Simple, yet effective 1 page communication boards

We sometimes have the idea that alternative/agumentative communication (AAC) involves an expensive device or a fancy book with lots of velcro and laminated picture cards.  But, in reality, AAC can be very simple.  Sometimes all a student needs for effective communication is a simple, 1 page, laminated piece of paper.  This cheap and easy 1 page communication board could then be posted in a particular area (fridge, kitchen cabinet, door, window, etc.) or used in a particular setting (restaurant, watching TV, grocery store, etc.) to facilitate communication.

In this post, I have included several examples of simple 1 page communication boards that can be used in a variety of settings.  All of these boards were found online using Boardmaker Share, and then adapted for my purposes using Boardmaker software.  A colleague and I spent less than 5 minutes for each board!!  I hope these ideas will inspire you to create your own boards for your students to use in your classroom, at home, and in the community.

My first example is a simple "snack time" laminated place-mat with symbols to help a student make food/drink choices, request more, and comment about the food. Now your place-mat serves a far greater purpose than simply keeping the table clean!!

The next example is a page that could be taped to the door of the refrigerator.  You could even make various symbols for the different kinds of food that could be in the fridge (even if they aren't at the moment) and attach them to the page with velcro (or remove them) as the contents of the fridge changes every time you go to the store (or your teenager and his friends raid the fridge!)

These next two pages are designed for communicating while watching TV.  One is simply for choosing the type of show to watch (I LOVE the sumo wrestlers!).

This TV board incorporates a lot more communicative intents.  I wish I had made this board!

These next two pages are designed to post by the door.  Now the child can communicate where he/she wants to go when leaving the room.  The communication partners can also use the page to communicate to the child where they are going next.  This would be easy to adapt to a home setting instead of school setting.

 This next picture is actually more of a visual organizer than a communication board, but I just liked it so much I couldn't help but include it!

The last page I've included in this post is designed for use at McDonald's, of course.  A similar page could be made for any other restaurant you frequent.

I hope as you've read through these examples that you have thought of ways you could adapt this concept for use in your classroom, home, etc.  These really take very little time to make, yet could have a PROFOUND impact in the life of a child who struggles to communicate verbally.  I would love to hear in the comments section the other ways you have successfully used the concept of 1 page communication boards.

 

There's an app for that! But is it right for you? - NCLD

This is a great little article that one of my colleagues shared with me about choosing apps for educational use.  I think it shares some great tips for evaluating apps before you waste your money on something that doesn't suit your needs.

There's an app for that! But is it right for you? - NCLD

Boardmaker Share-Find and share Boardmaker activities

I don't think I could find anybody in education that would argue with me that teachers and SLP's have too much free time!  We all would love to do so much more for our students if only we could find the time.  This blog post today is about a great resource to save some of that precious time, called Boardmaker Share. It can be accessed online at www.boardmakershare.com.

Boardmaker Share is an online community where teachers, therapists, and parents share activities they have made using Boardmaker software.  What I love about it is I can search the online library, find something that someone else has already made, and download it for my own use.  What used to take 20-30 minutes to create from scratch can now be found, downloaded, and printed in less than 5!  I can also open up the activities I have downloaded from Boardmaker Share and edit them with my own copy of Boardmaker so it is exactly how I want it.  A colleague and I recently downloaded and edited 8 completely different boards in less than 45 minutes.  I'd hate to think how long that would take if we'd tried to make them all from scratch!

Boardmaker Share is also a great place to look for ideas and inspiration.  I know many teachers really like using Pinterest to find great ideas from others.  Boardmaker Share not only lets you see great ideas, but you can download it and use it as well!  If you are the sharing type, you can also upload and share activities you have made so others may enjoy them as well.

One thing I should note about Boardmaker Share is that you may NOT be able to use all of the activities you find there, depending on what version of Boardmaker software you have.  When you view an activity on Boardmaker Share, it will tell you if that version is compatible with Boardmaker, Boardmaker Plus, Boardmaker Studio, Boardmaker Print Editor, or all of them.  Many interactive activities made with Boardmaker Plus and Studio will not work with good old Boardmaker. 

I hope you will enjoy this great way to share and borrow ideas and boards from other teachers and therapists.  Boardmaker Share is a GREAT way to maximize your time!

FaceTime and Skype in the special education classroom

A couple months ago my kids were using FaceTime on the iPad to video chat with their grandparents in Wyoming, after we concluded our chat, I got to thinking about how this technology could be used in special education classroom.  This blog post attempts to address this issue and give you ideas to use the technology many of you already have in your classroom for exciting new purposes.

If you're not familiar with FaceTime, it is video conferencing app created by Apple that allows video calling between Apple devices. It takes advantage of the built-in cameras in the iPad in the iPhone so that you can  see people while speaking with them. The connection between devices happens via wireless Internet rather than telephone cable or cell phone network. This same video chat technology is available through other programs as well,  the most readily known example probably being Skype.  Skype can be used on apple devices as well as laptop and desktop computers.  You just need a webcam and an internet connection. For basic overviews of how to use FaceTime and Skype see the following resources:

FaceTime video tutorial

Skype tutorial page


To conclude this blog post, I thought I would include a brainstorm list of potential educational uses for FaceTime and/or Skype in the special education classroom.  I would love to hear if you decide to use this technology in one of the following ways, or if you think of other ways!  Just let me know if the comments section:

Possible uses for video chat technology (FaceTime/Skype) in the SPED classroom:

• Homebound students could participate with their regular classroom while they are unable to come to school.
• Students using AAC devices could communicate with other students using similar devices in other classrooms.  (They are often the only student with an AAC device in their classroom, and/or school).
•  Students who are experienced and proficient AAC users could model communication for less proficient and emerging AAC users in other locations.
•  Students learning a particular social skill could model that skill for students in another classroom over video chat.
•  Students with rare disabilities and/or conditions could connect with students in other locations with similar conditions, thereby reducing the isolation and stigma of their disability.
• Students practicing reading skills could demonstrate their reading skills for other audiences (younger children, senior citizens, family members, etc.
• Students who are transitioning to another school, work setting, etc., could meet their new teacher/supervisor over video chat before they make the actual physical transition.

I'm sure there are many, many other ways this technology could be used.  Good luck and have fun connecting your students to a broader world outside your classroom!

The PAR Assessment-Make Data Based Decisions About Reading Accommodations.

Some of the most important decisions we can make in an IEP meeting are selecting accommodations for daily assignments as well as comprehensive tests.  Research shows that IEP teams often make those decisions based on a laundry list of options rather than using a data-based decision making process.  This post is about a tool that will help IEP teams when choosing whether or not a student with a reading disability is going to have adults read tests and assignments aloud, or if they will use Text to Speech (TTS, also known as Screen Reader) technology to do so.   It is known as the Protocol for Accommodations in Reading or PAR.

The Protocol for Accommodations in Reading (PAR) is designed to help IEP teams make informed, data based decisions about reading accommodations. It was developed by Denise C DeCoste and Linda Bastiani Wilson, and is provided free of charge from Don Johnston, Inc.

The PAR is a process for measuring whether a student comprehends better when an adult reads aloud, or when they use a screen reader. The entire assessment can be downloaded for free at donjohnston.com/par. When you download the PAR from the website, you will get a testing manual, data collection sheets, leveled reading passages (3rd-10th grade passages) that you can print as well as load onto a computer, and comprehension questions for each passage. You must provide your own screen reader program, you do NOT get a screen reader when you download the PAR, just the passages. 

There are many options available to access screen reader technology every day at school. For information on free screen reading programs you could use in the classroom, at home, or in a computer lab, please check out this short blog post. You can also use an iPad as a screen reader. For more information, see this post. Also, if you are willing to spend money for a better quality product, you can purchase a single screen reader license for $50 at this site.  You can also purchase a quality Screen Reading program for your entire school for $499 at http://www.donjohnston.com/products/snap-read/index.html. This is roughly the cost of a single iPad!

The PAR is really just an informal data collection protocol and is therefore similar to the curriculum based assessments (CBA) that many teachers already use. If you have your own leveled passages and comprehension questions, you could follow the same basic process as the PAR without downloading and using their passages. The basic idea is to simulate what happens when we ask a student to complete a reading task on his/her grade level, and measure their performance with a variety of accommodations. It must be administered individually, and usually takes about 10-25 minutes per student, depending on their grade level and how long it takes them to answer comprehension questions.

When choosing reading accommodations, here are a few more things to consider.

-There are definite pros and cons to both adult readers AND screen readers.

-Even the VERY BEST screen reader programs do not match the prosody and expression of adult readers.

-Screen reader programs cannot react to individual student behavior and make changes on the fly (e.g. pause and redirect when a student gets distracted.)

-Students with disabilities who succesfully learn to use a screen reader ultimately become more independent readers, especially as they get older.

-Students are less likely to ask an adult to re-read text than they are to re-read text using a screen reader.

-Older students are more likely to perceive adult read aloud accommodations as "too childish".

For more information or to see of video of the PAR in action, check out this site:  and click on the link that says VIDEO: PAR in Action.  You can also watch a webinar about the PAR at the same site.

NUCOR Grant ideas

With the NUCOR Grant applications before Cache Valley educators once again, I thought it would be helpful to list some possible assistive technology items that could be funded with grant money, and some possible classroom applications.  This list is not meant to be comprehensive, but simply to offer you some other ideas you may not have considered.  I have organized them by category.

 Hopefully this will help get some more useful technology in our classrooms to be fit students with disabilities. I will also try to include links to product websites for items so you can do some research before writing your grant.  Be sure to check out the awesome video demonstrating one possible (if a little bit unorthodox) use of a Powerlink and an electric leaf blower!

Writing:
*LiveScribe smartpens: $120-250 depending on model of pen and amount of storage

• Specialized pen that records audio and syncs it with what you write.  
• Students can review at home what the teacher said in class simply by tapping on what they wrote in the notebook.
• They no longer have to worry about writing down every little thing teacher said, can focus more energy on writing key points and getting the rest later.

*Forte portable keyboard: $160-250 depending on features

• Offers text to speech and word prediction
• Great battery life
• Cheaper, easier to use, more portable and durable than a laptop.

*Neo2 portable keyboard: $99 for basic keyboard, Text to speech add on for $79 more

• Great battery life
• Cheaper, easier to use, more portable and durable than a laptop
• Co-Writer word prediction

i-Stuff:
*iPad Mini: $330 for 16 GB wifi model

*iPod Touch: $299 for 32 GB

Communication:
*Step by Step communicator with levels: $189

• Record and sequence your own messages, easy and effective AAC solution for a variety of students and situations
• 3 different levels to record on for different students/situations, etc.
• 2.5" button with different colored caps
• can activate with another switch

*Comboard: $323

• Switch activated "clock-style" device. Put pictures around the dial and students can scan through the choices using an external switch.  Hold down the switch until the arm points to the symbol/message you want.  It is easy as that!
• Can also attach a cup to the spinning arm to make a switch adapted pourer or dice thrower.

*Talking Brix Communicators: $129 for a set of 3

• Thin, light single message communication button, easy to use and super portable/adaptable
• Built in magnet
• Can be linked together for message sequencing
• Built in rechargeable battery

*Go Talk 9+ and 20+: $179 (9 message) $199 (20 message)

• Great mid tech AAC solution, record you own voice on buttons
• 9 messages or 20 messages available, make your own symbol overlays using Boardmaker
• Very portable and durable
• Up to 5 levels for different students/environments ,etc.

*Go Talk One/Button: $12.99-13.99

• Portable single message buttons
• Go Talk One lets you put a symbol on it
• Go Talk button has built in magnet

Switches:
*Powerlink: $229

• Allows you to activate anything you can plug into a standard electrical outlet (blender, fan, toy, disco ball, leaf blower (seriously), etc.) with a switch. Check out this video for just one possible use!

*USB switch interface: $89 and up depending on the model

• Plug it into the computer, plug in your own switches, and now you can access computer switch software with a switch!
• Emulates left and right mouse click, space bar, enter, and more.
• You need your own switches

*Bluetooth wireless switch interfaces: $99 and up depending on model

• Provides wireless switch access to a computer or iPad via bluetooth technology.
• Must have own switches
• iPad apps MUST be switch accessible (not all of them are) click here for more information