Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs: AT

Showing posts with label AT. Show all posts

Friday, March 16, 2012

Welcome MPS OTs and SLPs!

Here is a slideshow designed for a workshop presented to OTs and SLPs in a public school system. It is intended as a beyond the basics introduction to AT.

Slideshow was removed because of an outside request. Many of my slideshows are available at Slideshare.com. My account name is teechkidz.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Music Therapy and AT/AAC

The above presentation is designed for Pre-practice Music Therapists.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

AT Resource Website

Judy Phelps, an itinerant Occupational Therapist in Michigan, has put together a website that highlights assistive technology resources. She has also posted directions on making iTunes more accessible to switch users.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

What should I get for my new room?

I have a feeling I have answered this before, so fogive me, but I have been e-mailed a couple of times recently by new teachers or teachers changing to a new population asking what they should ask for as the building blocks of adapted devices/assistive technology for their new classroom of learners with severe or multiple disabilities.

Although the specifics will vary depending on the age group, the budget, the computers and other educational technology available in the room and other variables here are the items I would ask for:

switches at the very least a Big Red and/or a Jelly Bean and possibly a wobble switch such as the Ultimate Switch or if you wish the Jelly Beamer Switch eliminates wires.
switch mounts if your population with need them such as the Universal Mounting Arm
Boardmaker Plus is the one piece of software that you MUST have in the intensive/severe special education classroom, it can be used for everything from printing out picture symbols and board, to creating interactive books and curriculum to sharing everything you can think of on Adapted Learning
Classroom Suite is the next must have and with the exception of printing symbol/boards it does everything Boardmaker Plus does and then some
Choose It Maker is another piece of software to consider
a sequenced voice out put switch such as the Little Step-by-Step
a two choice voice out put device such as the iTalk2
a switch interface to attach a switch to the computer such as the Don Johnston Switch Interface Pro or the new Ablenet Hitch
A Powerlink or similar device to allow students to use a switch to control small appliances like blenders and radios
battery operated switch scissors make cutting possible for switch users
a pouring cup on a flew mount can be used for everything from watering plants, to cooking, to pouring paint to mixing solutions in science and is a must have in most room and many teachers don't even know it
battery adapters and a notching file to adapt any battery adapted item yourself

Note: try using the search feature to search this blog for ways to use any of these items.

Other fun things to consider:

the Webber Functional Communication Game gets TONS of use in our classroom (I won it as a door prize at a conference a couple of years ago and it is one of my most prized possesions)
All About Me, All About You and Yes or No also get lots of use (although I often re-word questions based on the student to allow them to be answered using a particular communication system)

Some friendly advice:
Make sure you know the warranty and repair policies of the companies you are ordering from as well as their reputation for making durable products:

Also keep in mind pretty much every AT company require a return authorization number for returns or repairs - so call first!

Friday, June 20, 2008

Edutopia AT Video

Thanks to The Assistive Technology Blog for the link.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

AT Blog Carnival

I have to admit I didn't "get" the blog carnival thing at first. A carnival? Of blogs? Huh?

As a blogger I am sometimes shamelessly out-of-touch. Then Ricky Buchanan of AT Mac e-mailed me to let me know she was submitting my post about taking my class to see Les Mis to the AT Blog Carnival. Given that my life was (an continues to be) a little out of whack I am not even sure if I replied to that compliment (sorry Ricky).

Then I checked out the AT Blog Carnival website, it turns out it is written by the author of a blog I have been following on my RSS reader for sometime, Lon Thornberg who writes No Limits to Learning and No Limits to Life. (He also has My Reading Chair, with text-to-speech readings of books for children.) In the end I submitted another post of mine, Part Two of "My Voice is My Power" series about AAC. (I couldn't figure out if Ricky submitted the Les Mis entry for March or April.)

In the end the blog carnival provided me with some links to some great blog entries and some new blogs to add to my RSS feeds. Here is a quick list of the entries submitted (but you should check out the Blog Carnival site to read about why the each post was submitted).:

From my blog: "My Voice is My Power: Part Two" (then read about the same individual in My Voice is My Power: Part Four) and Les Mis
From Ricky's AT Mac Blog: "Did you know your Mac could do that?" and "Assisitive Technology Makes a Difference: Dustin's Story"
From Ron Graham's Access Ability Blog: "Yahoo Acknowledges Inaccessible Content"
From Dr. Barbara Boucher's Blog TherExtras: "Assistive Technology and Me"
From Jason Voiovich at "The State of the Brand"
From Paul Nastch at Assistive Gaming
From Dustin Oakley at The Crass Pip on AT Blogging
Craig Phillips, Second Chance to Live
Heather Johnson on Audio Book College Content
Nick from Understanding Media on Podcasting in the Classroom

I hope next month we can look forward to more great entries, maybe from the likes of Paul Hamilton, Karen Janowski or Sam Sennott.

Friday, April 4, 2008

CEC Live Blogging: Voicethread as UDL in the Classroom

Karen Janowski and Beth Lloyd's High Incident AT workshop at CEC (live blog part on second part of workshop).

Voicethread is digital, story telling media. It is a UDL tool. Digital media is a mistake tolerant media, like clay instead of mistake intolerant like paper. It is a wonderful, free tool where you create content in three steps.

Use your school e-mail account and choose "Go pro" and you get a free pro account for K-12. Which means unlimited Voicethread creation. Once in your account you can browser or go to my voice and see your content and content shared with you. In Voicethread parents, community members and peers can leave voice or text comments. We watched several examples at the workshop, including a Voicethread intervention to assess reading in a selectively mute little girl. Very cool. Another example was a mathcast which used the Voicethread doodler tool as a blackboard with the teacher explaining the lesson. Another example was creation and use of social stories for kids on the spectrum.

A question was asked about privacy. Voicethread has three options public, shared with people you select and private. Another question was about putting things in as opposed to just photographs. You can upload documents (word and PDF), powerpoint slides (if you upload a powerpoint presentation every PPT slide will be a Voicethread slide), and digital and scanned images. Another question was if multiple people can comment on a Voicethread at a time and the answer is yes. Comments can ber moderated or not. You also choose whether or not to list it on the browse. Ideas for use are book reports, country reports, reading assessment and more.

Blogger note: In severe classrooms perhaps as portfolios, social stories, instructions for paras on certain kids re: lifting, feeding, instruction. What else?

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

All in One Cell Phone includes TTS

Our wonderful classroom SLP came in talking about this story from NPR yesterday and informed me that I should blog about it. She couldn't remember the name of the device, its designer or anything other than the fact that it was on NPR and that the text-to-speech was used on a bag of coffee (which it was).

(Luckily she didn't hear my comment wondering when they would come out with an instant replay cellphone for older folks with memory troubles, but since she reads this blog I am sure I will pay for that comment later.)

Turns out Kurzweil and NFB have created the worlds smallest text to speech device and installed it onto a Nokia cell phone. Tres cool! Also tres expensive. See the NPR story below:

January 29, 2008

Technology - Cell Phone Reads to the Blind
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18504117

A new cell phone offers the smallest text-to-speech reading device ever
built, a device especially useful for people with impaired vision. The
phone and software come with a $2,000 price tag.

If you have normal vision and can read, there are thousands of things
you do every day without even thinking even about it, little problems
you solve with just a glance * like knowing which coffee bag in a
hotel is caffeinated or decaf.

James Gashel is blind, but he can get his caffeine fix with help from
his cell phone.

"All you have to do is snap a picture of the bag, and it tells you," he
says.

Gashel is showing off his new phone in a hotel ballroom filled with
people who have come to check it out. Many are holding white canes, and
there's a guide dog resting by the wall. Everyone listens to the small
silver phone as Gashel holds it a few inches above a green rectangle.

"Taking picture ... detecting orientation," a digitized voice from the
phone says. "Processing U.S. currency image, please wait * $20."

The phone is loaded up with software developed by the company Gashel
works for * K-NFB Reading Technology, a joint venture between Kurzweil
Technologies and the National Federation of the Blind.

Besides reading labels and telling a $20 from a $10, the phone can read
pages of printed text.

Reading machines have been around for decades * this company already
makes a hand-held device. But this reader is the smallest yet * just 4
ounces and a few inches long. And it's in a high-end Nokia phone with
features like an MP3 player, high-speed data connection and a GPS
navigation system.

That's appealing to people like Mike Hanson, from Minnesota. He uses a
desktop reading machine for all kinds of things, including books, mail
and bills.

"I'm a lawyer, so I'll use it to read material related to cases I'm
working on," Hanson says.

But he never wanted a handheld reader before; he saw it as just one
more gadget to lug around. This multifunctional cell phone, though, is a
different story.

"It's next on my list of technology items to seriously consider," he says.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

DIY AT/Adaptive Design

Want to make your own assistive technology or adapted design devices? Here are some web sites to get you started.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Assisitive Technology Resouces and Products

These are links to companies and agencies which sell products or provide support and information about assisitive technology or AT for people with disabilities. (This perma post updated July 2, 2008.)

Monday, October 22, 2007

MedTrade Articles

This site is just as much for sharing with the OT, PT and SLP on your team as it is for you. MedTrade has posted a variety of articles, most focusing on rehabilitation, but many on new assistive technology products. A good place to learn about what is available out there for our students.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Do we need technology for this?

Any reader of my blog knows that I am a huge fan of assistive technology as well as AAC. I also know that technology is a tool, a means to an end, not the end itself.

This summer I have had the privilege of providing educational services to a pre-schooler who has multiple special needs, including quadriplegia and severe communication impairment. My assignment was twelve sessions over six weeks, covering for the homebound pre-school teacher who was taking the summer off. The IEP had a goal to indicate more/all done using a rocking plate switch. It also had other single switch activation and choice making goals (by reaching/touching with hands).

After five sessions I became frustrated with the more/all done switch because it meant me putting down other teaching materials to hold up the switch at the exact right spot for good access and phrasing all questions in a more/all done format. (Yes, I know there are all sorts of solutions to that problem, however as a teacher for just twelve sessions it wasn't in my power to enact any of those solutions.)

I had been thinking about attaching yes/no symbols to the underside of his tray and teaching the use of those for questions, but had not made up the symbols yet when I was at that fifth session. On the spur of the moment I explained to the boy, modeling as I talked, that a nod meant yes and a shake meant no. I used hand-over-hand (or I guess head in this situation) to show him how the movements felt.

For the rest of the session I asked choice questions first in a yes/no format and then in a point to symbols/objects format to confirm the choice and found that he had about 70% alignment between the two methods. During session six we worked on yes/no (in addition to the written goals), with pointing back up (and more/all done with the switch for questions that were naturally in that format).

Three days passed between session six and session seven and during that seventh session I asked a yes/no question and he gave his version of a nod (more like a slow raising and dropping of his head) and his nurse became very excited. The nurse explained that she didn't know we were working on nod and shake and that over the weekend she thought that he was nodding yes, but she didn't know he had been taught that. Mom and the nurse then entered the room to ask about the yes/no. They wanted to know which one they should use, the rocking plate switch or the head movement system. I told them both, that the switch was for more/all done and the head system for yes/no.

The mom was happy because the head nod/shake was much more portable and universal than the rocking plate switch, but she was worried that her son would not learn how to use technology.

I worry that in our field we aren't seeing the forest for the trees. The technology is, in this case, a way to communicate. It is not the only possible way to communicate and it is not automatically a better way to communicate because it is a neat gadget.

Years ago I had a (relatively high functioning) student with low intelligibility whom the speech therapist wanted to try on a hand held communication device. It turns out the student did need technological intervention, but not through an AAC device, through hearing aids. The coolness of the (at the time) new device distracted the SLP and I both from noticing why the student had low intelligibility. Several years later a different speech therapist sent the student for hearing tests and the rest is history. Today the student does use a very minimal, very low tech means of AAC in addition to his greatly improved speech for interactions with unfamiliar listeners in the community, but that is it. Almost everyone else understands him.

Of course for every story of inappropriate technology being presented because of the "cool" factor, there are three more of technology not being presented because of the F's (fear, funds, familiarity and family follow-through). As professionals in the intensive special needs field we need to help each other find balance between these two extremes. We can all start by education ourselves. A good place to start is the QIAT website.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Wheelchair Joystick Like Mouse Emulator

Once I had begun using the free Joy To Key software with the Kidstation Controller and a Logitech Joystick, I began looking around for a joystick that would be easier for my students to use. The Logitech Attack is too big, with too many buttons and hard for users with grasp difficulties to activate.

Finally I stumbled upon the Retro Competition Pro USB. The dimensions were close to what most of the power chair users have for joystick in my classroom so I went looking for one to purchase. Both American vendors were sold out (C64reloaded and Software Hut) and the UK companies were not as good a deal on shipping as I could get from UK sellers on Ebay, so I bought it on Ebay. It arrived today.

Of the two colors available, red and black or blue and silver, I choose the blue one. It has four buttons, two of them being large and easy to access. Their is a built in switch to turn off the buttons if you don't need/want them (I plan to have them off and use a head switch for clicking or a dwell program with my students). Upon plugging in the USB to my computer it was immediately recognized without any need to download any drivers or anything. Programming Joy To Key to work with it took under five minutes.

Since there are only four days left in the school year you will have to wait until September to hear how it goes.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Coming Soon Free CameraMouse!

Today I went to a great workshop presented by Maureen Gates from Boston College. She showed us a fantastic piece of software, actually many pieces of software, CameraMouse and games for CameraMouse. CameraMouse is software that interprets any movement in front of an off the shelf webcam to mouse movements. Although it is generally used as a head mouse, it can be used with any body part that can move in four directions (up, down, left, right).

CameraMouse was developed as a spin off of Eagle Eyes, which allows uses to move a mouse by amplifying the muscle movements of the eyes. (Eagle Eyes is available for free (provided evidence that a student can benefit) from the Opportunity Foundation.)

CameraMouse can be used with even the slightest movement, so slight that when set to the "extreme" level just looking where you want to mouse to go moves your head enough to move the mouse. For users with extraneous movements it can be set to allow more freedom. CameraMouse has a built in auto-click/dwell feature that eliminates the need for a switch or other method of clicking. You can also limit the window that CameraMouse moves around in so that the user doesn't accidentally close programs. All of these features are fully programmable.

When working with CameraMouse you are given plenty of games to teach everything from cause and effect to grade level academics. There are even special internet browsers and an online gaming program that allows users to compete in various CameraMouse and/or Eagle Eyes games.

CameraMouse is NOT available right this minute but BC will offer it free of charge (not just free for 30 days, free period) for download in about a month - keep checking here or there site for more info.

So if you are about to spend anywhere from $180 for a TrackIR to $400 for QualiEYE (practically the same as CameraMouse - I tried both) to $8,000 for an ERICA or TOBII you might want to wait a month!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Maybe Someday

Mitsubishi industries has invented a little, yellow, different robot to be a companion and assistant to the elderly and those with disabilities. Perhaps it is only a matter of time before our students come to school with their own assistive robots! Oh, her name is Wakamaru.

If Wakamaru is not available your student may

still get to play with a robot at school. Cosmobot is a specially designed play therapy robot for children with disabilities. Cosmobot was designed by AT KidSystems and AnthroTronix for use with children ages 5-12 with a variety of disabilities. Cosmobot does not appear on the AT KidSystems website, but he does appear on the AnthroTronix site.

All of this seems to be part of a new field called Telerehabilitation.

Free Software for Learners with Intensive Special Needs

So you're a teacher on a budget. You serve learners with diverse needs and you wish you had more time to search out free software or to design your own. Here are some leads to free downloads for students with severe, multiple, complex or profound needs.

Pvoice is a free augmentative and alternative communication program. Designed by the father of a little girl with multiple needs it is free to download and run. It is considered open source software and those who know how to program in Perl are welcome to contribute to it.

A couple of places have free downloads for use with switches. The RJCooper company has two switch accessible arcade style game available for free download. Inclusive Technology in the UK also has some switch programs for free download. Another free switch program is The Great Fish Race which allows two switch users to compete. One Switch in the UK has more than 70 games for download for single switch use. Many are quite difficult so try them before you let your students at 'em.

Some touchscreen activities can be found online or for download as well. The Jackson Pollack painting site is made to emulate action painting and works beautifully with a touchscreen. Magic Touch has links to dozens of free or free demo games that work with touchscreens. I haven't tried this one yet, but e-home games has a download of classic arcade games for touchscreens.

Sarah Greenland has three games for download: a kaleidescope for switches, a mouse trainer and a touchscreen maze. SEN Teacher (SEN=Special Education Needs) has two dozen programs free for download. (Plus printables and more.) Many of the programs on SEN Teacher are switch, touchscreen or even camera accessible. Of particular interest may be SEN Switcher, free cause and effect, switch or touchwindow accessible programs available on line or for download.

Two British schools have some of the most amazing resources I've ever seen. Priory Woods has switch activated flash videos, talking story books and learning software. I use this website constantly. I would love to go spend a year at Priory Woods and learn all they have to offer. You should also check out their Kids Only Portal. The other school is Kingsbury School, much of the software there is available for use online.

Another unbelievable freebie is Click'n'Type, an onscreen keyboard that works via touchscreen, mouse and even single switch! This program even has word prediction. Considering what you pay for other programs like this Click'n'Type is a good way to do before you ask your school or agency to spend money on a similar program.

Another utility that is available is Philip's Large Colored Cursors.

If you are feeling motivated you can peruse the OATS Repository of open source assistive technology for more downloads.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Symbol Based Websites

So many of our students use picture symbols for communication that I thought I would highlight some of the websites that provide us with free or low cost ready made picture symbol activities.

Symbol World is a British site that contains four site areas ELive, Learning, Stories and My World. The Elive section is avaliable as PDFs or online and contains news, community, films, features, games, recipes and fun areas. The Learning section contains online symbol stories in eight curriculum areas. The stories section has stories for pre-school primary and young adult students that are picture or symbol based. Finally the My World section has stories about children and adults with low incidence disabilities. The site uses Widget symbols and is run by the Widgit Company.

Also run by the Widgit Company is the Rainforest Symbol Site. I am linking to the ASE Center site that links to this resource because when I link directly it does not work. You have to scroll down to "Lauch Rainforest Pages" and once you be sure to chose "Click for Symbols". This site is well designed for use in a Rainforest Thematic Unit.

Askability is another Bristish site which has symbol based news, events and fun sections. The fun section may be of particular interest, it contains jokes, riddles, brain teasers and stories. This site also uses Widget symbols.

New-2-You is an American company that publishes weekly newsletter for printing to use in your classroom. At a cost of $82.00 for one user for a year you get the symbol based newsletters that are on three ability levels, related communication boards and access to Joey's Locker. The Joey's Locker section contains stories, cartoons and games. Teachers also get information correlating News-2-You to curriculum guidelines and data collection sheets to download to assist in alternative assessment. Additionally for a small extra expense you can get Spanish editions of the materials.