EDUC 5153
Day 8-Powerlinks, switch access, Eye gaze, alternate access  for students with low incidence disabilities.
July 14, 2016

Alternate Access to various curriculum; Eye gaze use;
Switch use; Powerlinks and ways to use switches for
highest needs students; Apps for switch users;
Chromebooks and switch use for highest needs students
(low incidence disabilities) ; Software for alternate access
to laptops (pc or mac).

7 stations will be set up around the room (and beyond).  Divide yourselves into groups of 3 and circulate the stations every 15 minutes.  Follow the directions below and at the station to experience the AT.  Post reflections on your blog for discussion and sharing your experiences.

1. INTRODUCTION: Movie on Switch access throughout school (switch inclusion movie 24 minutes)

RT-pulling together
TA-does most of the work with the child and the AT
Therapists-looks a t the student needs
A principal pulls team together
Parents advocate for the child

IPP

Micheal-7 years, grade 1-2 class, downsyndrome, integrated
Goals-learn to sit with minimal help, building relationships, seizures that tire him out., read for an instrument

Therapy goals-long range planning, looking at making him independent at meals or physically

Since =joining the class he has become more involved and alert. He looks forward to things

Todd-CP with visual impairment, interacts with other children which is a good motivator for him. Didn’t know the academic ability, so they just figured how he can be involved and participate which are his goals.

Goal-to hit the button, healthy positure, students help him but motivating him to read with them, use the switch

Importance of a support system-TA

Therapists-change his position, he worked the time clock which gives him control. It motivates him to operate his switch.

Justin-15 grade 10. Justin controls a switch which contains the instructions for making fruit salad so that he can be involved with a group of students EAs should treat the student like a person and ask and wait for answers.

He has to have rest periods throughout the day,so he can have students read with him.

Joy-grade 7 students, interacts with the school secretary . SHe acts as a big buddy with students that are younger. The young students are learning how Joy communicates. Head is easier than the hand switch.

Joy could be using prologquo to communicate this day in age. As her receptive language is excellent and she is very capable. She has an amazing support team. She is able to understand and help[ make cookies. She loves being with the other kids and dislikes long weekends. She could also be using the Eyegaze program.

Integration is challenging but it really improved the quality of life's

They had an amazing help compared to us. Also comment on the differences between then and now.

2. Station 1: Demo Powerlink:   in your groups experience the switch and the powerlink to turn on the fan.  Note what skills you need to accomplish the task (physical, sensory, cognitive), Describe the primary user of this device? What is he/she achieving with this task? How could this activity be built into the student's IPP?  Also think of 10 ways to use power link beyond turning on a fan.  Post to ideas and reflections to your blog.


Smoothies-is blender control
Sports-Control the Time Clock extracurricular activities or phys Ed.
Popcorn Makers-could fundraising activities
Musical Chairs-control the music
Electronic Pencil Sharpener-helper for teacher or students
Bubble making- at a dance
Turning on/off light switch for projector
instrument-could hit a gong
Toys-ie. Trains
Drama production-controlling the lights of a production
Controlling a PowerPoint at an assembly
Attention grabber-trigger getting attention at an assess boy.


Options-.Timer, direct-control by byholding it down., latch, control by hitting the switch

Switch options-button, joy stick or toggle, grip or grasp switch,


3. Station 2: *Eyegaze demo - and station set up.  In your group get yourself seated correctly in front of the laptop.  Calibrate for your seating position.  Use eye-gaze to run the activity onscreen.  Discuss in your group ease of use, necessary prerequisite skills to use the device, who are the necessary team members to be supporting this student and what are the training needs of the team?  Note 10 other eye-gaze activities that could be performed using this technology that could tie into a child's educational program.

Needs to be calibrated by each user. Reading the individuals retinas. The app is a pie swooshing in face practice. Can change it up by putting the teachers pictures in. Student motivator. No need for movement just retinal movement. Software and device which can be connected to a laptop or iPad.It is very easy to use and calibrate. The PP Team-teachers, resource teacher, EAs, principals to make sure the teachers are engaged. OT to make the setup ergonomic. Non verbal students, severe physical limitations. Adapted to cognitive ability. You could start with yes or no questions to communication. The student would need to have some basic communication skills to understand the object of the game and what is expected for calibration purposes. After a while the neck and eyes tire. OT and Physical therapists need to be involved to give instructions for frequent micro breaks. Student could do this with hearing impairments.

Mental Math
Letter recognition
Facebook
Email
Text
Text to speech could promote social development
Literacy support
Musical instruments
Beat box application to mix music
Leisure reading
RAZ kids program
Proloquo2go could be set up
Internet research
Unlimited options



 Station 3: *Switch accessible apps / switch demo (iPad Air) Switch Apps.  In your groups tap the bluetooth switch in front of the iPad to run the App.  You are a curler at the paralympics!  Discuss in  your group who would be the optimal user of the device and activity, what are the advantages of offering this on the iPad?.  Find 10 other switch accessible Apps for the iPad to engage this student and post your reflections and findings to your blog.
Great motivator for switch skills development. Student requires some cognitive ability so that they can understand strategy and point of curling game. Great tool for a phys. Ed class or physics. It encourages relationship building with their peers as their are two players on the switch.

A Leader Is
Adapted Play Book
Auntie Maggie’s Recipe
Big Bang Patterns(Math Geometry)
Big Pictures
Big Trucks(animated trucks)
Bumper Cars
Breath Music
Catch the cow (skills for choice)
ChooseIt! Literacy (approx $60 CA)

There are so many apps that are excessively on the iPad for all curriculum strands. The student can be exposed to the curriculum with a focus on many IPP goals. The student will need good control over gross motor to hove rover button.

Station 4: Scanning activity on laptop … Dell / onscreen keyboard scanning, hover with trackball.   Each person in the group will experience different means of typing (1. use of the onscreen keyboard with a trackball 2. Hovering over a cell to select 3) using a switch and scanning to type.
STEP 1: choose OPTIONS on the keyboard with the regular mouse/trackpad.  Choose choose Mouse/click first and click ok.  Try typing with the onscreen keyboard.  Note your experience and identify the primary user of this access mode.  STEP 2: Go back to OPTIONS and select Hover and click OK.  Type by hovering over the keys to select the letter.  Type your document.  Use the trackball to enhance writing performance.  Who is the optimal user of this device?
STEP 3: Go back to OPTIONS and choose Scanning, click OK.  Type using scanning by first pressing the spacebar.  Tap the spacebar to select the group of letters then tap again to select the letter.  Discuss in your group this mode of input.  Who is the optimal user, describe his/her features.  Post to your blog.


Station 4-Onscreen keyboard PC-free on PC operating SYstem. Direct input, hover with track ball, tiny movement required, word prediction keys.

Scanning through keys. Takes a long time to scroll but it is still a great way to communicate with time and limited movements.

This AT would be great for someone like Joy who’s receptive language is strong as they require a knowledge of spelling. They do not require much Rangel of motion.

There were 3 settings:direct input, clicking mouse would require a clicking movement as well as a keen receptive language as they must be able to read and spell. Require fine and grossly motor skills.

Hover-can use this as long as you have good receptive language even if limited in gross. There are a lot of skills required to operate this type of direct input AT.

6. Station  5: alternate keyboard to Chromebook  (show extensions and apps) .  Use the alternate keyboard to type a document using the Chromebook.  Comment on the portability of this setup for a student moving class to class i.e. with large keyboard.  Also - go to the Settings and More Tools to review the accessibility of the Chromebook (Tap on the taskbar at the bottom and go to Settings, check out accessibility options. Note some of these options on your blog.   Locate the R&W for Google extension on the taskbar (tap on the purple icon).  What can a user do with this extension? Who would benefit from using R&WG?  Discuss in your group and note on your blog.


The system is really portable depending on the physical impairments they may need EA assistance. There may be a tray that can be altered to hold the keyboard and Chromebook. It is not as portable as the EyeGaze equipment.

Accessibility Options-chromeVox(spoken feedback) for blind, high contrast mode another visual tool, screen magnifier, Automatic clicks like over option so you don't need to click, on screen keyboard, voice to text in on-screen keyboard,

Areas and Write App-reads text to you from docs. There is no training unlike drago. Text to speech is limited. It is good for students who are low cognitive. SLD kids could lead benefit from it. Fairly cheap approx $10 per app per kid.

STATION 7.   in your groups do a youtube search for 3 high impact videos on students with severe physical disabilities using power links, switches or other alternate access devices to access or engage in an activity.  Post the videos to your blog and comment on why you chose these videos.


Station 7-

How one man’s trip to Toys are R brought mobility to the physically disabled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-NE7B0RTdA

-A young fellow was able to ride a bike with a modification to the toy to accommodate him.

Liana Byant Speaks with her eyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jec5b7zMM90

-The little girl in this video is able to use facial expressions to communicate with her care takers.

Speech Therapy-Using a Big Mac Button to Communicate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHZBpvBTb10

She was very high needs and she was engaging in the music class with a Big Mac button motivator.



Station 6-Go to settings and work through the accessibility options. Post your comments to your blog. Look in the Google Play store and find other Apps that might enhance performance of user using an Android (any disability)

Accessibility options-

Talk back-it describes what your touch. Great for any low visually impaired.
Switch access-lets you scan and select items using one or more switches.
Captions-for hearing impaired it can be useful to caption photos and videos.
Magnification gestures
Large text
High contrast text
Auto-rotate screen
Speak passwords
Accessibility Shortcut
Text-to-speech output
Touch and Hold Delay

Google Play-

AAC Talking Tabs-communication to build tables and books
Speech Assistant-For people who are speech impaired but are able to read
Yes No Your Way-this can be adapted to other meet communication needs of individuals

There are so many accessibility options built in. This could service many users. They are quite affordable.

My thoughts

This class was awesome. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to play with the various AT devices that were in the stations. It was very practical. Due to the time constraints I was able to explore many things but I would have liked to have more time. The eye gaze technology was one of my favorites. With a small device and a computer anyone can use this to communicate. In a very short time my eyes started to tire and it required a fair amount of concentration. Although it is great that students with severe physical impairments can use this to have meaningful communication, it is clear that they would need to take frequent breaks to be able to recoup after vigorous communication. I am really impressed that the students who can be trapped in their bodies due to their limitations are now able to communicate with the world. It gives them endless opportunities.

Also, it seems that the switch devices are becoming obsolete in some cases. Many of the functions that they serve can be done with an ipad as their are apps to turn things off and on now. Plus for a comparable cost the student can use the iPad for many other things as well.

Lastly, it would be great to have an AT specialist make a rubric which compares the different needs of students with the different options to help with the decision process of finding the best tool for each student. I think it could be powerful. Especially if it included information such as the device, the cost, the uses, etc.