DAY FIVE - afternoon

Tyler...

I want to know this kid!  He seems so happy, unique, smart, well, just awesome!  Many people, including me, think of the negatives of having CP and not being able to control his body first.  BUT, seeing and getting to know Tyler through this class, makes me see the positives more.  He is an awesome kid first, who happens to have CP.  I LOVE all the technology he is using for AT.  He is doing very well socially and otherwise, which is what we should all concentrate on.  The stigma related to disabilities is what makes people "scared" of interacting.  We all need to do some research and stop being so ignorant about disabilities!  There is a real person behind what you see!

The care of Tyler is taken on primarily by his family and MANY specialists.  Everyone needs to be on the same page for progress to be made.

Tyler knows exactly what he needs to do (ex: touch the board, iPad with his hand), but he cannot "tell his brain" to do that action.

Everyone involved needs to TRAIN TRAIN TRAIN to keep up with the technology and the rotation of people working with Tyler (or any student with a disability, like his).

Switch was used and Tyler accessed it with his head, which made him very tired.  Even just deciding what switch, how it will be mounted, etc takes a team of people working very closely together (ex: IWK, OT, AT, etc.).

Anything that involved physical manipulation of any objects (ex: paper, pencil) HAD/HAS to be adapted!!  Outside the box thinking is key!

Tyler went from switch, to iTalk/iPod, to Kurzweil, to iPad.  The technology has allowed Tyler to advance and has given him more opportunities!  Very exciting!  I am very curious to see what is in Tyler's future....endless possibilities :)

PowerLink

• You can plug in any electrical device and a switch.
• controls the device with the switch in different ways - hold on, timed minutes/seconds, latch - hit for on and hit for off.
• You can have 2 devices, 2 switches - developmental progression - what are you assessing: cause/effect or choices, etc.
• Make sure you DO NOT say, "Turn on the switch" to complete a task.  ALWAYS say, "Turn on the light, or music, etc" - say what the task is.
• Advice: think about your prompting - do not prompt too much! They have to process every time you prompt.  Be patient and wait.
• Made by AbleNet - $240.00 (US)

 

Switches

Switches give children with disabilities a way to interact, stay involved, control activities, etc.

• Benefits of using a switch:
• control over the environment
• inclusion in activities
• communication
• engagements in curriculum
• engagement in social activities
• leisure activities (music, etc)
• access to employment, Internet, education
• Successful switch operation depends on:
• motication\suitable activities
• practice time
• lots of encouragement
• position of the switch
• type of switch
• Types of switches:
• PalPad
• AbleNet
• Picture Switch
• Adjustable Pressure
• Stages of Switch Control
• cause and effect
• training
• different switch decisions (best one for the student)

Remarkable YouTube Videos of Switch Use:

 

 

SWITCH ACTIVITIES IN-CLASS:

• List of ways to use switches and get students involved:
• clock - timer
• blender - smoothies
• sewing machine
• popcorn maker
• LCD projector/overhead
• lights
• buzzer
• toaster
• paper shredder
• music (ex: musical chairs)
• electric razor
• hair dryer
• iron
• kettle
• coffee maker
• TV
• game system (PS3)
• fan
• Tech. Ed. tools
• air compressor (put air in the balls in gym class)
• ETC...

 

Videos of AT used for people who are deaf/blind:

The Deaf Blind Communicator (DBC) is a communication device that helps people who are deaf and blind communicate with others face-to-face, by phone, by text message, and using DB-BrailleNote with others who are deaf-blind.

The main unit of the DBC is the DB BrailleNote. The second unit is the DB-Phone (a special cell phone). These two units communicate wirelessly with each other using Bluetooth.

People who are  deaf-blind do not have to use methods like tracing letters on the hand of someone else (and vice versa) to spell out words.  They can communicate with anyone, for example bus drivers, waiters, shop clerks, sighted friends and family, etc. by activating a face-to-face chat.  A message is both spoken and displayed on the DB-Phone stating, “Hi, I’m blind and I can’t hear. To communicate with me, type a message on this keyboard and press (the return arrow).”  A person who is sighted can type in a message, then it is displayed in Braille for the DBC user. The DBC user then types a response on the DB-BrailleNote and sends it back to the DB-Phone.  This is how someone who is deaf and blind can communicate with someone who is not.