Assistive Technology Gift Ideas: Talking Photo Frame

Using Recordable Picture Frames:

I have been using the Go Talk One recordable photo frames for an inexpensive AAC tool over the last 3 or 4 years. You can re-record them quickly and slip new pictures in and out. They are also pretty durable, thin and compact.

I like to use them in sets where we put 4 together and have choices or activities on them. They allow the student to handle choices and language in a manipulative way. They are great for sequencing life skills and events. The auditory cues within the recording can simulate and encourage speech. Linda Burkhart has a tutorial on how to design and use them here. Hers is an older Radio Shack frame that has a hinge and folds over. the new ones don't appear to do that anymore, but there are some good tips there.

The Go Talk Ones by Attainment Company are around $12, and the Radio Shack variety with a clear arcrylic frame are $9.99. They make a great gift or stocking stuffer to have around the house with food or activity choices, selecting a feeling, colors, numbers, etc.

Leave one out Christmas Eve for Santa to record a message!

All the best to you!

Lon

I have been receiving a few ideas via email for AT gifts. If you have one you would like to share, send it to me at: lonthornburg@nolimits2learning.com

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Autism Grant Increases Hands-on Training Opportunities for Students in Therapy and Education

A major breakthrough came this spring when a severely autistic student in one of our high schools made the connection to use a set of "Go Talk Ones" for his communication development. We had tried several different ideas that incorporated assistive technology to help this boy develop a system to communicate and be able to do more than busy tasks. The special education teacher, the autism specialist and the occupational therapist had pulled me in several times to work on initiating some kind of tool. They started with picture symbol recognition and a reward system, and you can imagine how excited everyone was to see the Go Talk One click for him. We began to see meaningful and purposeful communication start to be initiated by him. We now have a foundation to see where it might take him in further communication development and more advanced AAC down the road.

My work in assistive technology involves collaboration with autism therapists working on a way to build communication skills in students and find tools to engage and teach them. Each student is unique and no method or tools set combination works the same twice. I also integrate AT with teachers that range from being completely comfortable with autism, to ones that don't know where to begin when it comes to working with students with autism. Our autism specialists work very hard to support students and try to give tips and training to the special ed and regular ed teachers. I was very excited to hear about the grant funding that is going into training future teachers in methods and actual hands-on experience with autism in the classroom.

The foundation, Autism Speaks, has given $20,000 to The University of Central Florida (see article) to use in their Real Experience in Autism Classroom's Helps program that will put 50 to 100 budding student teachers in real classroom situations with 10 to 20 autism specialists in the school system. The goal is to give them tools to use with autistic students and a background of experience to help them feel more comfortable when working with these students in the future.

I am excited to see these collaborative efforts and I am glad to see that folks believe in the benefit of giving students these kinds of experiences. Having a diverse experience in college to see first-hand some of the techniques and skills needed to work effectively in Autism will be huge plus for these students.

I was very impressed with the Autism Speaks site. Take some time to go there and browse their resources. They have a video archive, which is being updated and not available at this time, but will be back I am sure. There is a glossary of definitions and a link to a list of research programs that parents can get involved in as active participants. There are family resources and an interactive network for resources as well. This should be on any parent of an autistic child's list as a resource site for learning and being involved in Autism awareness and advocacy.

All the best to you!

Lon

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Wildhorse Grant Received for Funding Low & Mid Tech AT

Thank you Wildhorse Foundation! Our OT/PT department and my A.T. department, received an $11,000 grant from the Wildhorse Casino's Foundation for funding mid-tech speech devices and assistive equipment for the Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education programs in our region. About 530 children will be expected to benefit from this donation and the training and equipment it provides.
We were able to purchase Boardmaker software for every classroom last year and I went around and held training sessions to use it. We were finding that our 2, 4 and 8 cell recordable talking devices, like the Super Talker, were being checked out for trials and then we were having a hard time getting them back because they were working so well to support students. We finally decided that it was time to find a way to purchase a speech device for each classroom and train the staff on implementation along with low tech projects for using the Boardmaker software.
We had a low-tech "Make one, Take one" workshop this spring where teachers came up to our offices and we had all the laminators, laptops and printers, velcro, felt pens, cardboard, foam, etc. ready. Teachers made 2 of each project so we had one for a checkout library and the teacher could take one with them. We are trying to build a low tech materials sample library so SLP's and Autism specialists have some samples to take out and show to teachers, assistants and have for examples in IEP meetings.
My recent conversation with Ellen Witham, who will be my guest next Tuesday, led us to discuss the important prerequisite steps in developing low-tech picture symbol recognition and tying it to cause and effect and language development. We discussed the development of that into the next step of using a Tech Talk type device, a Super Talker, Go Talk devices (try the Go Talk One as an inexpensive tool @ $12 each), etc. as a transfer into more advanced mid-tech speech output. Our conversation moved on to the high-tech devices such as a Dynavox V with a sequential series of levels that allows the device and the user to grow through 3 phases of language skills and communication through their InterACCT Language Framework .
I have loaded a 180 day demo copy of the Dynvox software on a laptop that can go out to schools and be used as a trial for a while. If it looks like something that could fit, we can have the Dynavox sales rep customize one and bring it out for up to a 2 week trial on the actual device.
I am excited to see the possibilities of working with the tools made available to us through the Wildhorse grant and the development of high-tech devices for younger learners.
We have students in middle school and high school that have not accessed a device for communication yet due to past practices that steered away from items because of high price tags. We are aware of many avenues of funding now that takes the burden of cost away from familiies and school districts. We can begin to relax and work on implementing a good supportive communication program that supports and trains our SLP's in AAC use and also gets students who are ready for it, a device as early as first grade to start supporting literacy and language development where they can grow and move along with their peers. Wouldn't that be great?
If you are interested in hearing our conversation along these lines, listen to the No Limits 2 Learning Live segment on Blog Talk Radio on Tuesday, June 24th at 10:30 am Pacific time.

All the best to you!
Lon

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Selective Mutism and Assistive Technology

"Hi Lon. I have a little girl we want your input on. Her mother says she talks up a storm at home, but she won't say anything at school. No one has been able to get her to talk in 5 years here. I would like to ask you to come meet an absolute angel that we want to help speak - just get your ideas."

I was listening to my voice mail from a speech pathologist on our team. He was asking for ideas...I had never worked with selective mutism, but found a site for The Selective Mutism Foundation. Under their "Do's and Dont's" section I read about how to encourage speech and what not to do. There are some good resources there for folks to read.

I visited the school on Thursday afternoon. I haven't met the student yet, but here's what I found out and what we are trying as some initial experimental ideas. If you have any ideas or input please let me know:

I was surprised to find that the special education teacher had sent a small micro-cassette recorder home with the student and mom had recorded her talking at home. He played the tape for me.

"Does she know that she is being recorded?" I asked.

"Oh yes, in fact she is very proud of the recordings and has "asked" us to play them for the other kids in group time. We listen and clap and applaud her words. But she just won't say anything."

We talked about how using AAC helps foster language in students that struggle with speech. "Maybe we could use some AAC to help her select language to use," I shared. "The initiation of speech and choice making might bridge the gap and make some connections for her to have a safe way to communicate and then allow her to move into some initial sounds on her own down the road. We have some "Go Talk Ones" ($12.99 each) that are a talking picture frame. You can slide a symbol or picture and a word in and then record the message. They are small and flat - she could have a message she can use at her fingertips." I explained.

"She gets in situations where she gets frustrated," the teacher replied. "She wants to be able to say that she wants to be left alone. Just having a simple "no" or "I don't like that" for her to "say" would be great."

We decided to try 2 talking frames for the rest of May and see how she responds. The teacher and mom are going to continue the recording at home and bring the recordings to school for some positive reinforcement. We will watch and see if she will initiate communication with the Talk Ones and look at what we want to trial next fall.

If she takes to the Talk Ones, we can add some more in her repertoire and maybe start a transition to a Tech Talk or a larger Go Talk with 8 or 20 cells.

As far as software to encourage speech, I have used the Storymaker in Classroom Suite by Intellitools to work with a little girl that would only say one word - never a combination of 2 or 3. I had her help me create a playroom background and we animated a doll sliding down a slide and onto a bed. "Doll go down" was our phrase. We typed it in the text box and practiced reading the phrase. Then we practiced recording her reading the three words. We got her to say the phrase with 2 words and a whisper of the third. If we see initiation of communication with the talk one in this new case, maybe we can start creating some stories and work on simple words and get some interest in trying to record a word.

Another software that could have some great potential would be Clicker 5 by Cricksoft. Creating some word walls and stories with speech could be a way to get her to manipulate the language and the written word.

I also suggested the free Natural Reader floating toolbar with a Word document. By creating a fun page adding images, large colored font, etc. she can work with words and hear what she creates said back to her.

There are so many options to support the development of communication. The challenge is buidling language skills once the communication has begun to flow. Students that have not been using language need lots of practice.

"We think that there will be a watershed moment." The teacher looked hopeful. "Once the speaking starts we hope it comes pouring out."

I will keep you posted if and when that moment arrives!

All the best to you!

Lon

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