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Boardmaker Workshop

Make & Take Visual Strategies

Cindy Nankee OTR, ATPCESA #3

WATI Consultantcnankee@cesa3.k12.wi.us

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Session Objective

• Learn Boardmaker software to create visual strategies for communication and literacy

• Support vocabulary building with low tech picture strategies

• Support reading with picture/word symbols

• Support functional communication through social stories/visual supports

• Support language acquisition (expansion activities)

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Agenda• Intro/Materials

• Visual Strategies– Who/Why/Where ideas– Examples (symbol hierarchy)– Implementation strategies – Design Considerations– Assessment

• Hands on using Boardmaker

• Materials development

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Individuals Who Might Benefit from Visual Tools…

– Communication Delays/Disorders

– Attention Deficit Disorder

– Learning Disabilities– Down Syndrome– Autism Spectrum Disorder

– Developmental Delays

– English Language Learners

– Traumatic Brain Injury

– Pre-Readers

– Comprehension Problems

– Communication partner

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Why Use Visual Tools and Strategies?

expressive languagereceptive language

literacycontrol over the environment

communication initiationbehavior management

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Why Use Visual Tools and Strategies…

Prepare students for what will or will not happen

Reduce the anxiety that comes from the unexpected,

especially during transition times

Give students information about their activities

Help students understand the concept of “finished”

Provide the structure for appropriate behavior and

participation

Support communication and conversation

Hodgdon, 2002

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Where to use Visual Tools & Strategies

• In the classroom• During therapy• At home• In the community

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Communication Symbol Hierarchy

– REAL OBJECTS

– TANGIBLE SYMBOLS

– TOBIs (true object-based icons)

– COLOR PHOTOS

– BLACK & WHITE PHOTOS

– LINE DRAWINGS

– PICTURE COMMUNICATION SYMBOLS

– TEXT W/ PICTURES

– TEXT & LETTERS

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Object Communication System

www.adaptivation.com

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Tangible Symbols• Tangible symbols are objects or pictures that stand for or represent something about which we need to communicate.

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T.O.B.I. (True Object Based Icon)

a line drawing, photograph etc. which is cut out in the actual shape of the item it represents

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Color Photos

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Black & White Photos

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Line Symbols

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Picture Communication Symbols

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Text with Pictures

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Communication Board with words/letters/numbers

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• In Therapy

• In the Classroom

• In the Home

• In the Community

• Behavior Regulation

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Schedules and Calendars

Tools to Give Information

Tools to Make Choices and Requests

Tools for Protesting and Rejecting

Tools for Behavior Regulation

Tools for Literacy 20

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Communication Boards

http://www.ange

lfire.com/pa5/as/

asteachersites.ht

ml

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Snack Time

Boscobel ECH

Lily Rider, Louise Hebel

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Snack Time

Boscobel ECH

Lily Rider, Louise Hebel

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School to home note

Boscobel ECH

Lily Rider, Louise Hebel

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Schedule and Behavior Chart

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Incentive Chart

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Preposition Activity

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The following section from CCE Creating Communication Environments

– Activities that focus on communication

– Environment that’s conducive to communication by the child

– Partner that knows how to prompt, model, elicit language, pause

Communication

Act

ivit

y

En

vir

on

men

t

Partn

er

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Arrange the Environment to Increase the Likelihood of Communication

Common Strategies….� Use motivating materials and activities

� Materials should be in view but not accessible

� Student should need assistance with some materials

� Provide small or inadequate amounts of materials

� Sabotage

� Provide something the student doesn’t like/want

� Use communication boards/devices & visual tools

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Increase Communication by being a good communication Partner

�Accept and respond to ANY communication attempt

� Provide descriptive feedback instead of praise

(“You wanted paint. Here’s more paint.”)

� Be silent when appropriate� Be aware of use of figurative language (“take your seat” vs. “sit”)

� Use a prompt hierarchy

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Prompt Hierarchy

• Environmental Cue– PAUSE

• Open Question– PAUSE

• Prompt OR Request for Communication– PAUSE

• Full Model– PAUSE

• Incorporate descriptive feedback into each step

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The Importance of Pause

• Pause allows for response time• Response time varies due to

– Physical and cognitive abilities• Directs staff to be silent• Collect data on a clients response time

using Compass assessment software

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What is Descriptive Feedback?

• Factual observations• Not praise• “You ask for a cookie” “Here is a

cookie”

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Prompt Hierarchy Step #1 Environmental Cue

• Set up the environment to signal to the student that an activity is about to begin.– Ringing bell– Lining up at the door– Art materials prepared but out of reach– Desired items visible but inaccessible– Cutting the pizza, e.g.

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

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Prompt Hierarchy--PausingPause after every step

• Focus your attention on the student (expect communication!)

A N

• PAUSE D

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

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Prompt Hierarchy Step #2 Open Question

• If the student does not respond to the pause by making a response:– Ask a WHAT, WHY, WHO, WHEN, WHERE, OR HOW Question

• “What do you want?”

• “Whose turn is it?”

• “Where does that go?”

• AND then…...PAUSE

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

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Prompt Hierarchy Step #3 Prompt or Request Communication

• Provide a prompt to students– Choices, carrier phrase, initial sound, visual cue

OR

• Request Communication– “Tell me what you need.”– “Tell me what goes next.”

• AND then……PAUSE

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

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Prompt Hierarchy Step # 4 Full Model

• Provide a full model for student– Use student’s AAC device

– Use developmentally appropriate model

• AND then…...PAUSE

• After student responds, provide... Descriptive Feedback

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PAUSEPause Pause Pause Pause Pause PausePause

Pause Pause ����� Pause

Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause

Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause

Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause

Pause Pause Pause Pause Pause

Pause Pause Pa u s e Pause Pause!

In other words…PAUSE! 42

Prompt Hierarchy—WHY?

� Gives student the necessary time to process information and to formulate a message to communicate

� Provides a structure for adults that encourages communication

� Can be customized for individual students

� Organized least to most

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CCE Video( first 2 min. 9:50 / 15:30)

• Jean using a communication board and school to home note with picture symbols

• Lilly using the prompt hierarchy

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• Planning– 80/20 Rule– Design Considerations– Assessment

• Software– Boardmaker– PixWriter– Microsoft Word Table– www.imaginesymbols.com

– http://www.symbolworld.org

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Design Considerations

• Physical considerations:– Size of symbols

– Spacing between symbols

– Physical access to all locations of board

– Landscape vs. Portrait orientation

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Design Considerations

• Visual considerations:– Color vs. black/white

– Color background

– Size & spacing

• Assessment:– TASP

– EVALUWARE

– STAGES

– ASNAT

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Design Considerations

• Language/Cognitive Considerations:– Type of message (single word vs. phrase)

– Type of symbol (Photos, line drawings)

– Amount of vocabulary to be displayed at a time

– Organization

Brandenburg, S., & Vanderheiden, g.C. (1988)

The Vocally Impaired: Clinical Practice and Research pp. 84-135 48

Vocabulary should be:• Reinforcing to the user

• Functional to the user

• Used frequently and regularly

• Flexible

• Include a wide range of communication functions

• Responsive to the changing needs and circumstances of the user

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Color Codingwill allow user and facilitator to locate symbols

more easily

www.aacintervention.com Tip of the month 50

1. Like

2. Again

3. Show me

4. Whole

5. Past

6. Fast

7. Correct

8. Short

9. Tomorrow

10. Word

11. Communication

12. That’s crazy!

Keep in mind the communication partner

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Assessment• Evaluware

– Computerized assessment– Assesses size/spacing/visual preferences/auditory

preferences

• TASP– Hard copy assessment– An easy-to-use tool for assessing symbolic skills,– Design communication boards– Help select Aug Communication device– Set appropriate AAC goals– Serves as a tool to benchmark progress in aided

communication performance.

• ASNAT– www.wati.org

• Communication Matrix – http://www.communicationmatrix.org 52

Designed to document the

communication skills of

children who have severe or

multiple disabilities, including

children with sensory, motor

and cognitive impairments.

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Planning is OngoingContinue to Adjust Variables

• Expand vocabulary• Increase size & array of symbols• Increase settings: home/community/other people/times in a day

• Differ communication: requests/labeling/commenting/questions

• Multi symbol utterances• Accessible/portable• Bridge up/down hierarchy

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Summary of Ideas

• Calendars• Schedules• Vocabulary• Worksheets/Quizzes (matching/fill in)

• Math/Reading/ Science/SS• Social Stories• Community

• Picture supported story/newsletter

• Literacy board• Weather Board• Snack placemats• Games (bingo)• Certificates• Greeting Cards

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Boardmaker Software

• Picture communication symbols used to create communication boards, device overlays, worksheets, picture schedules

• Teacher Tool• 2009 state buy $299.95 LAB Resources

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Boardmaker Plus Software

• This is Boardmaker plus voice

• Create interactive Activities

• Minus SDP bells and whistles

• Student/classroom Tool

• DynaVox Mayor-Johnson

• $394.95

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Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically Pro Software

• SDP is a speech output program• Use to create dynamic, talking, multilevel communication boards

• Teacher Tool• Individual Student Tool • $649.00

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Resources

• Gttp://www.cesa4.k12.wi.us/programs-services/special/resources/boardmakerresources.htm

• http://www.specialed.us/autism/index2.htm Susan Stokes CESA 7 Autism: Interventions andStrategies for Success

• www.cesa3at.wikispaces.com resource materials from today's session are stored online under AT for Communication

• www.widgit.com resources on symbols use

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References

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website: www.asha.org

Burkhart, L. 1993, Total Augmentative Communication in the Early Childhood Classroom, p.38

Binger, C. & Kent-Walsh, J. (2005). Evidence-Based Language Supports for Children Using AAC: Increasing Expressive Communication. Closing the Gap conference, Oct. 2005, Minneapolis, MN.

Casey, K. & Kornfeld S. (2004). Developing language-rich light tech AAC systems for young children. Closing the Gap, October/November 2004, 23 (4).

CESA 4 & 5 Cumley, J. and Pallaske, M., CESA 1 & 2 Weingarten, M. and Gierach, J., Creating Communication Environments training, 2005

DynaVox educational specialist Whitfield, K., Planning for and supporting Meaningful Participation and Learning for children and Adults Using AAC

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References

Hodgdon, L., Visual Strategies For Improving Communication: Solving Behavior Problems in Autism: Improving Communication with Visual Strategies, QuirkRoberts Publishing, www.usevisualstrategies.com P.O. Box 71Troy, MI 48099-0071

Hodgdon, L., Solving Behavior Problems in Autism: Improving Communication with Visual Strategies, QuirkRoberts Publishing, www.usevisualstrategies.com P.O. Box 71 Troy, MI 48099-0071

Karlan, George. Environmental Communication Teaching Training. Field-Initiated Research Grant Award No. H023C9005 from the Office of Special Education, U.S. Department of Education. Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University.

Quill, Kathleen, Do-Watch-Listen-Say, Paul H. Brookes Publishing, 2000

Raising a Reader, Raising a Writer: How Parents Can Help. Washington DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) #530

Teaching Our Youngest: A Guide for Preschool Teachers, Child Care & Family Providers, U.S. Department of Education