Bookshare

Similar to WordQ is a program called Bookshare.  “Bookshare is an online library of digitial books for people with print disabilities.  It operates under an exception to U.S. copyright law which allows copyrighted digital books to be made available to people with qualifying disabilities” (Beneficent Technology, Inc., 2014).  This program allows one to search for a specific title or browse through their library which includes books, magazines, and newspapers.  Bookshare does require a membership, but once you are a member, you can download books to your computer.

Bookshare provides easy navigation such as short drop down menus and pages that have heading and subheadings to make it easier to navigate from section to section.  A link “Skip to Main Content” allows the reader to go straight to the main content and surpass all the navigation links.  Bookshare allows the reader to zoom in or out of a page or change the font size and images.  This is beneficial for students with low vision. 

Bookshare can be a helpful tool in the classroom that I hope to one day be able to utilize.  Students with visual impairments, physical disabilities, and learning disabilities all can use this program.

WordQ

WordQ is a read aloud program that helps students improve comprehension and proofreading skills.  It works with many programs such as any web browser, Facebook, Word, Notepad, emails, and instant messaging.  Students who struggle with writing or for a student who wants to expand their vocabulary, this program’s writing prediction capability makes it fun, exciting, and engaging to write for students.

The auditory proofreading allows students to hear how their sentence is written.  Being able to hear their sentences is a proven way to help develop grammar, spelling, pronunciation, and comprehension skills.  Students can also edit, correct, and improve personal writing through this program as well.

WordQ runs about one hundred dollars for the personal edition.  I think this program could be very beneficial for all students.  By hearing their written work aloud, they can hear their errors and make the corrections.

Read Write Think

Read Write Think website has classroom resources and professional development that can be useful for educators and students.  There are lesson plans that teachers can access and refine by grade and subject.  Under the Classroom Resources, there is a tab called Student Interactives.  These activities include subjects like organizing, summarizing, writing, and language. 

For teachers, professional development provides multiple opportunities.  Here teachers can access strategy guides, which can help teachers with teaching with technology, differentiating instruction, and help teach writing.

On this website, Construct-a-Word provides an engaging way for students to generate words by picking an ending and then adding a beginning letter.  When the word created is correct, it is stored in the word bank where students can read and review their words.  This interactive tool can be used individually or in small groups.  This tool requires Flash Player and is free.  It can be accessed through the website listed below.

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/construct/

I found this website to be a great resource for when I am in the classroom.  They have so many different software games for all subjects for students to interactively play.

Past Event Cards

Like break cards and choice cards, mentioned in my previous posts, there are also an option of past event cards.  These cards are used for students to communicate events they did throughout the day.  These cards can include activities such as lunch, recess, and any class they had during the day. 

Below are three examples of past event cards.

Photo Conversation Cards help children develop communication skills with photo cards that have a skills story printed on the back.  Each card has the situation described in detail and socially appropriate responses that prove practice for children.  These cards can be bought at the link below.

https://www.launchingsuccess.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=340_345&products_id=10486

Steven

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance: Steven is a four-year-old boy diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder. His placement is in an Early Childhood classroom. He is able to understand and comprehend when spoken to, but does not communicate his needs consistently. When choices are simplified and broken into steps, Steven will try to communicate wants and needs. Peer interactions are limited.

Annual goal: Steven will use a picture board or voice output device to express wants and needs to adults and peers in both home and school at least four times each day.

The picture board above can be used by Steven to help him achieve his annual goal of expressing his wants and needs to adults and peers both at home and in the classroom.  From this board, he can clearly state "I want more to eat" or "I want help."  This picture board can be small and easily transported from home to school and vice versa.

Michael

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance: Michael is in the second grade classroom for most of the school day. He is interested in the material being presented by the teacher and wants to participate. He has a full time paraprofessional who assists him. He has difficulty being an active participant in academics because he uses a voice output AAC device and frequently does not have the “right” answer. The teacher is concerned at the amount of time it currently takes while Michael struggles to answer questions. The teacher is interested in finding ways for Michael to more actively participate.

Annual Goal: Michael will use eye gaze and prerecorded messages to respond to appropriately phrased questions in four subject area classes, mathematics, reading, science and social studies in three out of five opportunities.

Above is the Tobii S32 which is an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) speech device that Michael already uses.  This device plays back pre-recorded messages and sounds by touching the symbols or pictures.  The pre-recorded messages or sounds can be recorded directly onto Tobii S32 or through software called Tobii SymbolMate.  This AAC device can benefit Michael and help him reach his annual goal.

Andy

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance: Andy uses a variety of sounds, gestures, signs, and picture/symbols to communicate with his family. He is very social and enjoys parallel play. Andy does not communicate vocally in the classroom, but does use some gestures. At school Andy will sign, but only with prompts.

Annual Goal: Andy will increase expressive language production by using a variety of communication methods in the classroom, including sign language, gestures, communication boards, pictures, and simple voice output devices during four out of five opportunities.

Above is a communication board that Andy can use to communicate what how he feels about something, if he is hungry or thirsty, or answer a yes or no question.  Different communication boards can be used for each class that have icons that pertain to the particular class.  Voice output devices are also included in Andy's annual goal that can be found in my blog about Sarah.

Sarah

I previously talked about Eric and how he can use a laptop or portable word processor to write his assignments 100% of the time.  You can read about Sarah’s IEP below.

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance: Sarah can use eye gaze fairly successfully to indicate her wants and needs when items are appropriately displayed so that her communication partner can tell what she is gazing at. She currently makes a grunting sound to greet others, to get attention, and to represent both yes and no. She has recently been using a four-message output device and is having some success at making choices. Sarah travels independently about the school in her power chair.

Annual Goal: Sarah will interact with others in the school environment in four out of five opportunities to indicate her preferences and needs using voice output devices and eye gaze strategies.

 

Sarah can use these two communication devices above.  The first is a symbol based voice output device where Sarah can pick the picture that associates to her answer and will speak it aloud.  The second is a text to speech device.  This voice output device can store frequently used words or phrases that can be accessed by two or three key combinations.  Both of these voice output devices can be attached to her power chair.

Eric

Now that I have talked about AT and IEPs, I will review five IEPs with the present level of academic achievement and the annual goal set for the student. 

Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance: Eric participates in regular education programs for his academic subjects. His hand strength is limited and he fatigues quickly when doing any handwriting task. Civics and English homework are a particular problem because of lengthy assignments and reports that need to be completed.

Annual Goal: Eric will use a computer or portable word processor to complete 100% of his assignments in 10th grade English and Civics classes.

With this portable word processor, shown above, or a laptop, Eric can be easily bring these devices from class to class.  On these AT devices, he can type 100% of all his assignments and not worry about becoming fatigued from writing.

Choice Cards

Along with break cards, choice cards are an option to help autistic students with their communication.

Choice cards give the students options to answer a question asked to them.  This strategy gives students independence and allows them to make their own decision leaving them feeling empowered.  Letting students make their own decision can also improve behavior in the classroom.  When presenting choices to the student, saying it allowed lets the student hear it along with pointing to the card.  This connects the picture, sound, and item together.  When a student decides, they point to the card they want and the teacher sticks with whatever the student picks.  Older students can pick their choice by pointing and verbally speaking their choice.

An example of choice cards can be seen below.  The teacher asks the student what they want for snack, a pretzel or a banana.

I think these cards are a great idea for nonverbal children.  I love how they give students options and freedom to make decisions.  If in the situation, I would most definitely use these in my classroom.

References:

http://lessonpix.com/articles/9/41/Choice+Cards

Break Cards

Knowing that students with autism have trouble with communication, as previously mentioned, sometimes that individual may need a break but not know how to express it appropriately.

Break cards are a great way to help students express how they are feeling and if they need a break in what they are doing.  If a student appears confused or overwhelmed they can use these cards to communicate without causing a distraction to other students and combat an outburst before it occurs.  These break cards can be written on index cards that have been put together in a small book and can be used anywhere not just the classroom.

Having these break cards on hand for all students can be beneficial.  All students, not just autistic students, can use a break from time to time and given that option may have a positive outcome.

References:

https://handsinautism.iupui.edu/pdf/How_To_Help_Break_Cards.pdf

Expressive Communication

Students with autism, just like any student, have the right to a free appropriate public education, FAPE, and are considered under IDEA disability categories.  Autism can be associated with mental disability, troubles with motor coordination, attention and physical health issues.

Students with autism face many challenges with communication while in the classroom. Expressive communication is defined as sending a message to someone to have something happen or to stop something that is currently occurring.  A teaching strategy to use with autistic students to improve communication is visual representation systems.  These systems consist of real objects, pictures, drawing, or written words to communicate.

Knowing what expressive communication is and strategies that can be used is just another tool in the teacher toolkit for the classroom.  Teachers never know what they will find in their classroom but the more they know the better prepared they can be.

References:

https://nationaldb.org/library/page/1937

http://www.specialed.us/autism/nonverbal/non12.htm