Baby Blues Comic Saturday October 9 - Teachers are Part Time People

The Baby Blues link below will have this image on after October 23 due to syndication restrictions. I wanted to share this with my fellow teachers, beacuse although the comic is humourous, it also gives us something to think about. As a person with a teaching profession, we are always thought of as a teacher first and person second. http://www.babyblues.com/archive/index.php?formname=getstrip&GoToDay=09/25/2010

Friday APP day

Check it out - a weekly review of family-friendly APPs http://momswithapps.com/2010/07/23/app-friday-icomm/

Final Thoughts on AT course

Well we reached our goal - we made it through the course. I learned a lot about different assistive devices that can be made, bought, and used. I think the take home message is Look at the Possibilities. Everyone has potential, and if you believe that it can happen, it will happen. Take the t out of can't - it might just happen in a differnt way than we are used to. Two weeks seems such a short time - I know that I am intrigued to learn more. It has been great sharing information and ideas with educators who have such a vast range of experiences. I wanted to share this video of a man who redesigned a pinball machine to make it accessible. I am going to sign off with a Canadian Video from PEI about Kids Disability Awareness.

diabetic retinopathy

“I have always thought it would be a blessing if each person could be blind and deaf for a few days during his early adult life. Darkness would make him appreciate sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.” - Helen Keller Diabetic Retinopathy Retinopathy means damage to the retina. In diabetic retinopathy, the damage is caused by leakage of tiny blood vessels. This is of particular interest to me as my family has a history of diabetes. This very informative video discusses diabetes and diabetic retinopathy as well as treatments and prevention. The next video discusses an AT device that can assist people with diabetic retinopathy when they are looking at a computer screen.iZoom is an onscreen magnifier / reader that boasts being able to magnify text without losing quality of the text. They also boasts being able to magnify websites without having to scroll horizontally. The great thing about iZoom is that you can get the portable iZoom USB, which does not require you to download software to each computer. This is perfect for anyone using public computers. iZoom standard is $299, iZoom USB is $399. They also offer a monthly subscription for those who cannot afford or do not want to purchase the software. Currently they have an introductory price of $19.99 for the service. The downside for my Mac user friends - iZoom is not compatable with Mac. A Jordy Headworn Magnifier is an assistive device that can help people. See the article in the attached link. http://www.allbusiness.com/medicine-health/diseases-disorders-endocrine/5618125-1.html Also attached is a heartwarming story of a little girl who saw her mother for the first time. Although she doesn't have diabetic retinopathy, she is seeing for the first time through the use of a Jordy Headworn Magnifier.

Here is a page out of the Math Book that Joanne and I worked on. Hope it works on here. We had some difficulties getting it to work on a switch. Before we didn't have a cell for it - now we have too many cells. So now, it just takes a long time on a switch - but works well with a mouse. We know how to fix the problem, but at this point, we are just leaving it to concentrate on other things. UPDATE - Because we could fix it - we did fix it! Here are a few pages of the Board that Joanne and I worked on. We are quite proud of our work. I can't figure out how to put the whole thing on here for everyone to see.

Switches

Switches Jason Gerling What an innovative and inspirational man. I enjoyed this video because it shows that anyone can benefit from assistive technology, you don't need to be born with a challenge in order to use assistive technology. I also think this man is an inspiration for those who have been in an accident and think that they can't do the same things they used to in their lives. School Band and Talent Show It was great to see students, who without the use of a switch would not be as actively involved, engaged in music and a talent show. When we think ouitside of the box and look at the world through our students' eyes, we can open a whole world of possibilities. How Ellen uses switches I didn't really know a whole lot about switches. Ellen was great at describing how she used her switches. This is a great watch.

How to Refuel a Vehicle

Our Group Video As a group, we made a video on how to refuel a vehicle. When we did a task analysis, we discovered that there were more than 30 steps for this activity. Margaret, Carl, Joanne and I ran through the gamut of emotions putting this video together. Technology when it works is awesome. Technology when it is offering glitches can create lots of frustration. It's funny beacuse only a few years ago, we only had dial up, but now that we have had high speed, it seems impossibly frustrating to go back to dial up. Technology has changed so much - I remember being on a party line (phone) until I was a teenager - and we didn't have cable until then neither. The changes in my grandmothers life are even more dramatic - she didn't have indoor plumbing until the 1970's. I'm sure the teachers who taught me never imagined that educators would be making their own videos to teach students. I think that after all of our technical glitches, we did a pretty good job. We learned a lot from each other, and brought different strengths to the group. One thing that we learned after doing the voice over was to make sure we used present tense wording.

TASK B

Two new inventions...... Introducing the PERSONAL MAGNIFYING BOOKMARK. The regular model incorporates magnifying technology and a border that can personalized with individual artwork or reading strategy reminders. Lightweight and compact, this product will be a useful addition to those who may have visual impairments or attentional issues. The deluxe model incorporates the same principal, but has space on it to record observations, ask questions, etc. on the sticky-note portion of the bookmark. Low rollers..... Introducing the “Low Roller,” a personal die roller for those with fine motor control issues. There are a few versions available as modelled in the attached picture. For greater ease, students can roll the dice by shaking the smaller containers. This will help those who can manage the containers independently, but still need some support handling the dice. The “Low Roller” bottles contain pasta and dice. Simply roll or shake (using the handle of) the bottles to determine the number on the die. The pasta (or rice, etc.) is placed in the container to stabilize the dice. Other options instead of dice could be words of the week, the alphabet (create words from the letters that emerge), or a “Magic-Eight Ball” version. (Will my teacher give me homework tonight?) LOW TECH - to be made with things from Dollar Store 1. Office – Create an office for those who need to take time away from the class to minimize noise or distractions. Create and “office” using poster board or cardboard and big clips. You can attach schedules, behavioural/organizational checklists as well as other visual organizers. 2. Cardboard with Velcro pennies – To help keep track of completion of activities you could affix pennies to cardboard. This could be used as a reward system (cash in the pennies). 3. Inquiry box - Cover a box and decorate it to create an inquiry box. 4. Talking stick - Whose turn is it to talk? During group or class meetings, the only person whose turn is to talk is the one holding the “talking stick”. There are plenty of options here to create a stick. There are many types of bottles or cylindrical objects that you could add rice, etc. to to create a talking stick.

TASK A List

LOW TECH AT DEVICES at the Dollar Store in New Minas Stop the presses! This just in... the latest in gripping products has just hit the shelves! Once thought to be a “Blinder Duster” (see attached picture), this product is also very useful to help those with fine motor skills pick up delicate objects such as CD’s or DVD’s without scratching them. The cloth cover on the tong-like parts of the gripper ensure that the CD/DVD does not get dust, dirt, or fingerprints on it. Also, the large surface of the handle allows the user ample room to grip and handle delicate items. Squeezing the handle requires minor effort to utilize this tool properly (see attached picture). Individuals with fine motor difficulties would benefit from using the gripper to help them pick up delicate items. When picking up and handling a CD or DVD, it might be helpful to have the item in a large envelope so that someone retrieving the CD could do so independently or with minimal assistance. Using the gripper, a person could scoop up and place the CD into the machine either independently or with minimal assistance. This would help in keeping the CD free from dust, dirt, fingerprints and minimize the possibilities of scratches. It should be noted that this does require some ability to grasp at the midpoint of the gripper. AT List 1. Big pen – fine motor 2. Bubble wand – fine motor These large wands do not require a student to blow into them, but as they have a thin handle, they may need a grip on it for a child to use. 3. Salad spinner – fine motor Baking, anyone? The lid and the handle help students stir ingredients. There are plenty of Spill proof containers to chose from - to mix instead of stirring for fine motor work. 4. Plastic cups – fine motor ***********Want to play a stacking game? 5. Buckets – fine motor *****Practice fine and gross motor skills by catching a ball with a bucket. 6. Straws – fine motor For students with autism who may need to work on fine motor skills, etc. they can use the straws to pick up objects in a game/activity as requested. For example, “Can you move the picture of the blue car?” 7. Ice cube tray – fine motor Sorting, pinching, target selection 8. Dish rack - organizational - Store files/papers, etc. for those that are organizationally challenged. 9. Frisbee- organize – spatial – fine motor There are a myriad of uses for a frisbee! For those students who need to keep their supplies together, this is a simple remedy. If it doesn’t fit on this, it doesn’t stay! For those with spatial or fine motor difficulties, containing items or passing objects may become easier using a frisbee to hold onto. 10. Glue gun – instead of glitter gun – fine motor projects 11. Hands / sticks/ wands – for help – assistive The dollar store has quite a few options in terms of objects that can be used to catch someone’s attention. They could be used by one student or the whole class as a means of either getting a teacher’s attention or to check in whether or not anyone has any questions. As a means of “checking in” with a class a teacher could ask everyone to use their wand. If you use two sides of a flower stick (see the craft aisle), one side could indicate “I got it” while the other side means “I need help here.” 12. Apron – assistive tech painting, eating 13. Headphones – assistive tech - noise reduction re: distractions 14. Squeezy balls, etc. – behavioural *************************I need to keep my hands busy! 15. Timer – behavioural *******The age old answer to, “How much time is left?” 16. Pylon - behavioural “Work in progress” or ”I’m stuck, I need some help here.” The dollar store has larger sizes as well as smaller ones that would fit on a desk quite easily.

July 12, 2010 - Technology can be Frustrating

Wow - we were supposed to download our Apps to the iPod Touch today -but WiFi was very intermittent and kept kicking us off. Needless to say, I didn't download anything. My sister has an iPod - so when I go home I'll get her to show me how to download. In the meantime I called my sister up, and had her download the APPs I was interested in and play the games. She stayed on the phone line so I could ask her questions about the games. We discovered that Yard Sale Hidden Treasures was not a good APP for S__. There was a lot of words on the page. The words were spelled incorrectly (i.e. iz for is) to show the character's voice. Also, the list of objects to find was a written list, with no picture or symbol accompaniment. To top it off, the female character was wearing a toga and showing a lot of cleavage, which is probably not acceptable in school. We looked at Highlights Hidden Objects, and it appeared to be a better fit. There are over a hundred hidden objects to find and when each one is located, it turns from black and white to color and a sound chimes to announce that you found it. The objects to find are in picture format. I was very impressed with Ace Kids Math Games.When you are adding, it gives you one number plus another number (number sentence). Under the numbers it gives you the appropriate number of fruits. It also gives you three choices. You pick the best choice. When you are subtracting, it gives you the number sentence. Then it gives you the fruit with the appropriate number of fruit crossed out. If you get the right answer, there is a lot of instant positive feedback – check mark, smiley emoticon, and phrases like awesome, perfect, super job, well done. When you get a wrong answer, it says wrong, shows a crying emoticon and gives you the right answer. We could not download Kids Stories as it required an iPod update that costs about $15.00. I would definitely feel like I needed to play with the Apps before I used them with any student. I would want to know how the APP worked and if there were any glitches that might not work for a particular student. I would also want to make sure that the APPs I did download reflected the student's interests and strengths.

iPod Touch APPs

On Friday, we got to go to the iTunes APP store and shop for APPs. Over the weekend, I continued to search for APPs for a student that I have had in the past I had the privilege of teaching S___ when he was in Grade 3. S__ was diagnosed as having Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and appears very young for his age. S__ is very adept at using the computer for entertainment, and is getting better at using the computer for educational purposes (RAZ Kids). He is very interested in penguins (loves to watch March of the Penguins, and plays Club Penguin), enjoys finding hidden objects in a hidden objects puzzle and really enjoys hands on activities in Science. S__ enjoys outside time and gym time, but often experiences difficulties in these settings for a variety of reasons including, communication problems, not understanding cause and effect, and difficulty adapting to changes in environment or routine. S__ has difficulty with social interactions with peers, memory and fine motor skills difficulties, difficulty pronouncing certain letters. S__ knows how to spell his first and last name, knows the letter from A – G consistently (A – M inconsistently). S__ loves being read to. He understands and is able to manipulate materials to show his understanding of numbers 1 – 20. He can add two numbers together using manipulatives as long as the sum is less than 21. Looking at the iPod Apps, I was interested in finding an application for addition, an application for reading and an application for Hidden Object Puzzles. Eventually I would add an alphabet awareness APP as well. While searching, one of my main concerns was feasibility of S_ using these Apps independently. Due to his Early Emergent Literacy Skills, there needs to be a lot of picture information in the programs we are using. Looking at the Apps doesn’t quite give me enough information on how user friendly these Apps will be for S_, so it will be interesting on Monday when they get downloaded to the iPod Touch. I chose Kids Math Ace – Grade School Addition and Subtraction Skills Games by Brain Counts for S__ ‘s numeracy goals. The graphics on this game appear to be similar to those on S__’s Club Penguin game (which he enjoys playing every day). The manipulatives on the screen are visually stimulating and the arrangement looks like it would be easy to count. I also like the fact that you can change the random number generator so that he is only working with numbers he is comfortable with, and change the numbers as he progresses. S__ has limited alphabet awareness, but wants to look the same as everyone else during guided reading and independent reading times. Currently, he is either pulled from the class for extra support, or to “help” the principal, or he is on the computer on RAZ kids. The difficulty with these solutions is that he is removed from the rest of the class, so he looks different from everyone else. With the iPod touch, he could sit at his desk or at any of the comfy reading spots with the rest of the students. For his reading component, I choose Read Me Stories – Children’s Books by 8Interactive. I like that this App provides a new talking picture book every day. This will eliminate some of the attention difficulties he experiences while on RAZ kids. He gets bored with the same books all the time. I had some difficulty choosing the third application. I found an App called Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyville by Method Solutions, which looks promising. The graphics look amazing, but my only concern with this APP is will the list of objects to be found in picture format or word format? If it is on picture or symbol format, this will be an excellent APP for S__. If the list is in word format, S__ would not be able to independently use this APP. I also found Highlights Hidden Pictures, which has objects on the side that you are supposed to find in the black and white picture. As you click on the object in the picture, the object gets coloured. I prefer the graphics of Yard sale over Highlights, so Yard Sale would be my first choice. However, if Yard Sale is not an APP he can use independently, Highlights would be a better option. There were so many APPs that I wanted to try. I wish that I had access to an iPod touch and these APPs when I had S__ as a student. I think it would have enhanced his experience in the classroom as well as in social settings with his peers.

Rick Lavoie Motivation

Rick Lavoie Many reasons for lack of motivation including: learning disabilities, school disappointments, fear of failure, frustration, and mismatched approaches. Rick points out three myths of motivation on Motivation Breakthrough. 1) Nothing motivates that kid. The truth is – is that all human behaviour is motivated. Perhaps a more accurate statement is that the child is not motivated to do what I want them to do. 2) One day he’s motivated, the next day he’s not. The truth is – behaviour and progress may change, but motivation is consistent. ***BIG IDEA*** Performance Inconsistency I really liked his analogy to three different clocks set to three different times, and moving at three different rates. Even those three clocks will be in synch some of the time, and move back out of synch some of the time. *** BIG IDEA*** We know what to do with kids when they have a bad day – provide supports, etc….What do we do with kids when they have a good day – we punish them. We say you did it today so you should be able to do it everyday. When they have a good day – we should celebrate with them! 3) He’s so lazy, he won’t even try. The truth is he probably isn’t lazy but has ‘learned helplessness’. They have the same behaviour but for different reasons. Teachers need to be more adept at differential diagnosis and at reminding students to give the chain a tug. Strategies we use to motivate: 1) Rewards We give rewards because it is easier, but rewards only work if the reason he is not doing the work is because he is not motivated to do that work. There are a number of other reasons for a student not do their math work for example. Maybe the student doesn’t understand the directions, doesn’t understand the math facts, is having trouble at home, is having executive processing problems or doesn’t have good study strategies/ Rewards will not improve the students motivation to get the work done in any of the above circumstances because motivation is not the problem. 2) Punishment does not disseminate behaviour – it only represses it models aggression does not generalize only effective as long as threat of punishment exists 3) Use of competition to motivate Lavoie discusses Maslow’s idea that primary needs must be meet in order for kids to be motivated. Primary needs include: Hunger Thirst Air & Rest Elimination of Waste Escape from Pain Mel Lavine describes adolescence as a 24/7/365 battle to not be embarrassed. An adolescent would rather be labelled as bad than dumb. Lavoie considers our secondary needs – or psychological needs as our motivators. He outlines 8 of them: 1) Status – need to be valued and feel important 2) Inquisitiveness – need to know 3) Affiliation – need to feel connected to something bigger than you 4) Power – need to be in control 5) Achievement – need to be recognized 6) Aggression – need to assert 7) Gregariousness – need to be with others 8) Autonomy – need for independence Which of these needs motivates you most? Which of these needs motivates your students most? Just like not all adults are motivated by the same things, not all children are motivated by the same things. One of teachers big mistakes is that they try to motivate students with what motivates the teacher. Lavoie talks about ways to motivate students: Praise Prizes Prestige Projects People Power ***BIG IDEA*** Which method you use will vary from child to child and is based on their motivation. Kids motivated by power are often argumentative. Lavoie shares a story where a mentor teacher told him,” You need not attend every battle which you are invited.” Very profound, yet very simple.. He states that we should incorporate three strategies with power-motivated students: 1) Ownership – ask them what they want to study 2) Minor choice – power driven child doesn’t want your power – they want their own 3) Get a commitment Lavoie speaks of the damage using disappointment does. He pronounces that disappointment is too powerful. Lavoie leaves us with another myth. If he’d only try harder, he’d do better. Lavoie argues if he’d only do better, he’d try harder. Our students have success deprivation. ***BIG IDEA*** The amount of effort put forth rarely translates into amount of success ***BIG IDEA*** Students are looking for approval, praise and success What a powerful message – all educators should watch this!

July 9 2010 iPod touch presentation and iStore

Joanne amd I finished working on our "Home" category for "Sally", and then joined the rest of our group to write the IPP. Again, this was of great interest to me as I have never sat on an IPP committee before. We discussed ways to enhance other students ability to respond, or have more effective communication with "Sally". In one of the classes I taught, there was a grade 3 student with signs of FAS, along with other diagnosed medical issues. Although he was verbal, some people had difficulty understanding him, and some of the other children were scared of him. He was picked on out in the playground, and couldn't control his anger there, so he wound up losing his recess time. I started keeping him in, so he wouldn't encounter the negative feelings that set him into an upset. Although he had free choice when inside, sometimes he still wanted to go outside. But I thought, this isn't fair - he loses his recess for factors that aren't his factors. So, I started having a recess buddy for him. Every day, a different person would stay in with him, and I would facilitate a game or activity with them. Eventually, the whole class recognized how to communicate with him, and the signs of when he was getting really upset and needed teacher intervention. The rest of the class started teaching the rest of the school. At that point, he started going back outside (at first with me always out with him). He and his classmates had less conflict at recess, and he was much happier being able to go outside. Before this course, I looked at this problem as a conflict or a discipline problem. But I now see it as a communication breakdown. My little grade 3 was trying to convey a meassage, but the rest of the students didn't understand the message, were scared and stopped being communication partners. This really inspires me to reflect on other experiences I have had to see if I can relate the courses I am taking now to them as well.

July 8, 2010

Today we reviewed the basics of Proloquo2Go. We then broke out into our bigger IPP planning group to discuss the student, the design of the selection set, layout, communicative needs of the student in 4 different environments. From there, we broke into groups of two to work on a specific environment. Joanne and I worked on the Home environment. It was interesting to work in the big group and see the direction the planning team takes. I have never been part of a formal planning process, but have been in small informal planning and advocating. I enjoyed the small group work because it gave each of us time to work with and learn the technology as well as giving us a chance to plan. It is easier to plan with one other person rather than a group of people. It is such an interesting switch of the mind when planning because you have to think about what the student is capeable of, how the student would say things, what the outcome is, how you would want to build upon the selection sets in the future, as well as how the primary and secondary users are going to use the device. This has really changed my idea of communication in some ways because I think we often think about the primary user, but may not think about the secondary users. This means that we aren't really having communication, beacuse one of the communication partners does not have the language or know how to respond.

July 7, 2010 Assessment Tools

On July 7, we looked at some useful assessment frameworks. Scherer's MPTT framework WATI http://www.wati.org/?pageLoad=content/supports/free/index.php SETT http://www.2learn.ca/institute/institute2006/handouts/ModifiedSETTFrameworkForms.pdf Stages framework https://www.spectronicsinoz.com/catalogue/28095 HAAT framework http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Cook-and-Husseys-Assistive-Technologies/Albert-M-Cook/e/9780323039079 We had a case study to work on in as a small group activity. Breaking out into groups to work on a case study really makes you have a better understanding of the challenges and frustration non verbal students must face. It is also nice to share information and experiences with like-minded educators. We also played with the iPod Touch. What a great tool! At first it was a bit intimidating - but I feel that way with any new to me technology.

July 6, 2010 Communication

Factors Needed for Communication !) Communication Partner 2) Joint Attention 3) Common Language What is communication? Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines communication as 1 : an act or instance of transmitting 2 a : information communicated b : a verbal or written message 3 a : a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication What does communication mean to me? Communication is the sharing of information. It can be as simple as a tourist asking for directions and a local giving the tourist directions or as complex as sharing ideas on the difficulties facing educators today. When you have a communication, it is like opening a door and allowing someone into your heart and brain for a moment. To me, effective communication is a means to effective problem solving. What does communication mean to a person who is non-verbal? Communication means the opening of a whole new world of possibilities to a person who is non-verbal. Communication allows a person who is non-verbal the ability to have thoughts come out of their own heads, allow others to experience their knowledge and allow them to grow intellectually.

New Ways to Communicate

New Ways to Communicate

View more presentations from sschullo.

The students we teach grew up with technology and may be far more advanced in using technology as a means of communication than their teachers or other members of their team.

Youtube Video Proloquo2Go

July 5 Thoughts

Autism is a world is a great movie!

I was quite impressed that Susie was able to spell words especially like spinich once she was given her communication device. She must have been absorbing every bit of information she was given and filing it away. On the video it was said that her mind began to wake up as she tyoed.

I feel the video did a great job of portryaing Susie and of allowing the viewer to see Susie as she sees herself as well as how others see her. They did a good job of showing that although she will always need supports for communicating, she has a lot of the same fears as any one else her age:fear of leaving the nest, peer acceptance, and college workload.

I am not sure she thought about being a mentor for others with communication difficulties, but she was a great inspiration and offered words of comfort and wisdom to those she spoke with.

It is interesting that Susie knows when her autistic behaviours are taking over. What a powerful thought for Susie to say to the doctor,"You don't have all the answers".

Just because a person is non verbal does not mean that they are not intelligent, not learning, not feeling and not able to communicate in other ways. Presuming competency is the most important message in this video. In order for students to feel success, they must feel that we believe they can.

In AT meets IPOD touch, what really resonated with me was that everyone on the team worked together, and that an integral part of using the IPOD touch was to train all the members of the team including parents, teachers, PST and EAs.

On one of the videos, Barbara Welsford says that the students using the IPOD touch looks like any other student. Looking back to Susie, this is so important. Susie liked going to the horse races because everyone looked at the horses and not at her.