Everything I need to know ...

...is yet to be learned.

I planned to get to bed earlier tonight. That was until I started browsing through the blogs. Now it's 10:45 and I really do have to toddle off very soon. But first, one last thing.

The big ideas, and how to put them in words when I am so tired, are escaping me just now. Surfice to say there were a lot of them. There is an AT (app) for that ...whatever the disability. It's just a matter of assessing the individual and their needs ...I know given enough time to google and pole experts it's out there to find. They say that "assume" makes an ass out of u and me ...but if you assume the learner "can do" with AT you'll be headed down the right road. The world is changing almost daily. What seemed impossible 20 or 30 years ago is ordinary today. So in the words a my favorite Star Fleet cammander, "Make it so."

Hearing Impairment ...a personal story

Hearing loss/impairment is a disability that has personally affected me my entire life. When I was a kid in the 1960s and my younger brother called a popular musical variety television program “Jawmesser’s Jewminy”, my family thought it was so cute. Turns out he had a severe hearing lass and the show was Don Messer’s Jubilee. He began wearing hearing aids in elementary school. My older sister was diagnosed with the same type of hearing loss about the same time but was very resistant to aids for many years.

Both James and Kathryn were/are proficient lip readers but hearing aids have made life ad work in the “hearing world” more manageable. They both did B.eds. Kathryn retired three years ago and James now works as an employment counsellor for the Department of community services. I have never really considered them to be disabled as they have always done everything the rest of the family did.

I asked James to describe his new hearing aids.

“My name is James MacCormack and I have severe bi-lateral sensory neural hearing loss. I have recently purchased 2 digital Latitude hearing aids made by Unitron. Previously, I wore analog hearing aids. With advances in hearing aid technology digital hearing aids are able to automatically adjust to various hearing environment. In the past I would have to manually adjust the volume of the analog hearing aids depending on the sound level of where I was. The digital aids are continuously monitoring the audio input and making appropriate adjustment based on my hearing loss. In addition, the digital technology is also Blue tooth compatible. This allows me to automatically connect to the Blue tooth feature on my cell phone for improved reception and ease of use. I’m still trying to work out the feature of the new hearing aids that will allow me wireless connection to my television and stereo speakers.

Overall, there has been a significant improvement in the quality of the sound with the new digital hearing aids. There has been a period of adjustment to the new technology, but the benefits outweigh any drawbacks.”

I was first introduced to this video three years ago while working closely with an APSEA teacher and a student's ASL interperter. They did amazing work. Because I have such a close family connection to hearing impairment, I have come to know the challenges faced by my siblings. There have been lots of frustrations but humour has always helped.

Low Tech B

The student we are programming for is a nine year old girl with profound autism. Danni works on the Star program and has many tasks to accomplish each day. She also has a reward system. She has been using a visual task management strip with first/then set ...first task and then reward.

As we wandered through the Dollarama in New Minas we tried to be conscious of Danni and her IPP outcomes. We wanted to be sure to match our low tech device using the MPTT model and make sure that Danni’s needs would be addressed. We considered many items and found several that could be of benefit.

We bought a portable folding clothes hanger that can be used as a “next step” task manager. It is red and white with little clips. Danni likes these colours and enjoys using clips such as clothes pins. Task cards can be clipped to red and reward cards can be clipped to white. Given that she currently works with a very limited set of choices, our low tech device will allow for her to progress toward dealing with more choices.

The environment in which Danni’s has been working will be expanding so that she will be incorporated into the regular classroom as much as possible. She spends a large part of her day working through the tasks in her Star program. She has a good receptive language and some spontaneous vocabulary that she used to request preferred items and activities. She is very motivated by food items. As Danni works through her program she will be surrounded by her class mates and supported by her teacher and EA. All those in her environment will be taught about the use of the “Hanging Task Manager”.

Danni enjoys the company of her peers and we hope to have them interact with her more as one of her reward tasks. Currently peer interactions is at a parallel play stage. Having them familiar with her program will be helpful in the success of the program.

10 Other Off the Shelf Items that could be used as A.T.
1. Cig out - a little cube to butt out a cigarette - could be used as a pencil holder making it easier to grasp if standing up rather than laying down on the desk.
2. Squishy gel neck cushion - could also be used as a seat cushion for those that like to wiggle in their seat.
3. Plastic cocktail picks, coloured Popsicle sticks - easily attach to pages for creating adapted books
4. Themed felt or foam play board sets - used to build comprehension, vocabulary or various speech and language goals.
5. Blurp, stretchy worms, sticky tack, Glorb - as hand held fidgets
6. Lemon squeezer - use with play doh as relaxation tool or develop hand strength
7. Scribble writer - writing tool that allows squiggles and tactile feedback
8. Wind chimes, reflective wind socks, kaleidoscopes, or mirror balls as visual/relaxation sensory tools
9. Multipurpose storage kits of differing sizes or muffin tins to use for sorting, categorizing or matching activities
10. Silicone mats - use for gripping things or as a work stabilizer at work space

Extras
- Bug magnifier - role play collecting bugs or magnifier to hunt for words, letters, objects etc.
- Frog spray/water can - it could be used as part of a plant care vocational activity, the spray lever could be used to improve hand strength
- One handed tape – when two hands are not able to be used
- Clear plastic squeeze bottles for condiments with measurement on side – for paint and glue and to teach volume (how much is left)
- Bag clips, fasteners, turkey baster, and elasticized plastic bowel covers – fine motor strength and pincer grasp
- Multi - colour/decorative shoe laces – incentive for those who resist wearing shoes
- Modeling clay/beading kits – fine motor and rewards
- Blow out party favours, classical music and nature sounds CD’s - stress relievers
- Silicone egg ring - use as an upper body muscle/proprioceptive tool
- Etch a sketch drawing board or plastic light coloured plastic plates - used as writing (whiteboard) surfaces

Whew! The wheels were turning.

Low tech

The picture above is the "before" of our low tech Assistive technology and the "after" invented adapted picture is at the bottom.

Student (personality): Jay is an 11 year old boy. He has gross and fine motor difficulties. Gross motor skills have developed greatly in the last two years. He is very low cognitively. His speech is difficult to understand most times and he also has weak grammar and articulation skills. He enjoys participating in all physical education classes though some activities are a challenge. He is persistent in doing the activities and having his speech understood by his communication partners. The teacher needs to be mindful that Jay is fairly competitive and can become fixated on winning games or being part of the winning team.

Milieu: Jay will have opportunities built into his day to use the adapted low tech device individually so that he can practice and improve with the device. He can use the device with a classmate as part of a reward choice and also for socializing skills. He could also use the device in a phys.ed class where the same or similar item is being used by everyone.

Technology & Time: The low tech A.T. device is a press and catch ball toy. It can be adapted in a variety of ways to ensure Jay is successful with its use and it can possibly be used over a lengthy period of time depending on Jay's rate of development with it. The device is lightweight and portable. It is easy to use and easy to adapt. The device can have a larger funnel wrapped around the top to help keep the ball in and a larger target field for catching. Varying size, weight and color balls can be used to ensure Jay is successful using the device. Adaptation to the pressing level could be created with a strong rubber band that decreases the amount of force needed by Jay to activate the ball popping. A string or large rubber band that is cut could be attached to the ball and the catching device to improve the chance of successful attempts. The materials for all adaptations are cost effective. The device could potentially be the exact same item as classmates are using in physical edcation classes or outside on the playground.

Task: Jay's main task with this device is to be successful in catching the ball. The device could easily be written into Jay's IPP as a resource for several of the following goals: improve strength in the hand and fingers, develop hand / eye coordination and develop appropriate social skills such as turn taking, sharing and dealing with losing.