I can ... switch it up!

Switches can be used to allow kids with physical disabilities to participate in a variety of activities.  Sometimes it's hard to know where to look for new and interesting activities that will keep your students excited about using their switch(es). This month's blog contains some resources and places to find ways for your child/student to practice using their switch(es), so that they may become more efficient and independent with them.  

How do switches work on the computer?

Switches can be used to cause an action within an activity (i.e. cause and effect) or to move between a set of available options and to select the desired choice (i.e. scanning).  If the student is using one switch, then the choices are automatically highlighted in a timed sequence and when the desired object is highlighted, the student must activate their switch to make a selection.  If the student is using two switches, they can move between the choices by activating one of their switches, and select the desired option by activating their second switch. 

In order for the switches to 'communicate' with the computer, they need to be plugged into some kind of interface.  Sometimes the activity is looking for a left mouse-click to perform an action.  In this case, a switch-adapted mouse will do the trick! If the software is looking for a different type of input (usually a keystroke of some kind) then a more sophisticated switch interface may be needed, e.g. a Hitch 2, or a Crick USB Switch Interface.

For more information about switches and scanning, have a look at our previous posts, I Can...Find the Right Switch, I Can...Use 2 Switches and I Can....Use My Switch.   

Are there switch-accessible activities online?

Senict Software has some free 'lite' cause and effect activities for members. You can purchase a subscription that will unlock additional features on these activities. Cause and effect activities include Door Step Ding Dong, Vehicles, Shapes, Meet the Aliens, Happy Shapes, and Flutterby.  The error-free Happy Shapes Choosing activity allows your student to choose which shapes he wants to 'dance' around the screen by using 2-switches....1 switch to move to the desired shape, and the second switch to choose the shape.  Older students may enjoy hanging out with James Bond, or singing along with the Beatles or Justin Bieber!!!


HelpKidzLearn (HKL) 
Fun games, activities & tools designed specifically for young children and those with learning difficulties.  Students can interact with these activities using a single switch and some of the activities allow 2-switch access as well.  When you register on their site, you get access to 10 free activities - 2 in each of the categories of Early Years, Games, Stories, Creative, and Find Out.  With a subscription, you get access to all of the available activities. Also through the HKL website, you can subscribe to the ChooseIt Maker 3 online software.  Here you can create, edit and play personalized learning activities that can be used online or on your iPad or Android tablet!

Teacheing Learners with Multiple Special Needs
This is a list of free online switch activities for learner with multiple or significant special needs. The list was updated in the fall of 2015.  The activities are simple and enjoyable and the categories include:  Cause and Effect (and Press to Play), Single Switch Scanning/Timed Single Switch Response and Two Switches.



Ginger Tiger is designed and tailor-made for learners with a physical disability, sensory impairment or learning difficulty.  It's accessible on many different platforms (iPad, Android tablets, Win 8 tablets etc.) and via different access methods (Switches, Eye Gaze, Touch screens, keyboards etc.). You can sign-up for a free one-week trial or purchase an annual subscription for full access to the activities.  

Have a look at One Switch from the UK.  In addition to lots of games, they also have resources related to making other games, music and art accessible via switches.

Glenda's Assistive Technology and More... has loads of links to online and iOS activities that can be used with switches.  She also provides links to companies who sell switches, toys and environmental controls.  In addition, you can find other resources for your student who is using switches.  She introduces how to use an iPad for cause and effect switch activities and suggests getting more switch control via software that is meant to be switch accessible.

With Accessible YouTube, switch users can control YouTube videos!!! Plugging their switch into a switch interface that sends keyboard equivalents to the computer (e.g. Don Johnson Switch interface), students can move between video options and choose the one they want to watch.  Once a video is playing, they can pause, rewind, watch related videos, or go back to the main list of videos that they started from. Imagine the control!! Be aware that this site does not filter any of the search results (input initially by someone who can type in the search) and that the suitability of the content may need to be monitored by an adult.

We've all heard of Angry Birds, right?  Well, check out the Angry Pig Switch Game at Special Bites!  Here you can use your switch to catapult the angry pig and explode as many bombs as you can.  See if you can work your way through all 4 levels of the game!!! If Angry Pigs aren't your thing, not to worry!  There are sports and seasonal switch games here as well!

Shiny Learning has games that encompass cause and effect, targeting, visual tracking, timing, switch skills, touch skills and more.  You can trial free versions of the games online for 7 days.  If you like them after you try them out, you can purchase them so that you can play them offline as well.

Priory Woods School and Arts College offers more than 60 musical videos that your student can start and re-start using their single switch.  The videos cross a range of interests from classic movie themes, current pop and the one you just can't out of your head....the animated characters from the Madagascar movie dancing to the song "I Like to Move It!".  These videos are super engaging for early switch users and are designed to help children understand and generalize cause and effect. The videos can be played online or downloaded for use on a PC or Macintosh computer.

Let's use our switches to read!!!   

Tar Heel Reader has a collection of free, easy-to-read, and accessible books on a wide range of topics.  Each book can be speech enabled and accessed using multiple interfaces, including touch screens, the IntelliKeys, and 1 to 3 switches. You can even write your own books here and publish them to the website!

Tar Heel Gameplay is a new site with free, easy to play games everyone can play. The games are made from YouTube videos and are accessible using 1-3 switches, mouse or touch screens. You can even create your own games from You Tube videos, using either a Basic, Precise or Advanced creator, depending on how complex you want your game to be. Note that Tar Heel Gameplay is being developed and tested in the Google Chrome browser - this is the recommended browser for its use.

Tumblebooks is an online library of children's books.  Although this website is not specifically for switch users, books can be accessed with a switch by placing the mouse cursor over the 'turn the page' button and ensuring that the mode is set to manual.  Your community may have a subscription...check out your local library's website to see if you can access Tumblebooks using your library card.  You can see a free preview of how Tumblebooks works here.



My Own Books 2 Go was developed by SLP Pati King-DeBaun and has more than 200 'easy to read' books. Students who use switches can control the book reading.  The books can be read aloud by the computer and shared via email.  Students can also become authors and create their own books to read on their own or share with others.  

Marblesoft Simtech sells lots of different switch accessible software and if you're looking for something with more switch-scanning features than what's available in the online activities listed above, you may find it here.

What about software that's already available at my school (in Ontario)??? 
 
Clicker is a powerful yet easy-to-use writing support and multimedia tool that enables children to write with whole words, phrases or pictures. Clicker activities can be customized to meet the access (e.g. switch access) and layout needs of the student.

Clicker Paint is an easy-to-use paint program that enables your student to illustrate talking books, do some writing, colouring or drawing activities......all with their switch! Talk to your teachers/clinicians to see if it makes sense to be using these programs with your child. 

Want more info about the skills involved in learning to use a switch?

Download this Switch Progression Road Map from Inclusive Technology.  It details the stages of switch skill acquisition from cause and effect to confident scanning.  It can help you determine where to start when using a switch with a student and to set goals for progression toward more independent scanning.


Do we always have to practice switches on the computer? 

The answer here is "No"....any time your student gets to use their switches, they are practicing the thoughts and movements that are required to activate the switch and becoming more familiar with how the switch works. There are many commercially available products that are switch accessible. Here are some websites to check out:
Enabling Devices
Adaptive Tech Solutions
Special Needs Toys

Ablenet has lots of ideas and products related to switch use. For example, the Switch Activated All Turn It Spinner is a great tool that enables random selections for game playing. You can create overlays for the spinner which makes this device useful for all kinds of activities. 


Want to try out some switches or an interface? Many Children's Treatment Centres have equipment loan pools where you may be able to borrow an item to see how it really works. Check in with your child's Occupational Therapist. For example, at TVCC in London, Ontario, there are a variety of switches, switch mounts, switch interfaces and switch adapted toys that can be borrowed by TVCC clients.  Contact your TVCC clinician for details if you are interested.

I can...say thank you!

The African proverb "It takes a village to raise a child" rings especially true for the amazing people who support kids who use augmentative communication .  Supportive families, educators and community members are instrumental in the successful use of AC. This month, we'd like to recognize some of the dedicated people who try things out when there isn't certainty, who share their creative ideas, and who look for opportunities for their students to improve their active participation by using augmentative communication. We are so grateful to all those who support people who use AC. Have a great summer and we'll see you back in September!


There are so many people who we could feature in this month's blog!  We asked TVCC ACS clinicians to share some of the success stories that they see every day.  If you want to share your success stories, please contact us.

Mary & Sophie

Mary is an Educational Assistant at Ryerson Public School in London, ON who supports Sophie's communication using a variety of means including a communication dictionary, low tech symbol use and use of a speech generating device.  Sophie has difficulty with her vision and movement which makes touching symbols or a device tricky.  Mary is helping Sophie learn how to use switches that connect to a computer or device.  Mary is also helping Sophie learn how to use automatic and  step scanning to be able to make choices.  Mary has a great connection with Sophie and is dedicated to helping her discover how using augmentative communication can help her learn new things and develop friendships with her classmates and community.     

 Janet & Ethan
Janet Lyle is an Educational Assistant at Mitchell Hepburn Public School in St. Thomas, ON who supports Ethan's use of his voice recognition software in combination with a voice amplifier to help him meet his writing needs.  Janet has helped Ethan to learn the voice recognition commands that he needs to use with this specialized software.  Janet also sets up his laptop, microphone and amplifier so that he can be successful.  Janet has encouraged Ethan to increase his independence in writing using this system and as a result he is now producing a larger volume of work on his own.  Way to go Janet and Ethan!

 

Sabrina, Carrie & Ali
Sabrina is a Teacher and Carrie is an Educational Assistant at Mitchell Hepburn Public School in St. Thomas, ON.  They both work with Ali to help him discover how he can use low tech and high tech ways to engage in writing. For example, they use a carpet square with Velcro letters and sight words to let Ali explore words and letters.  This allows Ali the ability to interact with the letters and words on his own.

Graham, Roseann, Nancy & Jorja

Graham is a Teacher and Rosann and Nancy are Educational Assistants at Fairmont Public School in London, ON.  They support Jorja's communication using a variety of means including use of a communication dictionary, use of an encoded core vocabulary on an eye gaze frame and use of a speech generating device. This team excels because they provide opportunities for communication throughout the day and model core vocabulary.  Graham has incorporated all Jorja's communication goals with her curriculum goals to help use core vocabulary to meet her educational needs.

Shelley & Jackson

Shelley is Jackson's Educational Assistant at John Wise Public School in St. Thomas, ON. Shelley is helping Jackson to gain more independence when using the computer.  He is currently using automatic scanning in Clicker 5 to participate in writing activities.  Shelley has learned how to use the software and customize new activities for Jackson.  Way to go!

Ms. Fredericks, Mrs. Pawlak, 

Noah & Hunter 

Mrs. Fredrick and Mrs. Pawlak at Knollwood Park Public school have done a fantastic job of helping Noah to learn how to use his new speech generating device in the classroom.  They have set up a communication station with many tools for Noah's peers to learn about his communication system so peers can help him use it throughout the day.  Noah's friends like Hunter offer great support to Noah and remind his to use his device when he is not understood and also encourage him to create full sentences.  Mrs Fredrick finds creative ways to encourage Noah to communicate and use his device within the curriculum in the classroom.  Way to go team!

Kelly & William

Ms. Kelly Austin, classroom teacher at FD Roosevelt in London, ON, has been supportive of her student Will from the moment we started exploring Augmentative Communication strategies last fall. Ms. Austin, along with educational assistants Mrs. Hutter and Mrs. Bradford, have learned how to add words, symbols and pictures that meet William’s needs.  More importantly, they have helped him use it in a natural way throughout the school day, reminding him to “have your voice ready” so he can use it whenever he needs it.  The school team has been teaching William new vocabulary to help expand his language, but also to give him a way to joke with others, tell peers what he thinks, and express his good-natured self.  Ms. Austin and her team are always thinking of creative ways they can support students like Will in using AAC. They are using the strategies they’ve learned to incorporate a variety of symbols with other students in their class.  In her own words, Ms. Austin has been surprised and excited by how quickly Will has learned to use his device “to communicate new things, or use the symbols in new ways, all on his own.”

Ava & Lili, Sherry, Laura & Sue

A full-day kindergarten class at St. Jude’s Separate School is a busy place with lots of little voices exploring the world around them.  Among those voices is Ava’s; she uses the Touch Chat communication app to help her peers and school staff hear and understand what she wants or thinks.  Ava is able to talk about the weather and calendar at circle time, say her prayers, ask for help, participate in reading stories, and talk about her favourite activities just like her peers.  In addition to her own willingness to try new things, her success has been due to the wonderful team that supports her: Her mother, Lili, her teacher, Ms. Comiskey, and educational assistants, Ms. Boyce and Ms. McManus. In Lili’s own words, “As a parent, I try to do as much as I can for her but I recognize that it takes a dedicated team to make it all come together. The school team has been wonderful and are more than willing to do what it takes for Ava to succeed.”

Teachers and Educational Assistants at Ashley Oaks Public School

Teachers and Educational assistants in the Developmental Centre at Ashley Oaks Public School in London, ON, made communication a primary focus over this school year. They dedicated professional development time to learning more about Core vocabulary and partner assisted scanning, recognizing that putting these strategies in place could benefit all of the students under their care. Their enthusiasm and drive to learn more about what they could do to support students with complex communication needs was evident during the after school workshops. Now they are putting that knowledge into practice by creating core vocabulary boards for their classrooms and modeling language for the students throughout the day. Kudos to all of the team, the teachers in other classes at the school and the administrators who put their support behind the training, and  - thanks for going the extra mile for your students!

I can...use a switch to write with Clicker!

Sometimes children with physical disabilities struggle with holding a pencil and require assistance to produce text or to use a computer. Despite this, the independence and connection literacy can provide to students with disabilities is invaluable. Although there are many different methods to support writing, in this issue we'll explore ways to use Clicker to engage kids in early writing activities that are switch accessible.

How do I know if my student is ready?
The truth is that no one can know for sure but there's no harm in trying it out.  We've talked about the "least dangerous assumption" in the past which basically states that in the absence of absolute proof it's safest to assume that a child is ready and would get some benefit from exposure to engagement in early writing activities.


What do I need to get started?
Well, there is some equipment you'll need to purchase or borrow.  You'll need a switch interface that connects a switch(es) to your computer.  There are a few different kinds and the people who make Clicker also have one called Crick Switch Interface. If you have another kind, then you can plug it in an take a look and see if Clicker will accept the key equivalents that it would send.

1 switch or 2?
If your student is using 1 switch, you'll  use a automatic scan. Each choice in the scan is highlighted on the screen at a predetermined speed. When the desired choice is highlighted, your student hits their switch to activate the selection.

If your student is using 2 switches, they could use one switch to move through the choices and the other switch to make the selection.  This process is referred to as step scanning.  One of the benefits of step scanning is that the timing element is removed.  This means that the child can control when the next choice is highlighted.

Creating an Activity FIRST...plan out your activity on paper considering how much information your student can handle at once. There are LOTS of resources on how to create your activity on the training section of the Clicker website.

Here are some ideas for error free writing

Winter is + choice of :snowy, mittens, hot chocolate, cold, skiing
I like + choice of : ice cream, pizza, hot dogs
Dear Mom + choice of: I love you, I miss you, You're the best!
My brother  + choice of: is my buddy, is stinky, is in grade 3 

Here are some more ideas that provide choices (with the possibility of errors)
My pizza has + pepperoni, toothpaste, cheese, socks
I like blue + shirts, crayons, oranges, water

What about writing at home????
In Ontario the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) provides funding for a writing aid to people who have a physical disability, who have regular home writing needs and the literacy skills to be able to write.  There are specific eligibility criteria that must be met to access funding - talk to your Occupational Therapist to find out if your student qualifies.