Another post about Apple's devices - but please do not discount the specialist devices!

The ipad, ipod and iphone

Apple’s devices have brought about a shift in the way we look at specialist devices for those with disabilities. Traditionally, devices used for voice output communication and IT have been developed by companies specialising in this field. Now we can start to look at more mainstream options which come with a much smaller price tag. The Ipad and similar devices are not for everyone (for example, currently the device cannot be used with switches) and care should be taken that the individual is properly assessed with a device before purchasing.

The ipad for example, offers some of the functionality of a computer along with the ability to use it as a voice output communication device. Coupled with an app such as proloquo2go the ipad, in essence becomes a device much like the more specialist devices we are used to.

The accessories are key to the successful use of an ipad for those with disabilities, especially when it comes to disabilities such as cerebral palsy. The production of a device such as the ipad creates a market for third party accessories and this means that there is a fantastic variety of rugged covers, stands and mounting options appearing on the market.

The iphone and ipod are obviously a lot smaller and can be a fantastic aid for those with the visual, physical and cognitive ability to make use of a smaller device, but need something a little more discreet and mobile. The proloquo2go app works in the same way on an iphone or ipod as it does on the ipad. There is also an ever-growing range of accessories available such as covers and stands meaning that it can be tailored to the individual’s needs.

Other devices

Tablet devices such as the Inclusive Slate from Inclusive Technology, offer a slightly different slant on the ipad and are a very exciting development in the world of IT and specialist communication devices.

The Inclusive Slate is Windows 7 driven meaning that specialist software such as The Grid 2 can be installed on it. This enables the device to be used as an “all in one” PC and voice output communication aid. Because it is essentially a touch-screen computer, specialist access devices such as switches can be plugged in using its USB ports. There aren’t as many accessories available as with Apple’s devices but Inclusive technology have said that they are developing covers and stands.

Specialist devices by companies such as Possum and Dynavox

It is important to note that when purchasing a device for communication or IT purposes that we don’t just look at the more mainstream devices. Companies such as Possum and Dynavox have developed highly specialised products specifically for the disability market and have spent years listening to their customers and tailoring their devices accordingly. Although currently, specialist devices tend to me a lot more expensive there are some good reasons for this. The devices are built to be used by people with disabilities and therefore the ergonomics and robustness of the products have been carefully scrutinised and developed over the years. Many of the devices are designed to be compatible with wheelchairs meaning that they are weight tested and fitted with mounting systems allowing them to be positioned in front of a user without being a hindrance. The software can be fine tuned to meet the very specific needs of the user and the after sales support with companies such as Possum and Dynavox is fantastic.

The Classroom "Powered By Clicker"

Clicker 5 is a fantastic and flexible tool which enables those with disabilities to more independently access curriculum resources and explore their learning in a way that they would normally be unable to. It is fully customisable allowing the resources to be tailored specifically for the needs of the individual. It has integrated switch access making it a great tool to teach switch and IT access skills, either as a standalone activity or within the lesson structure. All in all, it is my opinion that Clicker 5 should be a key tool in any classroom to give students with complex needs the opportunity to demonstrate their learning more independently.

In this post I want to talk about the "Powered by Clicker" programme, "Clicker Tales" and how it can be used in the classroom.

Clicker Tales is a series of on-screen talking books based on traditional stories. Each story is accompanied by a range of Clicker activities.
The stories can be customised to suit the needs of the individual allowing those with complex disabilities to enjoy the activity and develop skills such as cause and effect, choice making and switch timing. There is the option to enable auditory feedback when either scanning with switches or using the mouse pointer. This is a fantastic tool for those with visual difficulties and those without the cognitive ability to recognise symbols or words. Everything you see on the page can be adjusted so you can make buttons and icons as big or as small as you like. You can also move everything on the page to wherever you like.
I use Clicker Tales in the classroom regularly and then build other activities based on the templates used in the stories.

Let me give you an example:

I had a student - let's call her Sam - who used a single chin switch to access the computer. It was clear that Sam was very intelligent, but her ability to demonstrate her understanding and learning was very limited as her physical needs were so complex. Once Sam had consolidated her understanding of cause and effect with her switch and had developed reasonable switch control and timing skills, it was time for her to develop her ability to make functional choices on the computer. The ability to actively make choices using a switch for Sam meant that a whole new world of technology and resources would open up to her.
It was clear from the first time I presented Clicker Tales to Sam that she was very excited by the stories and was eager to have a go. I initially customised the stories so that she had to choose between two on-screen options - "listen" and "next page". I set the activity up with an auditory, single switch scan. This meant that Sam pressed her switch to start the scan moving between the two options. As the scan box passed over each option it would read it aloud and she could press her switch again to activate the option she wanted. It took a few weeks of experimenting with timings, speeding up and slowing down the scan and trying to filter out accidental switch presses. A great feature of Clicker 5 is that you can easily filter any accidental switch presses and tailor the switch access around the individual. You can customise everything so specifically and intricately that you can make the computer and activity accessible to most individuals, no matter how complex their disability. Of course, as far as lesson planning went, we could set really clear, specific and meaningful targets for Sam and in turn she was able to demonstrate her learning in a fun independent manner. Now we had a platform to develop further choice making and I added another choice in to the activity so that she now had "listen", "next page", and "go back". Sam has now been able to transfer these skills to begin using a VOCA (voice output communication aid) and there is no stopping her. She has found her voice and the ability to explore her own learning more independently. The Clicker Tales activities along with other titles in the "Powered by Clicker" series have become integral to Sam's learning in the classroom and also in her home life. Instead of having a story read to her by her parents, she is now able to read to them! This is fantastic and a real achievement for Sam.

There are many other titles in the "Powered by Clicker" series covering multiple areas of the curriculum and at various key stages. For students like Sam this means that they have the tools available to them to access their learning in new and interesting ways.

I will talk more about Clicker 5 in further posts

What about an ipad?

Specialist technology has now merged with mainstream technology in a new and fascinating way. The ipad and devices such as the ipod and iphone have given us a new platform on which to work when it comes to specialist devices for people with disabilities. It is a fantastic step forward and I hope that it will drive forward new innovative products aimed at the specialist market. In fact it already has and it may be that by the end of this post I end up talking more about these new devices than Apple's technology. The ipad brings touch screen technology into the mainstream, it is now a functional way of using a computer or communication device rather than just a learning tool.

The question is what can the ipad be used for and when should it be used? This is a blog aimed to advise and support those with complex and multiple disabilities so I will also cover when I don't think it should be used. In the hope of keeping my posts short and to the point, I will briefly outline some things to consider when contemplating going down the ipad route.

Essentially it is a touch screen device that, with the right software - or app, can look like and act like a specialist communication device or VOCA (voice output communication aid). It certainly comes in a lot cheaper than Dynavox or Possum devices and it has the added bonus of being very cool! It is a great place to store all your favourite music and films and a great tool to access them from the web if that's where you like to store them. The range and variety of apps (applications) now available for the ipad is endless and there are many created for the disability market.

Access is the key - how do we actually use the device? Well if you can isolate a finger and extend and control your arm enough to hit reasonably sized, on-screen icons (lets say about 2-3 inches square if it is to be functional) then you may find that it can be used as your communication device. There is a great app called proloquo2go that works in the same way as other communication software. Add this to your ipad and you are pretty much good to go. However, you really must consider some key things before you rush out and buy one.

• How will the device be mounted to a wheelchair - especially a powered wheelchair? As yet (and this doesn't mean to say that someone hasn't worked it out somewhere) I haven't come across a mounting device for the ipad. Not in the way that you can mount a Dynavox,  Possum or some of the other similar, more established specialist products to a swing away arm  for instance. 

• Is it robust enough for your needs? Are you likely to send it flying across the room? Remember the mainstream stands and mounts may not be designed with complex physical needs in mind.

• Access - it is only any good if you can use a touch screen. If you access IT using switches then you need to look at something different - as yet you can't use switches with an ipad but watch this space. There are no USB slots on an ipad, although there are adapters available. There won't be any switch adapted apps created yet but I'm sure this is just around the corner.

The Inclusive Slate

• Visual - Can you see the screen? An obvious one I know but it needs checking out. The screen isn't very large but it is very high quality and good in outdoor light.

• Do you want a device that can integrate IT use with communication? If the answer to this is yes then you may want to look at devices from Dynavox or Possum or something like the Inclusive Slate from Inclusive Technology.

 I was hoping to talk about other devices in this post but this topic deserves a post all of its own!

Of course there are many things to consider when looking at communication and IT but I hope I have introduced you to a few key areas to look at when it comes to the ipad.

Interactive whiteboards in the PMLD and complex disability classroom

A question that I am often asked is "What is the best interactive whiteboard to install in a classroom?"

Interactive whiteboards are a sign of the times and an essential tool in any classroom. They offer interactive learning like never before and can engage a room of students in a way a chalk board or traditional whiteboard can't. However, when it comes to teaching students with complex disabilities we need to think outside of the box a bit. I want to offer a few brief points to think about.

Firstly, the majority of interactive whiteboards that I have come across tend to display their image by way of a front mounted projector. The difficulty one might come across with this type of board is the shadow that anyone using the board will cast across it when pointing to or interacting with the on-screen image. Even with newer "short-throw" projectors this can't be avoided. The shadow can be very off-putting for those with visual and visual perception difficulties. For those trying to sequence the events and engage with the on-screen activity the shadow may be an unavoidable distraction.

Secondly, we need to think about how we are using the board. Time is precious in the PMLD classroom and attention spans are hard to grab let alone sustain. Teaching from the front of the class without the student's physical engagement with the activity can mean that the student is gaining little if anything from the lesson. From my experience students will be distracted by other things around them, will not make the connection that they are being communicated with or can't connect themselves with something happening so far away. The physical and active involvement of a student in a task is so important as they are engaging their senses. In disabilities such as cerebral palsy this active learning and continued practice of a task may be the only way the student can really learn and retain that learning and go on to develop a new skill.

This leads me on to student interaction with the board. In a classroom with students that have complex disabilities it is fair to say that the majority will be in specialist seating and postural management equipment. Therefore, just getting close to a poorly positioned whiteboard can be impossible. When installing a whiteboard it is important to think about wheelchair access for instance - can the student be placed close enough to be able to touch or see the board? In most cases the best option is a freestanding, mobile, height adjustable option.

Welcome to my first blog!

Hello and welcome!

I wanted to create a blog dedicated to talking about adaptive technologies and assistive devices for those with PMLD (profound and multiple learning disabilities) and complex physical issues. I have been in the field for about 8 years working with children and young adults to help them to develop their independent use of IT and devices such as VOCAs (voice output communication aids) environmental controls and powered wheelchairs. Through these technologies people with disabilities can realise their potential like never before.
I hope that in time, this blog will generate useful, practical advice and a network of support to those seeking assistance on such issues.