This week we look at how technology can help students with
disabilities communicate. Choosing the most effective communication device for
a student with communication impairment should be left for a speech
pathologist. However, I am a person who with students with communication
impairments on a daily basis. I look for the most effective way for students to
effectively communicate while building independence and confidence. These
devices are very expensive and deciding on the correct one for a student is critical.
As pointed out in the NIDCD article there are several types of assistive
devices available, ALDs, AAC, and alerting devices. These pieces of assistive technology help students who would otherwise be silent in the classroom become an active participate.
I’ve been fortunate to experience two of the three. I’ve
seen and worked with ALDs and AAC devices. During student teaching I had a
student who needed a ALD device in the classroom to hear me. As the ASHA article points out, a FM system
is a device that uses radio signals to transmit amplified sounds. This student
had a cochlear implant. As far as teaching wise, I was not hindered. I had to
wear a microphone while I taught. At the time, I thought the device was
awesome, I was able to see a student who couldn’t normally hear me, become an
active participate in class through this FM device.
Communicating with an individual with a communication
impairment can be as simple as utilizing a PECS system or more involved with a
touchscreen device such as a Dynavox or a Tobii eye gaze system. Both forms of
AAC are very effective and help grow independence and confidence. PECS can be made
through numerous software offerings. I tend to favor Boardmaker due to the
simplicity. Entire lessons can be made through Boardmaker. Additionally, PECS
are utilized in Unique learning system and News-2-you newspaper, both of which
are utilized in my room. News-2-you newspaper also is also offered on some AAC
devices such as Saltillo, PRC, Jabbla, and MyTalk,
which is a great help to a student. Both of these PECS learning venues
offer a wide variety of PECS and even offer text to speech, which is of great
importance to my class. Also, in my class, I have two students who use a
DynaVox device to communicate. This touchscreen device can also be operated via
a head mouse. The use of an AAC device like a DynaVox helps greatly for a
student communicate and express their minds. While it takes a long time for
both staff and student to get use to these devices they are worth it as the
benefits outweigh the cons.
Utilizing communication devices to bridge the gap in a communication
impairment is critical for the growth of a student. As always these devices
need to be selected carefully so a student can build independence and
confidence.
Hi Dale! May I first point out that if there is anything that I have picked up quickly is that it is imperative to learn all the abbreviations that come along with the special education territory. Not only in your blog, but in the articles we are reading, I have seen AAC, PECS, ASHA, ALD and even from my special ed experience I see a lot as well.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I have enjoyed reading your blogs because it takes what I have been reading and provides a context with how they are used. Not only have you provided a picture to the implementation, but you have also included the pros and cons. Very helpful! Thank you also for providing links to your blogs. It makes it very simple to continue learning about what you are talking about. I too, have used the FM transmitter and it was very simple to implement. It is nice when we are given tools to use in our classroom that do not provide much change in preparation for us, but greatly impacts our students!
Dale,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience with using assertive technology with students with communication impairments. It sounds like you have a lot of experience. Therefore, I would revise your statement that the decision on assistive tech should be left to the Speech Therapist. I have worked with many amazing speech therapists, who I know are amazing when working with the students. However, with your experience with devices and being an expert on your student the decision should really be a team process, also possibly involving an OT/PT to have input on physical capabilities , social worker and family to provide input on the student at home and behavior therapist to discuss any behavioral issues that may arise during the introduction or use of assistive technology, I know that all of these may not be able to help but it just shows how this should be a collaborative effort. Don't sell yourself and your knowledge short