would do her work in class on AwesomeNotes until she was done, then turn on the iSpot and turn on the iSpot app on the iPad (clear as mud?). We trained and she knows how to sync AwesomeNotes to google docs using wifi now, within 20 seconds or less. (So consider one minute total to turn on the iSpot, app, go back into A.N. and hit sync). Then she can shut everything off and put it away carefully.

She can then walk over to the classroom computer, pull up Google Docs and sign into her account, and pazow! Her A.N. docs are magically on the computer now and can be printed out. So now I wait to hear if the use of the iSpot will be allowed in order for her to print.

Things I've done in advance of arguments against it:

• - Safari does not appear on the iPad at all
• - the Apps store cannot be accessed
• - in-Apps purchases cannot be made
• - Itunes cannot be accessed
• - Autocorrect and Autosuggest have been turned off so she can use this for spelling tests and papers.

In effect, all she can do is sync AwesomeNotes with Google docs. This reduces the functionality of the iPad while at school, but I can lift her restrictions while at home. The addition of the iSpot also means - in theory - that in the future she can take the iPad on field trips or to conferences, therapy, etc and have access wherever she goes - and we saved by not buying the 3G version of the ipad PLUS the Clear iSpot is much cheaper per month. Score!

Please cross fingers for us that they will accept this workaround for the ability to print! It's probably my last hope as they seem to be looking for any excuse to deny this assistive technology.