Low Tech, Low Cost & Freebies

As budgets continue to be tight, here are some great resources to share and take a look at! Assistive technology does not have to cost a lot or be complicated to use!

National Public Website on Assistive Technology  offers a variety of resources including a list of AT exchanges  and other resources for individuals and families to access equipment.

Linda J. Burkhart continues to offer wonderful ideas, instructions and links to valuable resources on her  Simplified Technology website.

Tots-n-Tech offers a list of resources which include make it yourself ideas, low cost and low tech options.

Let’s Play Resources from the University of Buffalo has a number of free downloads which provide information on how to support infants using AT.

Instructables has a large variety of “how to” ideas with instructions on how to build various pieces of low to high tech.

Free audio books for children

Free Adapted books

NYC Dept. of Education Accessible Books  (Free)

SETBC:  This website has been shared before. If you have not already looked at it you should!

 

Proxtalker & ProxPad Choice Maker

The Proxtalker has been available for a while and has originally been marked as a voice output PECS (picture exchange communication system) system.  At a recent demonstration we discussed some additional uses which are quite valuable. Attaching tangible symbols which are then linked voice output opens up the availability of additional language information for students who require more concrete supports and representations. It allows you to string together sentences, phrases and more complex material for engagement.

ProxPad Choice Maker allows the student to engage with tangible symbols as well, but in a simpler format. Tangible symbols can be programmed to make choices, simple comments, as core words/vocabulary as well as using them for other communicative functions.

Tangible symbols have been used for decades. They are often a transition tool used to support the movement from concrete understanding to more abstract ones. One of the struggles which can be present at times, is that we do not have the same ways to provide immediate feedback when they are used by the student (unless everything is one to one). Having voice output available will now allow the teacher and student to engage in gradual distancing. Distancing involves the communication partner gradually moving back so that the student learns they are present but not immediately available while still supporting the initiation of communication at any time. Having voice output facilitates engagement at a distance and reinforces more abstract thinking about language, people, interactions and the environment. Having a better path and options to support language and communication is critical for student with more complex disabilities.

 

ProxPad with tactile symbols Video

Communication and Civil Rights

Access to dynamic communication (language) systems is a matter of civil rights. Augmentative and Alternative Communication should not be seen as a service we provide, but rather as a duty in facilitating the civil rights of those who do not currently have the dominant voice in our culture.  The provision of such systems is a high priority in the field and supports the emancipation of those with limited voice, power, and independence who must function within a social structure that has been designed for the more typically abled.  There has been progress to become more inclusive and to recognize in full, alternatives to spoken language. Giving voice to those who may be limited by the dominant culture is an issue of social justice. Stop and think, is it possible to count all of the words in your mind? Could you even right them all down? Yes, you have access to an almost unlimited vocabulary that is always expanding but invisible to others until you convey your thoughts.  People who use AAC must have similar access to language. Think about if all you could communicate was printed on a series of pages in front of you.  Think about how it would feel if you were not allowed to have new words until you met criteria on the old ones; criteria that were set by other people and not necessarily measured in an effective manner.  We have to advocate strongly, relentlessly and without apology. Would it ever be acceptable to make a typically developing child wait to speak until a team decided they were ready to use certain words, or until there was enough money in the budget to provide the words? This is what we do all the time. It is time to change our policies and practices to reflect a more inclusive direction. Below is a video that was shared with me highlighting some of these points.

The text of the video is transcribed here: Henry Frost

 

Google Glasses - Access to Sign Language

The Egyptian Museum in Turin will be trialing a new application which will provide sign-language interpretation during their tour of the museum.  This has amazing potential and use across a variety of scenarios if successful.  It converts written text into Italian sign language.  This will allow for improved accessibility in a manner which was not previously available. In addition, we can continue to hear that Google is working on a speech-to-text application which may emerge over the next year.  This type of application will assist many people, not just those who may be deaf or hearing impaired. It would improve access for people with other types of disabilities as well. Here is a link for a video on using Google Glass for the Deaf.

Universal Design & Augmentative & Alternative Communication – New Trends

Over the past year there have been a number of innovations in the area of augmentative & alternative communication (AAC) which contribute the ideals of universal design.  We continue to see strong inclusion of multiple accessibility features across all platforms. One could say that the line between assistive technology, instructional technology and technology for personal use has never been more blurred.  The blurring of these lines leads us towards true inclusive practice, design, and full access (link to article on AAC technology to Access the World) to the privileges exercised by those who are able to use spoken language efficiently.

The current trend appears to be directed at tablet usage for AAC. The accessibility features which are present across platforms have set a new standard in how we look at AAC access and universal design. We still have a mix of products on the market which include typical tablets and those repurposed for dedicated AAC usage.  Historically the iTechnology and the androids tablets adapted by Saltillo were the primary options available. This has since changed in more recent history.  We have now seen the first adaptation to a typical store bought Windows 8 tablet for eye-gaze. (Tobii  EyeMobile). DynaVox has released a new tablet based system as well: DynaVox T-10.  This includes the new Compass software program.  PRC offers the Accent 800 series which is the smallest device they offer with their expansive software programs.  Cost remains a challenge. We have to make a strong commitment to reducing costs for both the hardware and software. Although insurance may pay for some of this, not everyone has access to such coverage.

Another challenge is the availability of high quality communication apps across platforms. To have universal access and to support universal design across products, we have to expand upon the quality and availability of AAC applications. One should not have to choose a device based on the application available. Proper selection of an AAC device must include many things which combine a variety of hardware options, platforms and high quality software/applications.

AAC Connect offers a variety of tools which are helpful in choosing communication applications. These tools are both free and for purchase. With so many different applications on the market, it is important to develop more consistent evaluative techniques. Many do not have lite versions or the ability to trial prior to purchase. This then requires a systematic needs and review to assist in the selection process. The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Communication Enhancement (AAC-RERC) wrote a white paper on communication apps and mobile devices which provide an overview of some of the current issues and progress.  This site also offers many other sources of information which are relevant to the current trends in AAC.

Universal design is emerging in many aspects of our lives. It is imperative that we recognize this, educate ourselves on these options and include them in our daily practice. We must give feedback to manufacturers and software developers as a part of our professional practice and engagement in the field.

US Supreme Court: Death Penalty, IQ & Intellectual Disability

Use of the death penalty on people with intellectual disabilities has been the focus of very heated debate for decades.  The US Supreme Court will be hearing a challenge on the IQ criteria used to establish intellectual disability as it relates to being eligible for the death penalty.  The original landmark case was decided in 2002: Atkins v. Virginia 536 U.S. 304. The ruling held that the execution of a person deemed intellectually impaired was a direct violation of the 8^th Amendment of the Constitution.  It is considered, “cruel and unusual punishment”.  

The current challenge comes from the use of IQ to determine intellectual disability. Presently an IQ of 70 or less would result in being found intellectually impaired.  There is a long history of court challenges around IQ testing in general, especially in the field of special education. IQ alone has not been sufficient to find any student eligible for services. A full comprehensive assessment is needed.  The American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities discusses the criteria which go into making an accurate diagnosis. IQ is one component of this but at no time can IQ alone be used to make this determination.  

There have been specific cases in the states where IQ has been the main determining factor in using the death penalty. This is the piece which is being challenged and heard by the US Supreme Court.  The original decision did not provide clear guidelines and left the decision to determine intellectual disability with the states.

People with intellectual disabilities who are convicted of killing another human being do have to be held accountable. How this happens needs to be carefully considered.  To allow someone not to be held accountable is problematic and at the same time we must consider the circumstances of each individual.  Deciding on a fair way to determine intellectual disability is a matter of life and death.  It is a task which must be looked at with the utmost prudence.  These discussions must include people with intellectual disability. The rulings will impact everyone and everyone’s voice must be represented, especially those for whom it will have the greatest impact.

This is a very controversial topic and warrants a very in-depth debate which will yield imperfect answers. It is situated in a history where people with intellectual impairments were subjected to inhumane treatment, the target of a eugenics movement as well as a long history of not receiving an adequate education.  It is just not as simple or as narrow as it has been made out to be at times. A definition alone does not account for this horrific and recent history. It was not until 1975 when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act PL 94-142(now IDEIA) was first put into law addressing the educational needs of students with special needs. This was the first time schools were mandated to educate all children, including those with intellectual disabilities. Many court cases followed with challenges made regarding who could benefit from an education. The reality is we have only been attempting to provide a free and appropriate public education to people with disabilities in an aggressive manner for the past 38 years.  This is a very short period of time. Inclusive practices have been evident for even less.  There is no way to measure the impact this complicated history has in the current capacity of each person with an intellectual disability. Although none of this is an excuse to commit a crime, nor is it a reason not to hold someone accountable; rather it is representative of a problematic human history where certain groups are marginalized, discounted and silenced.

If we are really going to look at the death penalty as it relates to intellectual disability, all voices must be included. If they are not, we will continue to marginalize a group which has already been subjected to the judgments of the dominant culture and perpetuate a society which is selective on its application of social justice.

 

Behavior Mapping by Amy Buie

One of the things all hands-on professionals and families look for are very practical resources they can use immediately and expand upon to meet the unique needs of their students or child. Behavior Mapping written by Amy Buie, M.Ed., BCBA, LBA is an example of such a resource. I have found over the years that simple, practical information can sometimes be the most powerful when you are addressing the day to day needs of a child with ASD. Behavior mapping is not a new concept and has been established in the research literature for some time now. It capitalizes on the use of visuals in a systematic manner in which the student is explicitly shown the path of their behavioral choices.  It has long been established that people with Autism struggle with complex social rules, social-communication and the broader concept of the hidden curriculum. Behavior mapping provides a concrete representation of the expectations of the student and the consequences (reinforcement) while showing what the alternative path is should the student engage in the targeted behavior to decrease and what those consequences will be.  The book provides clear instructions and a wide variety of examples to begin with.

One of the things I like most about this book is that it is written by a practitioner. Teacher research, that is teachers who reflect upon their practice in a systematic manner impacting the effectiveness of their instruction and thus supporting better student outcomes, tends to produce some of the most helpful ideas available for immediate application. It is an ongoing conversation which adds to the evolving knowledge and practice of the profession.  I would recommend taking a look at this book. It is something I will be placing on my resource list for many of the classes I teach.  I have found that preservice teachers are often much more invested in purchasing, reading and applying knowledge from these types of books as opposed to more traditional texts. 

Behavior Mapping: Autism Aspergers Publishing Company

Disability Employment Awareness Month – October

This is disability employment awareness month. As you click on the website of the first link you will also notice at the top, that the website is not being regularly updated due to the irresponsible government shutdown.  It is important to note that the impact of the lack of duty of care for the American People impacts so many different areas.

Disability employment continues to be a serious issue across the world. The US Dept. of Labor website does offer a variety of tools and pieces of information including ideas of what you can do.  Autism Speaks has posted its report – Employment Think Tank which is an important read.

Accessing consultation to improve the accessibility of the workplace including various aspects of specific job duties is one way to continue to move forward. Consultation must include people with disabilities in order to make effective changes.  An inclusive world must include all voices in order to make sustainable changes which are responsive to the dynamic and diverse workforce we will continue to have.

It goes back to seeing the person first. There are so many people who are waiting to use their gifts and talents. What a tremendous loss this is to everyone when we are not able to capitalize on this.

 

Technologies on the Horizon

The New Media Consortium has developed some informative centralized reports and resources for emerging technologies and trends. Two of their latest reports for K12 Education and Higher Education prove a comprehensive review of the direction we are going in. In addition there is a great resource for teachers to share information internationally: ELO It allows you to develop activities, store them, share them and have access to other activities. Practices of sharing information freely and collaborating on a much broader basis has become so much easier, there is really no reason not to do it.

 

 

Autism Educator Endorsement - Massachusetts

AN ACT TO INCREASE CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE

COMPLEX NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM

 

Docket No. 2870

 

Lead sponsor:  Representative Bradley

           

This bill will help ensure that school districts increase their capacity to provide appropriate educational services to the growing numbers of students with autism in the Commonwealth.     The legislation requires the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to revise educator licensure regulations and provide a mechanism for special education teachers to receive an Autism Endorsement. Despite the fact that Massachusetts has experienced a steep rise in the number of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder over the past decade, licensure regulations inadequately prepare teachers to meet the complex and unique needs of students with autism.  Thousands of students with autism across the Commonwealth will benefit from this legislation.  Starting in 2016, the bill also requires IEP Teams to include a teacher with an Autism Endorsement, to ensure that the Team can adequately address the complex communication, behavioral, sensory, social, and academics needs of youth in the least restrictive environment.  In addition, the bill ensures that existing recertification requirements regarding effective inclusive schooling for children with disabilities address the needs of children with autism.

 

Here are some important links explaining the bill in more detail: Massachusetts Advocates for Children 

 

Something else you may be interested in is the current Autism Commission Report.