Category: Tech Stuff/Apps and Video Based Instruction

Information about tech devices, apps and video based instruction to create social stories and job training for individuals with special needs.

Posted in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Autism, Down syndrome, Education and Special Needs, Tech Stuff/Apps and Video Based Instruction

Blog #125~Success Stories with the AAC Talker Device

Posted on by Teresa Unnerstall

Blog #125~Success Stories with the AAC Talker Device

Nick has been using his new talker for about 5 months now. People with severe speech or language problems often use an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) to supplement existing speech or replace speech that is not functional. In addition, picture symbols called PECS (Picture Exchange System) and sign language are used to help individuals express themselves.

Nick’s PECS Book…..

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During the spring, the staff at Nick’s school along with his private speech therapists met to look at what type of device would work best for him to communicate. Nick is 21 years old and has Down syndrome and autism. A series of 3 meetings were held to address the student’s abilities, gather data and consider options for appropriate inclusive technology products. This process is called the SETT Framework. SETT is an acronym for Student, Environment, Tasks and Tools. To read more about this process go to the archives and read Blog #113~Ready, SETT, Go and Blog #116~A New Talker for Nick.

Since the SETT meetings, Nick has been using an iPad with and iAdapter case. The program installed is called, Touch Chat. The initial update I gave on this device is in the archives posted on 5/18/15.   We had a few goals in mind. One was to be able to request items like food, movies, music, going out into the community. Secondly we wanted Nick to use the talker to gain attention appropriately. Finally, we hoped that Nick would be able to express his feelings (happy, angry, and frustrated).

Nick has been requesting food items very well along with items of interest to him like tennis balls, sprite, music, people he wants to see, tired etc.. on a consistent basis. In addition, he has been using it to gain attention. When he burps or farts he pushes the “excuse me” or “that’s gross”. If you try and find a certain button on his talker, he will hit “excuse me” as if to say, back off this device is mine. Last week he pushed the button with a keyboard on it. He wanted me to know he had played the keyboard at school that day.

Brian, his private speech therapists spends a lot of time working with Nick and his AAC device. The two go trolling around the speech clinic looking for ladies. Brian added a new button which Nick has been pushing, “You look pretty today, hubba-hubba!” That one has been a big hit 🙂

Nick’s talker, note the bumper pads the team installed.  Nick likes to send it airborne on occasion 🙂

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Last week, there was a major breakthrough with Nick using his talker. One trigger that often leads to a major meltdown for Nick is a crying baby or child. He will begin to pinch himself on his cheeks, followed by pinching anyone near him when this happens. This happened at an airport, leading to a severe meltdown the summer before last. While on a community trip at IHOP on Friday, a child began to cry at a table near them and Nick began to pinch himself. His teacher pointed to the talker instructing Nick to use it. Nick immediately took it and began to push the “stop” button. The first two times he hit the stop button the child stopped screaming. The look on Nick’s face was priceless. It might have been just a coincidence, but in that moment Nick realized using the talker really does work. His teacher cheered and praised him. He was so proud. It was as if he realized that he had power over the situation.

Yay Nick!!!

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It reminds me of many years ago, when the staff got trained to use PECS with Nick. His world of limited speech left him frustrated in those days during puberty. This resulted in many horrific meltdowns.  Using the PECS pictures gave him power; it gave him a voice (much like the talker is starting to do now). The key to the AAC device being successful will be getting everybody on board. Everyone that works with Nick needs to encourage him to use it (and praise him when he does). I look forward to sharing more of his successes with the talker and building on to this. I know he has much more to tell us all. That’s what is in my noggin this week.

~Teresa 🙂

 

Posted in Autism, Down syndrome, Tech Stuff/Apps and Video Based Instruction

Blog #80~Getting Organized Along With My Autistic Child

Posted on by Teresa Unnerstall

Blog #80~ Getting Organized Along With My Autistic Child

Is it odd that I like to have all the labels turned straight in the food pantry and the towels stacked perfectly in the bathroom closet?  My hangers might just be color-coded (white=shirts, gray=pants, teal=capri length pants).  I wasn’t always so compulsive. 

I’ve touched on my theory about this in previous blog posts. Simply this, I need to feel in control in my home and creating order helps keep me grounded.  Having a child with Down syndrome and autism under your roof is not exactly a “Zen” environment.  Nick’s world can be chaotic.  Just go back to the April 2012 archives and read Blog #3~Getting your Goat for a little taste of crazy. 🙂

This is just one of many things Nick has dumped on the floor…..

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So over the weekend, I got on a roll. Operation Re-boot 2014 inspired me to get organized.  First stop= Clean out the paper pile and mail that accumulated over the holidays and made my “to do list” for the week.  Next, Put away the Christmas gifts and stuff from the Florida trip that I stashed in the dining room…….

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I opened the medicine cabinet to put the cold meds back (that had been sitting in the dining room for over a week).  Suddenly, an avalanche of allergy boxes spilled out and bonked me on the head.  Guess what the next stop was?

Wow, it’s been a long time since the medicine cabinet was cleaned out!  Nice expiration date…. 11/06 on the Tylenol bottle…..What the? 

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Voila, purged, organized and labeled!

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Next stop= The island of misfit socks. Maybe some will reunite with their mate…..

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Last stop= Clean out the fridge

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After a long day in full steam OCD mode, I felt lighter and more in control of my living space.  The chi energy was once again flowing freely~~~~~~~~ aaahhhh!

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Getting organized helps us to better plan daily activities and use our time more effectively.  It’s not easy for some people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  The nervous system is not always in sync which makes things difficult to process sensory information.  This can lead to feelings of disorganization, agitation and being overwhelmed. According to the National Autistic Society, “Challenges are found in processing information, predicting consequences of an action, understanding the concept of time and executive function (focus on details instead of the whole picture).”

Most of us use certain strategies to help organize our day.  I use an old school calendar that is color-coded in the kitchen.  At a glance events are highlighted and easier to spot. Teaching fitness classes=green, appointments=pink, birthdays=orange, vacations=purple, etc…  Color coding and other strategies can also be equally as effective for people with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here are some practical ways to teach and implement organization:

Visual supports

Social Stories give a blueprint for what is expected for behavior, what is on schedule and changes in routines.

Pictures (Picture Exchange System called PECS)

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Note Nick’s room has pictures labeled on his dresser to help him find and put away his own clothes.  Teaching organizational skills to persons with autism fosters independence…

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Lists

Written or visual with pictures keep persons on task and also registers achievements.

Electronic Devices

Phone and iPod apps are available to make schedules, set alarms and timers and act as general reminders.  See Blog #52~Tech Time located in the April 2013 archives for specific suggestions. Here’s one…….

picture schedule app

Task boxes, envelopes and files

Store media devices, work bins and personal items in set places helps to teach responsibility.  Nick’s area includes his PECS Communication book, media storage box and the “STOP Box“ (which I hand him when it is time to surrender an item and transition).

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Nick’s work bins that he can retrieve and navigate independently….

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Getting things organized helps all of us feel more in control and makes for a more efficient use of our time.  Putting strategies in place to help persons having autism spectrum disorder can make a huge difference.  Their world becomes easier to navigate, which in turn lessons anxiety.  It’s all about staying in the Zen zone.  That’s what is in my noggin this week.

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~Teresa

Posted in Autism, Behavior/ ABA, Education and Special Needs, Feeding, Personal Hygiene, Toileting, Tech Stuff/Apps and Video Based Instruction

Blog #52~ Tech Time

Posted on by Teresa Unnerstall

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Blog #52~Tech Time

A few weeks ago at the National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS) Retreat the guest speaker did a presentation on using video based instruction and mobile technologies to support learners with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.  Toni Van Laarhoven, an associate professor in the Department of Special and Early Education at Northern Illinois University (NIU) gave us some great information on how to implement it.

Video modeling for can be used for teaching a variety of social, academic, and functional skills.  In the April 2012 archives, Blog #5~Ready, Set, Action, I wrote about how effective these have been in teaching Nick a variety of job skills.  He learned how to unload the dishwasher, load the washing machine and how to use the vacuum cleaner.

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Before video modeling we used social stories.  Basically this is like a script that you want the child to follow.  With Nick also having autism, it helps him to see it in picture form so he can better understand.  Nick has a thing for sneezing right in your face on purpose.  His teacher made this social story, here is part of it…….. aaaaachoooooo 🙂

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These visual supports were effective, but his interest level when reading social stories was nothing compared to when he started watching the video models.

Here are a few ideas  I came up with for video modeling:

Teach a job skill

Teach a fine motor skill (cutting food, buttoning a shirt, pour milk, handwriting)

Teach a gross motor skill (swimming strokes, riding a bike, yoga positions.)

Grooming routines (brushing teeth, washing face, dressing.)

Bedtime routine

Change in routine (picture day at school, new curriculum unit in P.E., new school)

Visit to doctor, dentist, blood draws, and haircuts

Trip to the zoo, baseball game, mall, movie theater

Appropriate leisure activities to do at home (watch a movie, computer/X-Box)

Teach social skills (playing games with peers, turn taking)

It’s best to choose one behavior or skill to work on at a time.  Have the child watch the movie before engaging in the activity on a consistent basis.  For a job skill, many students have a video on their hand held device (iPod) and can follow the prompts as they work.  Ultimately, using video models can foster greater independence.

Shooting the videos can be done using an adult or peer model going through the sequence.  Simple verbal prompts should be provided.  For example, for pouring milk you can script it like this.

  1. Go to cabinet and get a cup.
  2. Go to the refrigerator and get milk.
  3. Open cap and pour milk in cup.
  4. Put cap on milk.
  5. Put milk container back in the refrigerator.

Another way to use video modeling is to make a video resume.  Toni made one of her sister who has significant disabilities.  This video showed in detail her routine.  The narrator pointed out specific details, likes, dislikes that added clarity to how she navigates her day.  This would be extremely helpful for a new staff, teacher, and direct care provider.  A few years ago, Toni’s NIU students put together a video resume of Nick called Project MY VOICE.  Like Toni’s sister, his showed what he did at school, his likes (music, community outings, etc..) and pointed out things that might upset him (saying “no” to him, changes in schedule, etc…)  Nick was very proud to show the video at his IEP meeting that year. 🙂

There tons of programs and apps that are available for assisting persons with special needs.  Here are just a few that have been recommended to me:

*Follow a schedule with Picture Scheduler:

picture schedule app

*iPrompts- Visual support, schedules, picture prompting for autism and special education.

*Artiks Pics-Vocabulary flashcards, memory games

*www.autismspeaks.org/autism-apps

*First Then Visual Schedule:

first then app

*ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) and educational apps:

fruit app

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Alphabet Tracing:

alphabet tracing

Sensory Fun, Light Box App:

light box app

Silly Fun, Talking Tom 2 (Nick’s going to love this one. Tom just cut one here, stinky) 🙂

talking tom

The list goes on and on, you get the idea.  There’s an app for just about everything.

Video based instruction, using mobile devices and prompting systems are effective tools in helping our kids navigate their world to become more independent. Put the power in their hands! That’s what is in my noggin this week.

~Teresa 🙂

Posted in Autism, Down syndrome, Dual Diagnosis Down syndrome and autism, Education and Special Needs, Tech Stuff/Apps and Video Based Instruction

Blog #5 Ready, Set, Action!

Posted on by Teresa Unnerstall

“Wash… wash…wash,” I hesitated going into the other room in fear of what Nick might be doing.  Would it be my fitness shoes in the sink under the faucets running full blast yet again?  To my surprise, I went into the laundry room to witness him taking the dirty clothes off floor and one by one plunking them into the washing machine and with each one saying the word wash!  It hasn’t just been the laundry either. For the past year, he has step up in other household chores.  Trying to get his brother, Hank to unload the dishwasher was like trying to pull teeth.  But Nick completely enjoys his role that he took over since his brother left for college last fall.  Everything has its place and his careful eye has taken note over the years.  He proudly puts every cup, plate, pot and pan along with the stemware carefully in the cupboards.

A few months ago I packed away the last of the Christmas ornaments and decorations and pulled out the vacuum to clean up all of the needles that had fallen on the carpet. I plugged the cord in and turned around to see Nick with his hand on the handle.  He was ready to take it on!  Much to my surprise, he not only navigated it but held the cord appropriately off to the side and did a nice job running the vacuum across the carpet.  I knew he was doing this for his school job at the elder care home but had no idea how well he was performing.

I have to give all of the credit to the staff at his high school.  Mrs. W brought in Northern Illinois University (NIU) to do a study that was done on six of her students last year.  The abstract was about maintaining vocational skills of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities through video modeling.  Research has shown that using video modeling helps to promote independent work-related behaviors and decrease the reliance on staff.  Video based supports often result in fostering independence and generalization of job related skills.  This means there is less reliance on job coaches and co-workers all for which are critical for sustaining competitive employment.  It is like a script in that breaks down the tasks that need to be performed.  These short videos are narrated in the background with short verbal prompts.  Nick watched them every day for two weeks and then each time before he was to perform a particular task. In the case of the NIU study the videos were for loading the dishwasher and washing machine.  What I noticed immediately is that Nick enjoyed watching them over and over again.  They are much more effective than any task strip that he has always used in the past. Here is an example of a task strip:

For me the proof is in the pudding*.  I noticed a significant increase in Nick initiative and accuracy in helping out around the house.  The videos did in fact increase his generalization to doing other chores besides these two.

While the jobs are pretty basic for most people, for Nick they mark a milestone.  His goals are no longer academic in nature for the most part they are all functional.  Functional goals are non-academic and generally understood to refer to skills used in the context of routine activities and daily living. Anything he can do independently gives him not only a better chance at getting a job upon graduation but also a placement into a group home someday.   Right now, he also has many other jobs at school including shredding, washing windows, loading the dishwasher, recycling and washing clothes for the PE department.  This week we have his annual IEP meeting to discuss his progress and goals for his senior year of high school.  As I look back it is amazing to see the progress he has made given his disabilities.  At this rate, I am going to be able to give him the reigns around the house while I sit back on the couch, prop my feet up and eat bon bons!  That is what’s in my noggin this week.

*Origin of Proof is in the Pudding

Proof in this case means “ultimate test.” To “prove” used to mean to test, a meaning which survives in a limited number of usages. This is one: it literally means you can show me a wonderful recipe, and tell me about your fine ingredients, but ultimately, the test is in the thing itself, the actual results.