Evening #9

Class began with an opportunity to explore the website Abledata.com.    It is a website that provides a space to search for a variety of products in assistive technology.

Gloves that speak for hearing impaired. 

This product has such potential.  Imagine gloves that could speak for a person who has been deaf since birth and never able to articulate in words what they wanted to say.  The possibilities are exciting.  By using a tablet and perhaps connecting the gloves to the tablet, these gloves could turn actions into words.  The tablet could convert actions to text. 
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Livescribe pen

The potential of the live scribe pen is great. To make this work however, you must pay the $300.00 for the pen and purchase special paper to use it.

-You can record audio while you write.
- It converts writing to digitized text
-Text is more useful when it is digitized.  You can play it back, move it to calendar, organize it and much more.

Students can hire note - takers.  SSRSB are going to start training note-takers for kids with LD & physical disabilities.





Tyler's journey through school to graduation.

Tyler was a young boy diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at a very young age.  As people became familiar with the various aspects of his condition, a plan of action was put in place for him.  To put this plan into action, it had to be a team effort with very specialized members on this team. 

Those involved in Tyler's program planning team were:

Tyler
OT
Physiotherapy
Resource teachers
EAs
Speech pathology
Teachers
Doctors
Xray technicians
Parents
Siblings
Pets

 Assistive technology used by Tyler over the years.

Some of the technologies have evolved to newer versions over the years.

Gr. 1 - Clicker 4

Gr. 3 - Wheelchair with laptop - controled by switch access with trigger site being his head.

Gr. 5 - To play video games he was using his tongue to play video games.

Along with his assitive technology, which has allowed Tyler to much more independent, Tyler has worked on his articulation and is able to speak much more clearly.  her has become very good at advocating for himself on issues that are important to him.

UDL is definitely incorporated into Tyler`s instruction and demonstration in class.  In band, he plays his music using the Ipad and his tongue.  He is a wonderful musician. 

As his team got to know Tyler, and Tyler got to know himself better, he moved from a switch access to direct access with his tongue.  A head switch is physically, visually and cognitively demangin.Now in order for him to use it efficiently, his hands must be tied down.  This is necessary due to his ataxia.  Otherwise, his arms will flail around and not have as much control.

As Tyler graduates, he will be moving on the the NSCC to take a business course.  This transition will require much planning on the part of his program planning team which will now include NSCC staff.  It is also crucial to Tyler's success that all members of his team have the proper training - as this is an essential piece of the puzzle.

Tyler will be using:
-digitized texts
-leanring management system with the least number of direct selections
-attendant care
-a note taker (will be trained)
-Voice dream APP




AAC - Augmentative and Alternative Communication

AAC is used to:
-make the best of an individual's inherent abilities.
-compensate for individual difficulties
-make communication quick, simple and effective as possible.

It encompasses a variety of strategies for commincating.

-signing
-pic symbol charts
-high tech options


People who use AAC are people who have Cerebral Palsy, LD, Strokes, Austism, Motorneuron disease, Parkinsons, MS, Head injuries, Dementia to name a few.