Lumisonic: free speech and music software

Today Barrie over at One Switch sent me a great link for some free software that acts as a visualizer for voice, vocalization and any sound input to the computer OR it acts as a way to manipulate recorded sound being played on the computer. It is called Lumisonic and is available from Sonic Arts. You can download it in PC or Mac version, with or without the other software you need (C++ and Quicktime). It can also be used with a Wi in order to manipulate music or sound through movement. A link is included with ideas to use the software as a visualizer and as an instrument.

Ask me a yes/no question.

Many of my students have IEP objectives to correctly answer yes/no questions.

One of the many ways I work on this is the yes/no round robin. This is a great "fill in the gap" activity when one lesson ends before it is time to start another. It is also a great activity for this time of year when it is way too hot to actually expect anyone to move! We often discuss that yes.no questions usually start with some version of "can", "do", or "have" as in "could he..., "do they...", "have you" before we begin. Sometimes we compare yes/no to W5/H questions. Yes/no questions is my classrooms favorite fast and easy game after the Super Duper game All About Me, All About You.

We work the yes/no round robin by simply going around the group and having each student answer one yes/no question. Sometimes we keep score, but usually we don't. Asking one question per student from a list makes it very easy to differentiate instruction as the leader can ask each student a question suitable for his or her ability level. A student functioning on a more concrete level might answer a question like, "Is your teacher named Bob?" and another student might be asked, "Is 911 the correct number to call if your brother's feet smell?" while a third might be asked, "Is the automotive section the right part of the store to look for molasses?".

If your grouping is more homogeneous you can write your yes/no questions on cards or Popsicle sticks and have your students draw a question and answer it. Integrating AAC is also simple for this activity. My students answer the yes/no questions using everything from their voices to looking up or down for yes/no, to sign language, to dual sided rocking switches to dynamic display devices.

When more time allows I have also created a board game version of "Ask Me a Yes/No Question!" which I have posted on Yudu for all to download, if you wish, just download and print, line up the edges of the four pages and glue to some poster board, laminate, fine a die and some pawns and play.

Free Resources for Yes/No Questions

• Can Teach (scroll 1/2 way down)

Purchase Resources for Yes/No Questions

• Linguisystems Yes/No Software (Preschool)
• Linguisystems Five Set Book
• Multimedia Speech Pathology
• Just for Adults Yes/No Questions
  

A Few Thoughts About Our Students And AAC

This is a guest post written a couple of months ago by my friend and classroom speech therapist as part of a program wide in-service she ran for our staff. The inservice was great and focused mostly on AAC and a new device run on eye-gaze called the Eye Tech Speech Generating Device (which blows the Tobii out of the water) that has opened new doors from some of our students.

WHAT IS THE POINT? OR WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?

• Expression of wants, needs and emotions may get basic needs/desires satisfied.

• The ability to declare a dislike may result in a change in the behavior of others.

• Being able to provide basic information about their personal care will result in the improvement of that care.

• Communication may allow the manipulation of their environment, including commanding animals (directives to pets), playing games, recreational activities.

• It is of necessity in a crisis to provide basic biographical information.

• Interacting with others brings about social closeness.

• Telling jokes makes others laugh and promotes humor between partners.

• Writing letters to family and friends helps convey current events in their lives.

• Literacy skills allow access to the curriculum.

WITH WHOM DO/SHOULD THEY COMMUNICATE?

In a perfect world, our students would interact with everyone with whom they came in contact. In reality, they tend to choose adult caregivers as partners in communication. With prompting, they will look to peers, but that is with reinforcement from adults who often will repeat what they have already chosen on their devices.

WHERE and WHEN ARE THEY MOST LIKELY TO COMMUNICATE?

In structured situations when being asked direct questions. This may be thought of as contradictory, as we are asking them to think of their devices as their voices, then are giving them limited opportunities in which they can be accessed. This includes the home setting where they may not be used at all.

HOW CAN WE HELP TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEIR DEVICES WILL BE USED AND USED EFFECTIVELY?

• Provide the device to the student in as many situations as possible.

• Reduce the number of direct questions that are asked. Think about the number of times the student has been asked repeatedly for information. If it is necessary for the student to provide that message, try to engage in a conversation which may elicit the same response or use an open-ended format.

• If possible, program random messages onto frequently used buttons. For example, “How are you?” could also say, “How’s it going”, “What’s happening?”, “What’s up?”, etc. In doing so, think of each student and his/family and what might be appropriate. If possible, ask for feedback from the student.

• Keep messages current. For example, the question page may reflect holidays, weather conditions, and vacations.

• Make each device personal with messages relating to home and family. A “news” button is helpful and can be dedicated to home, school or both. This encourages use/communication between school and home.

• In trying to reinforce the device as the student’s voice and encouraging its use at home, remember that we cannot push familial boundaries

• Try using the device with the student without talking. You will discover what messages are missing as well as its limitations. Ask yourself: Am I bored? What would make it more fun? (think music, jokes, messages to friends). More interesting? (questions, reactions). How difficult is it to navigate?

• Then make a list and we go back to the drawing board and with the student, begin to re-program the device to make it more user-friendly.

Judith Heerlein, MS, CCC

Speech/Language Pathologist

March 12, 2008

Assisiting in the AAC Evaluation Process

Ideally an evaluation for an augmentative/alternative communication device for a student is a team effort including the student, the family, the speech language therapist, the teacher and other specialists like an occupational therapist, physical therapist, a teacher of the vision impaired, a teacher of the hearing impaired and others.

The primary role of the teacher is to offer information on the students cognitive and social abilities and needs and to assist with teaching the student how to use the device and obtaining information from the family. The secondary role is to assist the SLP is gathering the information he or she will need. This may include collecting information like diagnosis, current communication methods and more. It may include helping with the trial of a device.

It is fairly universal that every student will have to have a trial or rental of a device (with addition equipment for access if needed) to collect data and determine if the device and access method is appropriate in order to secure funding.

One of the ways that teachers (paraprofessionals and parents/home caregivers) will be able to greatly assist in the process of securing an AAC device is by collecting data during the trial period of the prospective device.

In the classroom we can set up systems to help the SLP collect the information he or she will need to include on their evaluation they will send to Medicaid/Medicare or a private insurance company to secure funding.

Some of the things the SLP will need for the trial review portion of his or her evaluation are:

• the environments in which the device was using (i.e. the classroom, cafeteria, library, community including retail and public locations, vocational settings, after school activities such as scouts, sports, religious education/services)
• the communication partners the device was used with (teacher, therapists (OT, PT, psychological), peers, parents, siblings, community workers, religious staff, personal care attendant, job coach)
• the ways in which the device was used (to comment, to request, to greet and take leave, etc)

Here is a link to a data collection form that might be useful for teachers and others to collect data during the trial of an AAC device.