Pick up a wireless interface. You iPad responds to it as a keyboard, and you'd be surprised what you can do without using iOs switch settings. We use a bluetooth interface and plug in the student's regular switches. Music/podcasts/youtube respond to F8 (to play and pause). F9 to advance the playlist, F10 to mute (check out your mac keyboard for more media shortcuts). It's the interface that allows you to assign a keystroke to a button press. I've been doing this since iOs 5 when I found bluetooth interfaces!
Another cool trick is using the "up arrow" in the camera/video app on your iPad. You can take pics with a single switch press.
ThePretorian Applicator has F8 in media mode (port 1). It has room for up to 4 external buttons, not included (it even has a timed play of 10 seconds) Pair your iPad with the applicator, switch on media mode, plug a switch into 4th port to play music for 10 seconds at a time. Works well with switch apps (space/enter) Just assign a keystroke to a port and go for it.
The Blue2 has two switches built into the interface. You can program it with a USB keyboard in 5 seconds to do F8, plug in another switch and you can simulate a timed play.