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Sunday, October 1, 2017

Switch Skills Resources

The world of assistive technology has come a long way since this blog started!  More and more often our students have the option for direct selection, the fastest way, on a communication system.  For many users options such as integrated conductive touch screens, head trackers, adapted joysticks and trackballs, and especially eye gaze tracking, have made switches less necessary in our field.

Still, switches have a place in our assistive technology tool kit.  For learners with access needs that preclude direct selection through any possible means our next option is usually switch access.  We tend to start with a single switch for cause and effect, yet few of our learners really need to learn cause and effect.  If the child drops something, catches her head under her headrest, or does anything else for the entertainment of it or to seek attention the she already understands cause and effect.  A few runs using a switch to turn on preferred music or a fun toy and you are ready to move on to other switch purposes.

At this point it is vital to begin with the end in mind.  What will the child ultimately use switches for?  If it is for communication, the most important thing we teach, then forego any extraneous steps when you look at a switch progression or heirarchy of skills.  Your student doesn't need to learn to press and hold or turn on and turn off if ultimately you are seeking the student pressing and releasing a switch as part of a switch scan.  Don't let these extra skills slow down communication access!  You can develop them later, or program the communication system to eliminate their need.

It will be important to decide if your student will be using a one or two switch scan, also called an automatic scan or a step scan.  In general an automatic or single switch scan requires to student to look and/or listen for the item needed and activate the switch with accurate timing for that item.  A step scan or two switch scan requires the learner to use one switch as a mover and one as a chooser.  With the mover switch the child progresses the scan and with the chooser he chooses the item he wants.  In essence this decision is about is the child or will the child be more accurate if asked to time an activation of a single switch or if asked to coordinate the movements of two switches without worries about timing.  It is important to work with your team on switch placement, type of switch and how switch use will be taught - with attention to keeping the end in mind.  Here are some resources that can be used:

Articles about Switch Use
Switch Use On Various Platforms
Paid Software, Subscriptions and Apps for Teaching Switch Use
Free Switch Activities Online or Download (Cause and Effect unless otherwise noted)
Create Your Own Switch Scanning Activities and use Sharing Sites
Switch and Switch Interface Vendors

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