Autism: Technology & Communication - Part 1

Gwendolyn Meier Eberhard, SLP, MT Villa Esperanza Services

!geberhard@villaesperanzaservices.org

Disclaimer

• The speaker has no financial or non-financial interests in the information or products in this presentation

• The speaker received an honorarium from the Autism Society of the Inland Empire for this presentation

Learning ObjectivesParticipants will:

1. Identify 3 iPad apps that can be used to build early language skills

2. Recognize the difference between operation of a touchscreen tablet for recreation and the potential to use a tablet for communication

3. Identify visual supports that can be used to increase the understanding of language vs. expressive communication

4. Understand the important role that modeling aided language plays in the language-learning process

5. Identify 3 activities that can be used to teach and support functions of communication beyond labeling

Agenda

iPad Apps for

Language Development

iPad Apps for

Augmenting Communication

Teaching Language through

AAC

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BREAK 10:45-11:00

Hi! Who’s Here?

Parents Teachers

Speech People Other professionals

Today’s screen shots can be found in the full presentation - link on the Redlands 2014 tab at

scaacn.blogspot.com/p/redlands-2014.html

Redlands 2014

What an iPad CAN do:• Engaging apps for practicing skills

previously paper-based • Lure of the backlit screen • Touch access vs. mouse • Portability a computer lacks

• Opened up AAC consideration previously out of reach due to lack of SLP exposure

• Provide relatively low-cost options in a very expensive AAC landscape

What an iPad CAN do:

Play on the iPad may not necessarily lend itself to communication skills

Speech vs. LanguageThe means of communicating

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• Articulation !

• Voice !

• Fluency !

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Speech vs. LanguageThe means of communicating !

• Articulation !

• Voice !

• Fluency !!!

Shared rules of the symbolic system !

• What words mean • How to make new

words • How to put words

together • What word

combinations are best in what situations

Language Domains

• Vocabulary

(aka. semantics, word meanings, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, pronouns, )

Language Domains

• Vocabulary

• Grammar

(aka. syntax, word order, verb agreement, complete sentences)

Language Domains

• Vocabulary

• Grammar

• Concepts

(categories, opposites, location, direction, time relationships, emotions)

Language Domains

• Vocabulary

• Grammar

• Concepts

• Understanding

(receptive language, making sense of what you hear and read)

What are your student’s language goals?

•Vocabulary •Grammar •Concepts •Understanding

Language Goals• Multi-word utterances,

Grammatically correct sentences

• Answering Questions: Wh-Questions, Yes/No

• Categories, Word Relationships, Similarities and Differences, Compare and Contrast, Definitions

• Verbs: Past tense, future tense

• Story problems (math)

• Parts of speech:

• Adjectives (colors, number, describing words)

• Prepositions (under, between, above)

App Match

Goal Goal Goal

app appapp

First ask:

What is the goal?

!

Then ask:

Is there an app for that?

Bad App Match

1.Really great looking app.

2.How can my student benefit?

Goalapp

Warning #1: Goals Guide Activities

• This is what the teacher or SLP will do when they individualize any learning activity to student needs

Needs Goals Activities

Warning #2: Apps are Not Language Therapy

• But they can help us help students!

• Many times, the app is most useful when structured and/or mediated by an adult

Warning #3: Apps are Not Communication

• The essential aspect of communication should be in face-to-face interaction and play, not on a computer or app

Let’s look at the Apps!

First Phrases

First Phrases• Early language development

• 2- to 4-word phrases

• Animations bring verbs to life

• Record your voice speaking the phrase

• Text - ON or OFF

First Phrases• 3 Levels of Play - Easy, Normal, Challenge

Easy, Normal Challenge

Let’s play a round

• Level - Normal

Let’s play a round

• Level - Normal

• Text OFF

Let’s play a round

• Level - Normal

• Text OFF

• 3-part phrase

Let’s play a round

• Level - Normal

• Text OFF

• 3-part phrase

on the iPad!

First Phrases

• Verbs: Close, cut, drink, drive, drop, eat, kick, open, play, pop, pour, pull, push, ride, roll, throw, wash, go on, jump off, jump on, jump over, put away, put on, sleep on, step over, take off, take out, turn off, turn on

• Lite: Close, drink, drive, sleep on, turn on

Additional Language Targets

• Unlock Girl and Boy characters to create your own phrases and target pronouns

“He”

“She”

First PhrasesAdditional Language Targets:

• Pause the animation and talk about what the character did (past tense)

Picture the Sentence

Picture the Sentence• Auditory processing

• Create a picture of what you hear in your mind

• Auditory working memory - hear and retain

• Respond to multiple cues - Attend to the important elements

• Find a corresponding picture

Picture the Sentence• Hear and see a phrase (option for audio only)

• Wait time between is optional (5-40 seconds)

• Then choose the best picture

Picture the Sentence• 3 Levels of Difficulty

• Easy - visuals stay, slow presentation

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• Intermediate - visuals flashed, moderate

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• Advanced - no visuals, moderate-fast

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• Text with the presentation - ON or OFF

Picture the Sentence• Visual cues - color drawings, stick figures, none

• Nouns (boy, girl) or pronouns (he, she, they)

• Simple sentence types:

• subject+verb

• subject+verb+object

• subject+verb+prepositional phrase

• subject+verb+object+prepositional phrase

Picture the SentenceRespond to multiple cues:

“The children are drinking orange juice on the couch”

Picture the Sentence“The children are drinking orange juice on the couch”

Picture the Sentence• Progress tracking

Apps for Similar Goals

• Splingo’s Language Universe

!

• Auditory Workout

Fun with Directions

More Fun with Directions

Fun with Directions• Easy -

• (No foils) Color the ball. Close the window.

!

• (Field of 3) Open the door on top. Give the girl a bed.

Fun with Directions• Intermediate

• (F:5) Touch something that says meow.

• Look on the middle shelf. There is something yellow. Put it in the basket.

• Open a red door on the top row. On the bottom row, open a red door.

Fun with Directions• Advanced

• (F:5) Touch something you make by blowing on it.

• Look for something on the middle shelf that goes on a foot. Put it in the basket.

• Open the second door in the bottom row.

• Give the boy without a hat or glasses something that you put food on. It goes on a table.

Fun with DirectionsFWD Concepts:

• Location words (bottom, middle, top)

• Actions (erase, touch, open, close, push, give)

• Colors

!

More FWD:

• Location words (above, below, behind, in front, on, under, up, down)

• Actions (put in, take out, turn on, turn off)

Fun with Directions & More Fun with Directions

GOALS:

• Auditory memory

• Auditory processing

• Following directions

• Spatial concepts

Fun with Directions• Progress tracking - similar to Picture the Sentence

Social Language

• Level 1, Level 2, Advanced (teen/adult)

• 3 Activities (65-75 tasks per activity)

1. Listening & Facial Expressions

2. Body Language & Perspective-Taking

3. Idioms & Slang

Back-To-$chool $ALE

• 30-50% off all Hamaguchi Apps

• Through 9/15/14X

Apps from

Preposition Builder

• Drag the word to fill in a blank

• Reading required

Preposition Builder

Most Important:

• Settings

• Play

Preposition Builder

• Settings changes the set

• Correction procedure

• Audio recording

• Progress tracking

Preposition Builder

Preposition Builder

Preposition Builder+Correction+

Rainbow Sentences

• Formulate sentences about what you see

• Order the words

• Word grouping

• Color coding

• Progress tracking

Rainbow Sentences

• Listen back - Play

• Check your work - I’m done

• Extra step: Recall and retell your sentence

More Advanced Language Goals

Conversation Builder & CB Teen

Conversation Builder

• Elementary and Teen versions

• Respond in role-play with an in-app “peer”

• Multiple choices (text and audio)

• Records your voice

Conversation Builder

• 1 on 1 (add half the conversation)

• Group setting (Photo only)

• 4-exchange or 8-exchange

• Record your turns and listen to the final product

Conversation Builder• Elementary and Teen versions

• 4-exchange or 8-exchange

• 1 on 1 (add half the conversation)

• Group setting (Photo only)

• Record your turns and listen to the final product

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning • Identify problem, cause, and solution

• Predicting what happens next

• Negative Wh-questions

• State differences and similarities

• State pros and cons

• What would happen if…?

• Why Questions

Verbal Reasoning 3 multiple choices (audio and/or text)

• ID problem, cause, solution

• 150 items

• Predicting what happens next (text paragraph)

• 50 items

Verbal Reasoning

• Features:

• Requires all 3 options be heard before making a choice

• Progress Tracking

• Report can be emailed

Creative / Customizable Apps

My Play Home• Virtual, interactive dollhouse

• Categorized contents by room

• Various characters

• Many actions possible

• Hours of fun!

Let’s take a home tour!

on the iPad!

My Play Home Stores• 4 Stores with employees

• Grocery, Produce, Ice Cream, Clothing

• Two apps connect

My Play Home• Solo play

• Great for promoting symbolic concept development, reinforcing categories

• Together play

• Unlimited expressive and receptive language possibilities!

• (Adult holds the iPad)

Barrier Games• 2 or more players

• Some kind of barrier(s) so that players cannot see each others materials (books, file folders, or binders can work as barriers)

• Same set of materials

• Without any visual cues

• Goal: Give and receive directions on how to arrange the materials

• All players’ materials look the same at the end of the activity

Barrier GamesPick a room or store and arrange items and people in a certain way.

Take a screen shot, send it to a computer and print

• Receptive: Give the student the iPad with a “tidied” room and give spoken instructions on where things should go, which elements to change

• Expressive: Give the student the print out and have them tell YOU where each element needs to be placed

• Receptive: Give the student the iPad with a “tidied” room and give spoken instructions on where things should go, which elements to change

• Expressive: Give the student the print out and have them tell YOU where each element needs to be placed (you have the iPad)

More GoalsWord Comprehension

• Backyard: Touch the watering can, Point to a flower

Following Directions

• Kids Bedroom: Put the girl in bed

• Bathroom: Turn on the shower then brush the boy’s teeth

• Kitchen: Open the fridge and take out a piece of pizza

Prepositions

• Bathroom: Put the shampoo under the sink

More GoalsTime Concepts

• Living room: Before you go to the kitchen, turn off the stereo

Problem Solving

• Kid’s Bedroom: What will make it brighter in this room?

Social Skills

• Any room: Provide dialog for the characters, greet, ask questions, comment

Dr. Panda’s Day Care• Similar features, plus ongoing actions

• Present progressive tense -ing

Bouncing

Rocking

Book Creator

• By: Red Jumper Studio

• Create “books” that include photos, video, text, drawing, music

• Record narration on each page to make an “audio book” students can read to themselves

Book Creator• Consumption - books you write for them

• Production - books they write themselves (or with help)

Written by three, 4th grade students who have autism

FREE in the iBooks Store

on the iPad!

How To

scaacn.blogspot.com

Book Creator

• Expository writing - gives information

• Narrative writing - tells a story

• Create personalized, talking flashcards for any subject

Planets flashcards

• Export to iBooks and read on the iPad (within the book)

• Export as a PDF and email it

• Print from your iPad or computer

Book CreatorEndless possibilities:

• “What I did on my vacation...”

• Record lines for a play to aid memorization

• Create a Social Story for a new experience

• Video yearbook

Tactilly

Tactilly

• By: Tactilly, LLC

• Create personally relevant photo albums

• Use your own photos or pics from the web

• Hotspots that talk

• Unlimited pages

Tactilly• Any Language Domain can be addressed

• Albums for each student’s goals

• (Speech too - articulation targets with an auditory model)

• Consumption - Albums made for them

• Production - Students can create too!

Tactilly

Tactilly

Tactilly

Tactilly

Guided Access

Disable the Home button locks you

into an app

Guided Access How To

• Settings - Accessibility - Guided Access ON

• Choose a password

• Triple click the home button

scaacn.blogspot.com

Warnings

1. Goals guide activities (and apps)

2. Apps are not language therapy in and of themselves

3. Apps are not communication

AAC Apps for Augmented

Communication

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

• Supports for communication

• Often for nonverbal communicators !

• Unaided - sign language, gestures

• Aided -

• Communication boards

• Picture exchange

• Speech-generating/voice output devices

AAC is more than the iPad…

An AAC system should...• Increase participation: classroom, work,

community, home • Address communication goals: IEP, personal,

work • Support efficient and interactive communication • Provide the user with meaningful language • Support language and literacy learning • Be age-respectful • Provide a positive support to behavior

Currently over 100 iPad apps designed to be communication tools Variety of levels of complexity and co$t Decision-making:

Speech Language Pathologists, special educators, and parents ALL need guidance

App Explosion

AAC Evaluation• Is essential • Must be conducted by, or include, a

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) experienced in AAC

AAC Evaluation:• Language stage & literacy development • Symbol/icon recognition*

-Ability to visually discriminate between symbols and locations • Physical access

-Motor ability to point to, give, push a button, turn page, look at

• Categorization and Memory

-Cognitive ability to find vocabulary needed for expression • Trial period • Recommendation of an appropriate communication system

-Picture cards, choice boards, buttons, screens, etc.

The iPad is not a fit for everyone

Play on the iPad may not necessarily lend itself to communication skills

So, how do we go from this...

...to this?

Initial Questions

• Can they access directly? (point, tap, release)

• Can they navigate between pages?

• Or do they need a single page of choices?

• What language stage?

- Similar stages to spoken language

• What do they need to communicate to control their environment?

• How many different messages? In how many environments?

Initial Questions

• What language stage?

- Similar stages to spoken language

• Can they navigate between pages?

• Or do they need a single page of choices?

Initial Questions

LAMP Words For Life Advantages/ Disadvantages

✓ Fixed number of locations

✓ Excellent “hide” feature to limit visible vocabulary

- Small button size

- Uncommon symbol system and organization

- No voice recording

LAMP Words For Life✓One Motor Pattern per Word allows for the

development of quick effortless communication

✓ Vocabulary Builder shows only targeted words to limit distractions and increase success.

✓Word Finder shows the location where a word is stored

Proloquo2go Advantages

✓ Relatively easy to program (with practice)

✓Copy and paste multiple buttons at a time

✓ Suggests symbols for new buttons

✓ Vast symbol library, allows photos

✓Developer adds features, languages

Proloquo2go Disadvantages

- Requires significant customization to access a robust vocabulary

- One button size across all pages

- No voice recording

Basic Communication

Hiding Buttons in Customized Core Vocab

TouchChat with WordPower Advantages

✓ Robust built-in vocabularies at different levels

✓ Intuitive navigation for message construction

✓ Relatively easy to program (with practice)

✓Ample symbol library + photos, videos, music, voice recording

- Doesn’t copy/paste multiple buttons

- Requires symbol search for new buttons

- Developer slower with adding features

TouchChat with WordPower Advantages

Full Screen Hidden Buttons

MultiChat 15

Don’t forget to look at Part 2!

Email: geberhard@villaesperanzaservices.org !

Blog: www.scaacn.blogspot.com Facebook: facebook.com/socalaac.scaacn Twitter: @scaacn