4th Annual International Association of Positive Behavior Supports Conference

Sorry for the post paucity, but I have been at the 4th Annual International Association of Positive Behavior Support Conference, since Wednesday afternoon. It has been a great conference so far with one more day to go. You can expect a lot of positive behavior support links and information over the next few weeks as I begin to process the loads of information I learned.

For those of you who are not familiar with Positive Behavior Supports or who (wrongly) assume it is behavior analysis without punishment procedures here are the basic bullets of what PBS is:

• PBS provides context for ABA (Application of Behavior Analysis)
  
• PBS values the dignity and human rights of those with disabilities while using scientific methodology to increase positive behaviors while decreasing problem behaviors
• PBS focuses on the environment of the individual, working to create a setting for positive behavior and eliminate situations which may produce problem behaviors
• PBS uses functional assessment to determine the purpose of targeted behaviors, implements comprehensive interventions that are positive, proactive, educative and functional while focusing on lifestyle enhancement to improve the individuals quality of life

"The overriding goal of PBS is to enhance quality of life for individuals and others within social settings in home, school, and community settings." -APBS website

Correction on Tellus 3+ Post

The site listed for the Tellus AAC device last post was, indeed, the Ohio vendor of this UK designed device. Check here for a list of vendors by state/region.

Some Lesser Known Dynamic Display Devices

FRS is offering us the ComLink, weighing in at under four pounds, running Windows XP, containing 10,000 communication symbols (including Mayer-Johnson), it has built in environmental control capability, can be purchased with an airlink to connect wirelessly, has hot swappable batteries and the greatest aspect it has 20 G of memory (for those learners with thousands of messages or who utilize the MP3 or video features).

AMDI a long standing static display device company is now offering the TechTouch. It uses the VS Communicator Software with built in e-mail and text message program or your choice of other programs (i.e. Boardmaker or the Grid). It has all the same features of the ComLink above, including the 20 G of hard disk, but I saw no mention of a wireless option, except I saw no mention of a wireless feature. It comes pre-installed, if you want, with a Deassey mounting plate.

I have been watching the Tellus+ overseas for a while, but have finally found out that FRS is a USA vendor of the device. The Tellus+ kicks some serious backside. It has, get this, 40 G of memory! It runs on the XP platform, has WLAN (wireless) and bluetooth! There are five "always available" buttons down the right side, that can control the volume, be a date and time button or what ever you want. It runs MindExpress or EuroSuite. All this and the Tellus+ is barely six pounds! (The only drawback? The ECU is IR (GEWA) instead of X-10.) Oh, and you can also get a mid-size or handheld version of the Tellus.

You know what I want? I want to see the Tellus+ and the new Dynavox V go head to head before another device is chosen for my classroom! So FRS/Tellus and Dynavox, how 'bout it? Give us a comment and come visit my class to show us your stuff!

By the way, though not included because it is not exactly lesser know is the Dynavox V. Now that thing looks cool! Sit through the intro video, it is worth it! 40 G of memory! A light sensor to determine screen brightness (what an incredible idea!)! Some of the most intuitive programming software I have ever seen!

And now for a minor bout of negativity:

But still, a Dynavox has a stinky manual and my kingdom for a Dynavox rep in my area with some follow through, I have had an MT4 in the room for a year and we can't get a rep in to help us out for love or money~well, actually I haven't offered love or money, maybe that would work!!! Best technical support in the industry? Bah! If you like being canceled on maybe! But that being said the FRS website is twice as stinky as the Dynavox manual and they only have funding info for Ohio Medicaid (huh?) Neither of which is as bad as the Gus Communicator funding website, I dare say it is a terrible idea to brag about only being 80% covered. And I have only Assisitve Tech Inc, Satillo and Zygo to compare the Dynavox support with and neither of Saltillo nor Zygo have ever had a rep show up (although I could always get Assistive Tech Inc out when I needed them), but then again neither Zygo nor Satillo ever offered, nay, promised, in person tech support when we purchased those devices. Grinch, grinch, grinch. I sound like a bitter old lady. That is all my complaining for the month, I'm done (well at least on the blog).

Inexpensive Sensory Room Ideas

In the past several weeks I had the opportunity to visit a number of DMR day habilitation centers and a few of them had sensory rooms. In the end the decision of choosing a program for the family I was working with depended on more important variables than the presence of a sensory room, things like the staff to participant ratio, the frequency of community experiences, and the overall level of appropriate activities available across the program's schedule.

The sensory room I saw were nothing like the advertisements you see in the catalogs like those for Snoezelen or SpaceKraft. Part of the problem was a half-hearted effort. A bean bag chair, some mylar hanging mobiles, an unbreakable mirror or two, a CD player, a lava lamp and a string of holiday lights and the room was done. There was very little that was inviting and magical like the rooms in the catalogs.

Of course, the reason the rooms I saw don't look like the rooms in the catalogs is that to create a room like in the catalogs, using products from those catalogs means spending the entire teaching and administration budget for the next year. Therefore, I thought it might be interesting to explore others options to lower budget sensory rooms beyond the lava lamp and the holiday lights.

Here are links to some products that are under $100:

• LED Light Strips and Pods
• 54 inch bubble tower
  
• Laser Show Machines
  
• Liquid Light Projector
• Fiber Optic Lamp
• Black Lights and Accessories
• Jumpolene
• Mathmos Lights
• Color Change Light Panel
  
• Fiber Optic Sphere
• Beanbag Chairs (including white ones)
• Sheepskin Rug
• Aroma Mist Fountain
• Soothing Sounds Mood Clock
  
• Mini-Bubble Wall
• Mood Lights
• MP3 Light Cast
• White Umbrella
  
• Disco Ball

Best Bet Websites

• Cool Stuff Cheap
• Novelty Lights
• Therapy Best Buys
• The Glow Company
• Discovery Channel Store
• Cheap Novelty

Here are some ideas of how to set up and things to do in a sensory room:

• Tutorial on Interacting in a Multi-Sensory Enviroment
• Activity Corner Ideas
• How to Set Up a Sensory Room
• Sensory Room Article
• Sensory Idea Sheets
  
• Sensory Training
• Creative Construction
• How do I set up a sensory room in my classroom?
  

Commercial Sensory Room Products:

• Abilitations
• Rehab Toys
• Take a Swing
• Space Kraft
• Snoezelen
• TecSol
  

Cool Timer and Online Dice

When I think of all the things we use a timer for in my class room (stander use, bathroom reminders, cooking and science activities and behavioral interventions to name a few) and the sheer number of timers I have purchased only to have them break in the past few years I could become quite overwhelmed.

Now it is Cool Timer to the rescue! Cool Timer is a free, downloadable program that runs on a computer (or computer based communication device?) and counts down time. What makes it cool is instead of a standard issue beeping you set it to play any .wav or MP3 on the computer. The minute I get to school on Monday I am downloading it.

Harmony Hollow, the makers of Cool Timer, offer three other teacher tools to check out as well. Outside of Cool Timer, I think The Hat is another useful program for the special needs classroom. The hat is a randomizer designed to make deciding things like who goes first easier. I bet you could load in other things you would like to randomize too, like numbers to make virtual dice (put the mouse cursor over the start or stop button and use a switch to activate to adapt).

Of course there is always the Arcess Online Switch Dice and Number Spinner, if you want easier virtual dice. If you have Opus Presenter you can download some switch dice. For $19 you can download a Powerpoint Dice Shaker or spinner, plus a randomizer code to install to make your own powerpoint dice and things (or download the watermaked demo), which works fine.

Convert PDF to HTML or Text for Free

Adobe PDF documents are an efficient and reliable way for information to be shared online. However, they are not compatible with most screen readers and some other assistive technology. Adobe offers a free online service to convert a PDF for free via e-mail or online for the purpose of using assistive technology to access it.

First Hand

First Hand is a foundation that provides grants to families to cover expenses such as assistive and healthcare technology. Their goal is to prevent children with special needs from falling through the cracks in the system. Parents who need help finding funding and have exhausted other sources may be grateful for this link.