Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Denies Lifesaving Transplants to Girl with Developmental Disabilities

2012-01-13T17:30:00.002-05:00

CHOP has denied this little girl, who has Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome a lifesaving kidney transplant because she has developmental delay. Read her story. Sign a petition. Sign another petition. Write on CHOP's Facebook Page.

CHOP has issued the following statement justifying their actions:

"We have watched with great concern the comments regarding criteria used in making transplant eligibility decisions. We understand your concerns and reactions to the Facebook postings.

We strive to provide the safest possible care for our patients and we make transplant eligibility decisions based on widely-accepted, medically valid methods, with many factors considered. We want you to know that CHOP does not have any criteria which exclude patients from being considered for transplant solely on the basis of their cognitive status. Transplant programs at CHOP have never declined a patient for transplant based solely on their cognitive status and we have performed transplants on many children with disabilities and impairments.

CHOP’s transplant programs continue to evaluate and perform transplants on some of the most complex cases in the country. We use an established framework for consistent evaluation and transplantation. Each child is evaluated on an individual basis, taking multiple medical, surgical, and psychosocial aspects into consideration. In each evaluation, we consider the possible risk and outcome of the recipient, potential donor options, as well as alternative therapies.

In order to determine eligibility for transplantation, a multidisciplinary evaluation is completed by several members of the transplant team, which would include careful assessment of a patient by surgical and transplant specialists, as well as, psychosocial, and neurologic specialists. Parents and family members are very much a part of the discussion.

We wish to emphasize that all determinations of eligibility for transplantation are treated on an individual basis. We make all decisions regarding eligibility using a non-discriminatory approach, after a multidisciplinary assessment and discussion, which is the standard of practice throughout the country.

These communications are very important to us and provide us with an opportunity to always re-examine and reassess our approach and process. We hope that we can continue to improve and continue to provide exceptional care for children with organ failure."

Change.org|Start an Online Petition »

Fine Motor Work Boxes

2011-12-28T21:19:00.000-05:00


Toothbrushes into holders. Designed by our COTA.

Sorting change. The ones with Velcro are for the sample.

Sorting by color. Cups and blocks from Dollar Store. Pizza box was free.

Containerizing pom-poms with some size sorting.

Sorting dollar store clips.

Popsicle sticks from dollar store into a coffee creamer bottle or spray paint bottle tops to sort by color.

Sorting silverware. We also wash with our power dish brush.

Folding brochures. The jig is from APH. Ask your vision teacher.

Directions to Use a Switch to Scan Playlists on YouTube

2011-12-01T19:14:00.000-05:00

A Few Workboxes

2011-12-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

Writing on the Wall

2011-11-26T18:31:00.001-05:00

A few different educators have made Mock Facebook activities for classrooms and all are creative and wonderful. A couple of the ones I like (get it?) are these ones at Plug-n-Plan and this one at Teaching Blog Addict. Also this teacher's explanation of using a Facebook style bulletin board to post her schedule.

Today I saw the Plug-n-Plan Mock Facebook on Pinterest and thought it might be perfect for encouraging choice making, reflection and combining symbols into sentences. Students find their name/picture to replace the standard image. They can dictate a "status update" using communication boards or devices. If needed they can even choose from prepared "status updates". This would be a great accompaniment to journaling or school-to-home notes. Students can "like" other students "status updates" to work on interconnection between students and pro-social behavior.

A mock Facebook is great for reflecting on activities, emotions and the self. A mock Pinterest might be fun to use to hang photos and work on choice making and learning about peers. Discussion can be held about what we learn about a peer who "pins" a picture of himself skiing or herself horseback-riding.

So here are my "Facebook" and "Pinterest" boards. The originals are in Power Point and can be downloaded from the SlideShare web site or you can download from Google Docs (or choose make copy from the pull down menu on the left to save to your own account and edit). You will want to edit the info in the "profile" to fit your class and make it more relevant.

Facebook classroom wall

View more presentations from Kate Ahern.

As always if the SlideShare doesn't work for you please check out the Google Docs version or email me to ask for the .PPTX file.

Core Vocabulary Learning

2011-11-25T13:22:00.002-05:00

We are about to embark on a new project in my classroom. It will focus on learning 30 or more core vocabulary words through symbols and auditory language. We will focus on one to two words a week. The idea is to embed this into our normal routine with one or two lessons about the word/symbol meaning as well. One of the things we will use to do this is the Core Vocabulary Learning Book I am posting below. Please share your thoughts and ideas!

Core vocabulary learning book

View more presentations from Kate Ahern.

If you have trouble with SlideShare here it is in Google Docs.

In case you don't have Boardmaker, Communicator or some other program here are Core Vocab Cards in PCS and SymbolStix. Email for the Communicator file (.cdd).

Core vocab cards pcs and ss

View more presentations from Kate Ahern.

Finally here are core word communication boards in Arasaac, PCS and Symbolstix. Email for the Tobii Communicator file (.cdd).

Core words in three symbol sets

View more presentations from Kate Ahern.

Bloggerversary

2011-11-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

Somehow I missed my blogging anniversary! On November 19th this blog turned 5! I can't believe that it has been five years! Five years, 1800 posts and nearly 150,000,000 visitors!

There may be some changes to this blog soon. Some of you have already pointed out some changes. Most are due to my two hour a day commute. I apologize to those of you who miss more regular posts.

Anyways, Happy Bloggerversary!

Please comment below if you have enjoyed or benefited from the blog in the past five years!

Free Printable Books (for Older Students)

2011-11-24T00:27:00.003-05:00

First a free printable color book for learners with significant special needs that has no picture of toys, children our kid's clothing.

View more presentations from Kate Ahern.

If you have trouble with SlideShare you can also get it on Google Docs.

You can use as a slide show. You can print, laminate and bind. Play "Eye Spy" with the pages for receptive language, use descriptions or functions of objects to add new skills. Hand out the pages and have the kids collect items the same color as their page and then share with their friends.

Here is a book that has the numbers 1-10 appearing on each page.

Numbers book

View more presentations from Kate Ahern.

If the SlideShare link doesn't work try Google Docs.

Enjoy!

Do you Pinterest?

2011-11-13T20:37:00.000-05:00

Pinterest is a visual social networking site. Members "pin" images or even videos to their pin boards. Membership is free, so you might as well check it out. And, like everything else, there is an app for that.

Some of my Pin Boards you might like to look at include:

Teaching and Learning (I deliberately mix general education and special education content in an awareness raising effort)
Crafts
Free AT

Wicked Proud!

2011-11-08T23:17:00.002-05:00

I am so proud to share with all of my readers that my brother, Brendan, just became on of 34 Board Certified Behavior Analysts in the state of Hawaii and under 5,000 worldwide. He is one of only 46% who passed the recent boards. Also he is the only person who has even given me a way to explain an extinction burst in a way everyone will understand. You rock, Brendan!

Please leave your congratulations in the comments!

Ohhh... I am such a proud sister!!!

(And thanks in advance for all of the help with all FBA's and behavior plans I will continue to send you. That one you helped me with before worked out, by the way. We have maintained a 97% decrease in the behavior for over six months.)

2011-11-03T16:09:00.000-04:00

Things to Do with Extra Picture Symbols

2011-11-01T20:46:00.002-04:00

What do you do with those left over communication symbols that seem to multiple everyday? (They are especially prolific if you use the Unique Learning Program.) Do you throw them away? Hold on to them for some other purpose?

Here is a multiple part activity you can do that includes sorting by part of speech and then using the symbols for MadLibs style activities.

Part One: Teach your students the three basic parts of speech: noun, verb, adjective. Although you may want to teach the parts of speech using the words that the student's AAC system uses/will use i.e. action words, describers, people/places/things. (If you students are able to learn more then go for it!).

Then do a class or group art project. Decorate a cool container that will be used to hold each part of speech you teach. You could use some of the left over symbols and magazine pictures to illustrate the type of word the container will hold. Be sure to include a picture symbol label that matches the category in the AAC books/devices.

Now you can set aside the symbols left over each day until you have a tidy pile of them and then allow a student to sort them into the correct containers. This is a great way for emerging AAC users to work on catagories. You can hold up a symbol and ask the student to show you in his book or device where they would find that word. (I would consider printing out a few sets of core vocabulary word symbols and adding them to the pile to be sorted on a regular basis.)

Now you have containers of words to use for activities. Some ideas include:

MadLib Style Activities - print out free, "easy" MadLib style activites and then allow student to pick from a field of two or three (or more) words from the correct container to fill in the blanks (we did this with some free Halloween MadLib's last week - so fun!) or you can go through a theme related paragraph or book you have already read to the students and turn it into a MadLib
Silly Sentences - have students pick one word from each jar and make a sentence
Charades or Pictionary -play with peer tutors using words pulled from the containers
Art - use the symbols in art projects and collages related
Play Clap/Slap (adapt the movement as needed)
Sort the words even more - by topic or other criteria
Use spare symbols as "foils" when asking questions

Free MadLib Style Activities

Great Expectations (Rett Educators Network Presentation)

2011-10-20T17:43:00.007-04:00

Great expectations

View more presentations from Kate Ahern

Or please go to:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/pub?id=1_a3bFg8Q85JFFLrF4rN7dsnWBvtDuvfbPe2jYts-2HE&start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

to view the slide show.

Starfish Awareness Month

2011-10-15T22:55:00.001-04:00

If you work in this field long enough Down Syndrome Awareness month starts being about Cory, Sean, Christian, David and Ricky. Rett Syndrome Awareness Month becomes thoughts about Kelly, Jen and Becca. AAC Awareness Month is about every kid who you ever helped say yes, no, help or "I love you!" for the first time with a "talker". And that is just October.

November brings Epilepsy Awareness Month and thoughts of every child who you've sat with, holding their hand and reassuring them, while you watched the clock and waited for the seizure to end. Last month was Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Month and my thoughts were on Astrid, Ingrid and Sarah. March may mean spring to some but it is both Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Students with CP and Developmental Disabilities have made up the preponderance of my caseload for 15 years. And I have loved every single one of them.

I have walked, rode, crafted, rocked, danced and quilted for so many causes I can't begin to remember them all. Not to mention all of the raffle tickets, candy, cookies, calendars and gift wrap I have bought. Sometimes it all seems like it can't possibly make a difference.

I know it is sappy but that is when my mind always goes back to the Starfish Story. You know the one, with the little child tossing the drying starfish back in the ocean when the old cynic says it isn't going to do any good. And the child says, "It makes a difference to this one."

The thing is my students aren't starfish. They are only helpless if we teach them to be helpless. My job isn't to toss them back in the water. My job is to teach them communication, independence and self-advocacy. My job is to keep them from being beached in the first place and to teach them how to make sure they stay in the water where they belong.

So I'm going to fight for more than awareness and for more than cures. I am going to fight for all my students to be able to become who they are - fully and without compromise. Are you with me?

Switch Adapted Fiber Optic Lamp

2011-10-15T19:23:00.001-04:00

A couple of years ago our classroom received a Starlight Fiber Optic Lamp through a Donors Choose grant. This wonderful sensory device has many features including a spinning bouquet of fiber optic lights, sound sensitive LED lights that glow through the fibers and soothing ambient sound effects. My students loved watching, touching and listening to the lamp.

In the back of my mind I have been intending to adapt it to be switch controlled for a while, but with so many knobs and buttons a simple battery interrupter would not work. So when I finally found a few free hours I broke out the toolbox and soldering iron.

Having used the lamp with a student the previous day I knew I wanted to switch adapt the sound effects button, which would allow even my students with CVI and/or low vision to use the lamp with a switch. If I did it correctly pressing an attached external ability switch would allow my students to scan through the sounds of the sea, crickets in a field, an organ playing and a few others.

Once the black chassis was unscrewed and taken apart several small tact switches were located inside. Luckily they were labelled and it was easy to pop off the one marked "audio". It took a few tries to determine which two of the four places where the tact switches were attached were the where the new switch port should be soldered. Once that was done I soldered the other ends of the wire to a 1/8" female switch port. In this process my soldering iron broke and I replaced it, meaning everything sat in a box for about a week. Since so much time had passed remembering how to put everything back in the chassis was tricky. Next time I will snap photos of every step of the process, just in case. Finally we tried it out, it worked perfectly and has been in heavy rotation during our brief daily independent leisure periods.

First Dynamic Display AAC Device in India

2011-10-10T23:04:00.001-04:00

Avaz is a new dynamic display communication device in India. It is a fully featured speech generating device which works both as a text and/or a symbol driven device. It uses the SymbolStix icon set and has many options for set up. It is accessible via mouse, touchscreen, switch scanning and mouse emulators. Surprisingly the device is in English only, although you can record speech in any language if need be. The website does not list a price but states the Avaz is 5% the cost of a PRC, Tobii or Dynavox. They also have a program of volunteers and sponsors who can sponsor a device for a child in need. (Wouldn't it be great of the companies in the US did that? Actively pursued sponsors for individuals who didn't have any other funding?)

Will you help us?

2011-10-02T07:34:00.000-04:00

Hello folks. My students are trying to get an iPad2 funded for our classroom through Donors Choose. We only have a week left to raise a little over $600! Please help us!

Flash on your iPad!

2011-09-26T15:33:00.001-04:00

Did you know that for just 99 cents you can use Flash based websites on an iOS device? That includes great games for those with significant special needs like those at Shiny Learning and Help Kidz Learn! The Puffin Browser works on all iOS devices, iPad, iPod and iPhone. I don't know how it works, but using it to visit websites allows you to see and interact with Flash items! (Admittedly with a bit of a lag.) For switch based games the entire touch screen becomes your switch and the game becomes even more fun!

New AAC Device - The Papoo Touch

2011-09-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

The Papoo Touch is a unique new communication device. It combines text and symbol based communication with multi-media capabilities. The Papoo Touch, from France, runs board sets from The Grid 2, a popular AAC program. It also provides text-to-speech through entering text. Text can be entered through typing or by writing on the screen with a finger. As for it's multi-media capabilities they include music and video players as well as video games. It is also multilingual working in English, French, Italian, Spanish and German.

The Papoo Touch weighs just under 5 ounces. It is 6 by 3.5 inches and about 1 inch thick. It can be operated with one or two hands using the touch screen or a switch. It comes with a USB cable for syncing to a PC, Mac or Linux computer and for charging as well as a neck cord. The volume from the built in speakers can reach up to 80 feet. The batteries last for 3 hours of speech and 48 hours on standby.

Carrie Communication Cards

2011-09-24T19:37:00.001-04:00

Carrie Communication Cards are a new product coming out from Super Duper in December 2011. They are color-coded 2.5 x 2.25 inch plastic cards that use the SymbolStix Symbol Set. They have a pre-punched hole for carrying on a key ring. One side of the card has a color symbol and English word, the other a gray-scale symbol.

These cards will be useful for instruction, cueing, games and more in the classroom. They will be especially useful for working with students who are learning SymbolStix Based AAC Programs like a Tobii, Proloquo2Go, TouchChat or Saltillo's Chat Series.

My only wish (besides having 2 or 3 sets for my classroom) is that Super Duper add a "Core Vocabulary" set of cards to the 22 other sets that come in Carrie Communication Cards. And maybe that the cards be magnetic.

Carrie Communication Cards will retail at $249.99.

(The information below is taken directly from the Super Duper page.)

The 22 card categories include:

Animals
Around the Home
Body Parts
Calendar & Time
Clothing
Colors/Shapes/Numbers/Letters
Descriptions
Drinks

Food
Grooming
Money
OT/PT Words
People
Places
Safety
School

Social
Sports
Toys
Transportation
Verbs
Weather

Carrie Communication Cards includes:

740 color-coded cards (2"x 2¼")
Instruction Booklet with ideas for use
5 key chains with rings
Black briefcase for easy transportation

Free Online Switch Activities - Updated

2011-09-22T22:20:00.002-04:00

This is an update of the post listing online switch activities for learners with multiple or significant special needs. The activities listed are chosen because they can be used with switches, they are simple and they are enjoyable. The activities listed are free. Some activities may require set up by an assistant before switch use. Although care has been taken not to include switch activities with any violence or graphic images teachers and others still need to check activities for age and general appropriateness before use.

Update: Owlie Boo one button activities and ePlayground have been added to the list

Cause and Effect (and Press to Play):

Bugs, Transportation and Musical Monkey (set switch to tab)
Help Kidz Learn*
Hiyah*
Kneebouncers*
Priory Woods Videos Revamped*
Learning Tools (scroll down)*
Owlie Boo* (any of the activities under "Pressing Keys" with switch set to space bar or enter)
Rock Paper Scissors
NGFL Snap Matching Activity (teacher must set up, but arrow over the "Snap" button)
Silly Books (look for the "click through books" and set mouse arrow over "next")
Special Bites*

Single Switch Scanning/Timed Single Switch Response (sites may include some cause and effect games as well):

A Sliding Puzzle for Helen (download)*
Bullseye
CBBC*
CBeebies*
Cow Jumped Over the Moon
ePlayground (four completely accessible games)
Help Kidz Learn*
Jack Be Nimble
My Switch Games by Scott McKay*
NGfL Switch Coloring*
Papunet*
Priory Woods Kids Only*
SEN/Switcher*
Shiny Learning *
Special Bites*
SwitchedOn Games Bowling
Switch Music
Tar Heel Typer (online switch keyboard)
The Great Fish Race (download only)

Two Switches (unless otherwise noted you must click in the area of the game and then use tab and enter to play):

Subscription Sites with Free Trials

Busy Things is a switch accessible site for young children out of the UK. You can try it out for free for two weeks.
Switch Climber* (costs $14.95 a month and you can "try-before-you-buy" with a free two week subscription.)

Also be sure to check out Game Base and One Switch for other (usually more advanced) switch games.

*Those sites with a star have multiple activities to try out! Wednesday's With Sam lists these by activity instead of website if that is useful for you.

Symbol and Photo Sets and Programs to Use Them

2011-09-18T19:34:00.002-04:00

Free Picture Symbols

Alexia
ARASAAC

PECS for All

PECS for All

PECS for All

Commercial Picture Symbols

Bliss Symbols

Clarity Symbols (formerly called LibSyms, currently avaliable on PRC Devices)
Dynasyms

Imagine Symbols

Basic Communication Board Picture CD (scroll down)
Go Talk Software
Imagine Symbol Directory

Inclusive Pictures
Ispeek Symbols
Kid Access Eye-Cons
Language Images
Makaton
Mayer-Johnson Picture Communication Symbol

PRC Icons

PiCs Symbols/Pogo Board Symbols (subscription)
Pixons
Slater Symbols/PixWriter (free and $)
SoftPics
SymbolsStix

Free Photo Sets

Pics4Learning

Commercial Photo Sets

Boardmaker Add-On

See Sense

The Grid

Teaching Pix

Tactile Symbols

Free Board Making Programs

Commercial Board Making Programs

Basic Communication Board Picture CD (scroll down)
Boardmaker, Boardmaker Plus, Boardmaker SDP
Language Images Design Your Own
Language Maker
Matrix Maker
Parleri Online (subscription)
Photo Sentence Maker
Pics for PECS
Picture This Series
Pogo Boards (subscription)
SymbolMate
SymPrint Overlay and Design
Teaching Pix
Universal Icon Maker (Enabling Devices)

Do It Yourself Directions

2011-09-18T13:25:00.043-04:00

School districts and educational agencies are feeling the economic crisis in painful ways. Doing your own adaption can save valuable resources for other things. Often times self-adapted items work as well or better than commercial items.

Additionally making adaptions to items can be a create way to build community during a professional development day. Gather items you may need for adaptions and store in a central location, then you can grab it and get together with colleagues for an afternoon of purposeful fun.

Adaption Toolbox Items

craft, hot and crazy glue (plus glue gun)
various kinds of tape
sticky tack
scissors
soldering iron, solder
notching file
clamps
tacks
brads
dollar store items (things from the toy, craft, kitchen goods and hardware aisles)
"junk drawer" items
allen wrenchs
screw drivers and screws in all sizes
hammer and nails in all sizes
assorted nuts and bolts
cable ties
velcro
goo gone (or similar)
disinfectingwipes/alcohol based sanitizer
x-acto knife or similar
sandpaper
staples and stapler/staple gun
foam core board
contact paper
epoxy
switch componets, wire, speakers, assorted electronics
PVC Pipe
Triwall Cardboard
Loc-Line
first aid kit

Here are directions to make various adaptations for your students.

School Tools

Activities of Daily Living

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Switches/Switch Accessible

Leisure/Play

Academic Helpers

CVI Interventions

Make a Portable Lightbox

Helpful Information

The Basic Guide to Soldering

Apps for AAC

2011-09-17T14:45:00.002-04:00

There are so many places keeping up with the constantly evolving world of apps for Augmentative and Alternative Communication for mobile devices. Here are some links to bookmark to find out about new AAC apps and compare features:

iOS (iPod, iPhone and iPad)

Android

V-Pen AAC Now in USA

2011-09-14T20:31:00.000-04:00

I have been gazing with longing at the V-Pen (from Unlimiter) system for sometime now. Until recently it was not available in the United States, however PCI has begun to carry it. The V-Pen is an electronic talking pen which "reads" letters, words or symbols from a paper. It comes with two spelling boards and seven adhesive stickers. You can also purchase a V-Board of symbols and VoiceInk software to make your own boards. VoiceInk boards can also be accessed using the free VoiceInk app on an iPad. The integrated system is called Uni-Tech. Both the VoiceInk boards and the software use the PingPong Boy Symbol Set (also from Unlimiter). Check it out in the video:

Sadly it is possible that the V-Pen system has made it to the USA too late. The price point for the pen and boards is $1,499.95 and the software adds another $499.95 to that. For that price you can buy an iPad2 with Proloquo2Go AND TouchChat plus a stylus and portable speakers. The tablet movement may be out too far ahead for the V-Pen to take hold.

If you are tied to the idea of a board and pen system you can try using the AnyBook Reader plus stickers (with is about $55.00 with extra memory) on a communication board you make with Boardmaker or SymbolMate or even Microsoft Word and Google Images.