RJ Cooper, the gentleman continuing to develop special needs technology *at your request*.

iPad versus 8.9″ Windows/PC Netbook

In watching one of the AAC (Alternative and Augmentative Communication) online forums, I have noticed a ‘euphoria’ over the new iPad.  It almost seems like people think that this device has changed the ‘playing field’ for AAC.  Now I do agree that it’s *great* that a consumer-oriented device has finally come out that is touch-oriented and compact/all-in-one, and has a definite ‘cool’ factor to it!  And several companies/people have made AAC ‘apps’ that are truly affordable.

Before I go on about the *device* differences, I do want to say a word of commendation for the existing AAC apps (application) I’m aware of for the iPad (and iPod Touch and iPhone).  The Proloquo2Go, from what I’ve read, is a great app, and comes with a complete library of pictures and all the features you’d want from an AAC app.  Another AAC app that I’ve read about, for these 3 Apple devices, is Voice4U, which is a full featured AAC app (once again, only from what I’ve read) but with about 140 pics in its  library (you can add your own).  And finally, there is a text-oriented (on-screen keyboard with word completion) named iMean.

Presenter: Adrianne Aker
Date: Tuesday, April 13th
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM PST
Location: ATA Online Community, http://www.talkingcommunities.com/communities/923/
Room: Water Cooler

• An overview of the unique “ACES Module and Toolkit Approach” will offer ideas for low-cost toolkits which can be assembled and used for effective AAC evaluations
• One-of-a-kind online clinical resources will be demonstrated for locating info at www.aacTechConnect.com for pictures/flyers/comparison charts for most AAC devices
• Descriptions of locale workshops including AAC Vendor Forums which are being scheduled nationally by AAC TechConnect/ATIA and hosted by local AT centers.

Presenter: Debby McBride, AAC TechConnect, Inc.
Date: Thursday, April 15th
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST
Location: ATA Online Community, http://www.talkingcommunities.com/communities/923/
Room: Water Cooler

• What is Medi-Cal and who is eligible?
• What benefits are covered by Medi-Cal?
• How does Medi-Cal supplement Medicare benefits? How does Medi-Cal work with a Medicare Advantage HMO?
• What is Medi-Cal long-term care and how does it pay for nursing home care?

Presenter: Aileen Harper
Date: Tuesday, April 20th
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM PST
Location: ATA Online Community, http://www.talkingcommunities.com/communities/923/
Room: Water Cooler

Participants at this workshop will:

• learn about AT that supports differentiated instruction and learning in reading, writing, math, communication, note taking, and organization
• see demonstrations and have hands-on opportunities with technologies
• discover best practices for selecting AT
• find out about resources for funding AT for students with disabilities

This workshop is sponsored by a grant from Alliant Energy.

To register, please contact:
PACER Center
8161 Normandale Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55437
952-838-9000, Voice
952-838-0190, TTY
952-838-0199, Fax
800-537-2237, Toll free
pacer@pacer.org
pacer.org/workshops

Tuesday, April 20, 2010
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Albert Lea Area Learning Center
211 W. Richway Dr.
Albert Lea, MN 56007

Monday, July 26, 2010 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Nicollet Island Pavilion | 40 Power St., Minneapolis

View Flyer Here!

For some children with disabilities, new situations and transitions between activities can trigger challenging behaviors and anxiety. A strategy called visual social supports can help deal with those issues. Also called story boards, social scripting, and Social Stories™, these short, illustrated narratives help a child understand, interpret, or ease into situations that might be new, confusing, or challenging. Proven effective at decreasing inappropriate behaviors such as hitting, screaming, and grabbing, such stories provide a visual means to understand otherwise non-visual information.

Whether you’re a parent or professional, you can create your own visual social supports. This article explains how to do it and looks at a sampling of software programs that can help you implement them for your child or student.

How to Begin

To identify where a visual social support might be helpful, look at the child’s day. When and where do behaviors and anxiety arise? Once you have that answer, you can begin creating the structure for your story.

Carol Gray, an educator who developed the concept of social stories, recommends including the following elements:

• Descriptive sentences are objective sentences that identify the most relevant factors in a social situation. They often answer “wh” questions – who, what, where, why, and when.
  • Today we are going to see a movie at the movie theater.
• Perspective sentences refer to other people’s thoughts, feelings, motivations, or beliefs. They help the child learn how others perceive various events.
  • Many people think seeing a movie in the theater is fun!
• Directive sentences present positive responses to a situation.
  • People at the movie theater wait quietly in line to buy their tickets. If the movie is popular, the line may be long. I will try to wait patiently.
• Affirmative sentences clarify statements and may convey values that most people hold. They also can emphasize key points and refer to laws or rules.
  • We will arrive at the theater early so we do not miss any of the movie, even if there is a long line. After buying our tickets, we can also purchase popcorn and juice. Adults may have popcorn with soda instead of juice.
• Control sentences identify personal strategies the individual will use to remember and use the information. These sentences are written by the individual after reviewing the social story. If the child cannot write, he or she could draw a picture instead.
  • Sometimes the line may not be long and we can be seated right away. When seated right away, we may have to watch commercials until the movie starts. During the movie we need to sit nicely and be quiet so everyone can hear the movie. The theater lights go off and just the screen lights up the room.
• Cooperative sentences explain how others may help the child.
  • Many people will watch the movie in the theater. If I need to use the bathroom or take a break, I can ask an adult in a quiet voice so other people can still hear the movie.
• Partial sentences encourage the child to “fill in the blank” suggesting what will happen next or how someone will respond. Any of the above sentences can be written as a partial sentence.
  • If I want to come back to the theater to watch another movie, I (need to sit quietly through the entire movie). Going to a movie in the theater (is fun)!

Tools You Can Use

Once you have the structure for your visual support story, you can add images and other features using one of several software programs. Here are a few options.**

Kreative Komix

Does your child like dinosaurs? Super heroes? Fairy tales? You can create visual support stories using those and other popular characters with Kreative Komix. Available in a range of genres, this comic book–making software tool offers a variety of layouts and the ability to add thought and text bubbles. The program has text-to-speech capabilities, so the words can be spoken out loud. Kreative Komix, $39.95/title

Microsoft PowerPoint

Although not intended as a tool to create visual support stories, PowerPoint (Mac KeyNote, Open Office Impress, etc.) can be used for just that. It offers several templates and accepts a variety of file formats, including image, sound, recorded speech, and video files. It also includes page-turning buttons that can enhance navigation. Microsoft Office, $229 as a stand-alone program or $399 as part of Microsoft Office Suite

Tar Heel Reader

With Tar Heel Reader, you can create visual support stories and illustrate them with your own pictures or royalty-free images from Flickr. An invitation code (available through the Simon Technology Center) is required to create books.Tar Heel Reader also offers hundreds of accessible, easy to read online books (no access code needed) on a variety of topics. It is ideal for older students who could benefit from easy-to-read, repetitive books but have interest levels outside of early-reader topics. Users can read or have books read to them online. Tar Heel Reader, free

TheraSimplicity

TheraSimplicity is a collection of tools, illustrations, symbols, worksheets, and reference materials you can use to create visual support stories. Stories are converted to PDF format and are accessible on both Mac and PC. TheraSimplicity, $189/one-year subscription; a free 30-day trial is available.

ToonDoo

This tool allows you to create comic strips complete with characters, backgrounds, and text bubbles. For children who want to create their own visual support stories, this tool can provide a new mode of expression. Because ToonDoo is a public domain and users have access to a large library of already-made comics, safety for children using the site independently could be a concern. ToonDoo, free

Vizzle

Vizzle includes a variety of tools for creating visual support stories. Using the Build-A-Book feature, for example, you can add voice, images, video, and more. Interactive hot-spots, for example, provide a greater level of support. Vizzle also has tools for creating games, matching boards, token boards, timers, and more. You can save your creation on the Vizzle Web site and access it from any computer with Internet access. Vizzle, parent memberships are $25/month; teacher and professional memberships are $78/month; clinician memberships are $100/month; a free 14-day trial is available.

Conclusion

When used appropriately, visual support stories can help children with disabilities decrease challenging behaviors and better manage social situations. These stories can be created easily using the tools listed in this article. Repetition can help your child use these stories successfully.

For more information on visual social supports, contact the Simon Technology Center at 952-838-9000 or at STC@PACER.org.

*Social Stories™ were first defined in 1991 by Carol Gray, who continues to do work on social supports for students with autism. This article incorporates several of her strategies and findings. Learn more at thegraycenter.org.

**Inclusion on this list does not imply an endorsement. PACER Center does not assume any responsibility for the content on any of these sites.

Use felt, stuffing, and yarn to create your very own puppets. Add accessories, and all the world is a stage for your creation! For kids ages 4 – 21 with and without disabilities.

Early Childhood and Assistive Technology
Tuesday, March 23, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – PACER CENTER, register

Children from birth to age 5 with developmental delays or disabilities may be entitled to certain services and may be helped by assistive technology (AT).

This free workshop will help parents and professionals understand the evaluation process used to determine if early intervention (birth to age 3) or early special education (ages 3-5) services are appropriate. It also will address how AT – from low-tech devices such as crayon grips to high-tech tools such as computers-may benefit young children.

Participants will leave the workshop with an increased knowledge of early childhood special education, current terminology, written and Web-based resources, and handmade low-tech AT materials to use with young children with developmental delays.

Kurzweil 3000 Version 11 Foundations
Thursday, April 8th, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – PACER Center, register

This workshop is designed for general educators, special educators, SLPs, OTs, AT specialists, paraprofessionals and parents who support students with learning disabilities and are new to (or have limited experience with) Kurzweil 3000.

This workshop is sponsored by Cambium Learning Technologies.  Registration is $225.00.  Workshop fee includes light breakfast, lunch, all workshop materials and Kurzweil 3000 for Windows Learn Station Web license valued at $395.00.  The promotion is limited to 2 free software copies per school district.

SAVE THE DATE:  Charting the C’s 2nd Annual Cross Categorical Conference
Monday & Tuesday, April 26 & 27, 2010 at Arrowwood Resort, Alexandria, MN, more information

Main Conference Registration $99.00

Keynote Address by Cheryl Volkman Co-Founder and CE) Emeritus of AbleNet

Pre Conference Session Sunday April 25, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Pre Conference Registration $49.00 (in addition to conference registration)

Pre Conference Speaker: Scott Marfilius

WEBINAR Training: Introduction to Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) and AAC Lending Library Resources in Minnesota
Wednesday, May 12th, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – PACER Center, register

Through exploring the variety of software tools and devices to aid in communication that are available in today’s market, this Webinar will help answer some of the questions you may have regarding communication. We will investigate and explore a variety of devices and the lending library resources available in Minnesota that allow people to make decisions about appropriate communication tools. This Webinar will be recorded and made available on the PACER Web site after the live event.

This Webinar is funded through the STAR Program by the Rehabilitation Services Administration under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended in 2004 (p.L. 108-364).