This blog focuses on success stories, ideas, supports, services and many more areas in which we can empower people with different abilities in having equal access to the world. Everyone is welcome to join in this conversation. It includes research, experience and opinion. We need to talk about these areas and continue to look at ways to do things better. We have not been doing any of this long enough to be satisfied with what we have. Complacency is not an option for anyone.
The following are mounts made by our assistive technology and speech and language professionals. They are sturdy and offer a much larger range of positioning options for the iPad. Students can be on a swing, in standers, on the mats, doing table work etc. Take a look... http://www.modularhose.com/Assistive-Technology
3-D touchscreens allow users to receive tactual feedback from images. Disney has integrated this into their parks this past fall. Having the additional tactile input allows users to receive and process more information from the digital display. For those with visual impairments, this may assist in understanding and engaging with the material so that the depth of concept formation will expand and hopefully assist in making even more connections with information in the future. Only time will tell if it is effective. This technology has tremendous potential for educational application, greater work accessibility as well as being integrated into out typical digital signage that is now available in many cities to convey all types of information. Tactual interactive maps alone would assist in navigating unfamiliar areas. This used in combination with some of the newer GPS advanced smartphone apps (especially those for the visually impaired) could open up the world so much more for everyone.
Freedom to move is a topic this blog has covered several times. It is an ongoing segment which addresses the profound need of optimized independent movement for those who may not have traditional mobility. The University of Florida has designed an new powered chair which runs off of a smartphone app. It is amazing and has pushed us in a direction of greater ease of engagement with much more control and flexibility which can be easily accessed in any given moment.
The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC)continues
to celebrate the abilities of people through Art Center by hosting a yearly
exhibition entitled Creative Expressions . Take a look at the different exhibitions. The
art is amazing. Creative Connections is another
site worth visiting to take a look at the incredible art being crafted by
people of all different types of abilities with a shared love and talent in the
area of artistic expression. EAbility has a number of resources listed for arts &
disability. Art Relief
International has some
engaging projects which can give you some additional ideas on how to engage all
with the arts. The creative arts provide a type of access to the world. Communication,
expression, learning etc. are all a piece. In an era when we are continuously
looking at ways of opening up the world, this is one avenue which has a long
standing history or promise. The National Disability Arts Collection and
Archiveprovides both an historical
and current perspective on the disability in arts movement. The arts can be used as a source of expression
for academic knowledge as well as reinforcing communication and social skills.
Finding the balance in how we engage all students in learning and academics
must include access to a diversified arts program. This will only enhance and
reinforce all of the skills and concepts we hope to convey to our students in a
highly competitive educational environment which does not always seek to be as inclusive and as accessible to
diverse thinkers and doers.
3E
Love began in 2004 and has been educating the world ever since. Please
follow the link to read their incredible story and legacy. On January 20th
in addition to recognizing Martin Luther King, they have asked us to honor this
as a day as an International
Day of Acceptance as well. Having a
voice is often taken for granted. History shows us what happens to various
groups of people who have had their voice silenced. The consequences are
horrific and take decades to move beyond. The consumer movement occurred back in the
late eighties into the 90’s. This brought us our people
first language which is still not universally used, nor is it a matter of
common knowledge. How we refer to each other is a reflection of our underlying beliefs
and values. There are many things we can do to honor this day throughout the
week. Seeing the person first should be a way of life so that difference
becomes a secondary unique characteristic which is a part of who we are but never
the sum total of our being. That could never be measured by a list of traits.
The concept of ableism
has been around for some time. Universal
design, laws and advocates have made progress in eliminating all different
types of discrimination. We have made progress but the world is still
predominantly designed for what we continue to consider the typically abled. It
is time to move beyond these perceptions. Believing that we could
possibly describe the “typically abled” has to be made problematic...there could be no such thing. We limit others in our world and even those we
have not met yet by our own views and preconceived ideas. Part of
making changes has to come with re-evaluating our views and practices which can
lead to both intended and unintended consequences, some of which may be
unnoticed by us and others. These consequences impact people in ways we may not
see, recognize or understand. Thomas
Hehir has written several pieces on this very issue. There is a link to one of
his articles below along with some additional resources. Eliminating ableism
requires us to address this in schools as part of the embedded curriculum and
overall school culture. Inclusive practices must begin with inclusive
thoughts which become a natural part of the way we perceive and view the world.
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!
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.
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
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.
