Creative Solutions to Overcoming Barriers Jill E. Senner, PhD, CCC-SLP Shelley Harris, Family Member & Librarian
High Tech Devices are Fantastic…
Until We Encounter Barriers… • Barriers to Technology – Water – Sunlight – Positioning – Noise
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Water • • • • • •
Rain Pool Beach Water Play Cooking/Eating Bath
Sunlight • The great outdoors…
Positioning • Restaurant • Playground • Gym (Health Club)
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Noise • Bowling Alley • Zoo • Mall
Communication Happens Everywhere… There are solutions! • • • •
Home School Community Everywhere!
Josh Harris • Josh is 24 years old. He has Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome, which resulted in cognitive impairment, mobility challenges, hearing impairment and various medical challenges.
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Community • Portable solution for outdoors communication. • Like walking in a Halloween parade • ‘96 *Attainment company, Pocket Talker 15
Recreation • Josh’s talker was programmed to command his horse. • “Walk on.”
Wearable Solutions LITTLEmack by Ablenet
TalkTrac by Ablenet
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Wearable Solutions Hip Talk by Enabling Devices
Super Wrist Talker by Enabling Devices
GoTalk Pocket by Attainment
In the pool! • Iron-on communication boards on white T-shirts or tanks
Guy chatting with Matt at
Activities And Camp for Families - Aug.04
and more swimming . . . • Float a board on a styrofoam tray
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and even more swimming . . . • Laminated boards glued to kick boards with plumber’s glue
Alternate Pointing Options • Pointing – – – – – – – –
Feet/toe(s) Manual Pointer Chinstick Headpointer Mouthstick Adapted Splints Optical Pointer Light Pointer
Eye-Talk by Enabling Devices
• Eye Gaze
Eye Gaze
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Partner Assisted Scanning • During partner assisted scanning the “partner” lists or “scans” through the individual’s choices visually and/or auditorily. The individual indicates when their desired choice is being presented.
Partner Assisted Scanning
At the Beach
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At the Beach
Trendy Digital pouches
Handy headphone jack available!
Laminated boards IN THE GARDEN
Glad Pad • Communication board on a garden pad. • Complete instructions at www.aacintervention .com
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More gardening… • Glad pad with garden symbols.
Water Play • Weatherproof Canvas Tote with velcro receptive material and laminated symbols.
Pillow Talk • No, not “Pillow Talk,”
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Pillow talkers • Are perfect when the device is charging and you’re in bed • Pillow talkers can be ironed on or embroidered • Avery now makes glow in the dark iron on sheets!
When snuggling on the couch
On long road trips
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Or in the hospital
In the kitchen • Spills? Splashes? No problem! • Plastic, disposable and inexpensive . . . SHOWER CAPS
In the kitchen • Bowl covers work too.
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In the Kitchen • Magnetic Symbols for the Fridge
In the kitchen…
Positioning and Materials • Placemat • Wall Mounted Boards • Velcro-Receptive Material
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In the bathroom • Motion sensor call button and laminated communication boards
In the bathroom • This green board has lasted over a decade in our bathrooms!
In the shower • Forgot your very cool apricot face scrub? • Printed window decals on the shower door
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In the shower • Have a shower curtain? Laminate a board and keep it in arm’s reach.
or the bath… • Floating 2 liter pop bottle with communication board inside.
Cafepress.com • Can upload any image to be printed on a variety of objects including: – – – – – – –
Pillows Magnets Clothing Posters Stickers Tote Bags And…
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Cafepress.com • Mousepads!
Talking photo albums • Josh enjoys creating talking scrapbooks. • He shares his experiences with others. • This led to . . .
A new hobby - digital photography • Josh began to tell us when he wanted a picture taken. • We purchased a digital camera with an LED screen and now Josh takes the pictures!
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Accessible photography… • Switch-adapted digital camera by Orcca Technology
Location, Location, Location • Sometimes the biggest barrier of all is location. Laminated communication boards in every room means communication whenever and wherever, even when the device is in another room or charging.
Resources • Attainment, www.attainmentcompany.com • Ablenet, www.ablenetinc.com • Augmentative Resources, http://www.augresources.com/ • Avery® T-shirt Transfers for Inkjet Printers 8938 • Enabling Devices, www.enablingdevices.com • JAC’s Custom Sewn Embroidery 708/579.5494 • Oak Park Public Library,
[email protected] • Office Depot® Brand Inkjet Window Decals, Item # 212881 • ORCCA Technology, Inc., http://www.orcca.com/photo.htm • Talking Photo Album, http://www.difflearn.com • Technology & Language Center, Inc., www.talcaac.com • Trendy Digital Waterpoof Cases, http://trendydigital.com
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