Cause and effect...check. So what's next?

So, an understanding of cause and effect is established and it feels like the time is right to move on. It's time for simple choice making! Of course choice making skills can be taught and reinforced in many different settings and scenarios and it is at this stage that technology can really become useful. Let's have a quick look at some steps towards developing a greater understanding of choice making with technology. When the goal is improved communication for instance, we could set up two Big Macs (large colourful switches that can be recorded onto and that give auditory output) with a "yes" and "no". (We must always remember to think about the delivery of the teaching. How are we communicating, are we using symbols, would the student benefit from some sensory integration first and/or during?) The Big Mac can be accessed directly by pressing it. If this isn't an option due to physical difficulties then it is possible to plug an external switch, such as a head or chin switch in to the Big Mac. This is technology at it's simplest but it is the functional development of these early concepts that lay the foundation to greater independence.

There are some great computer activities available that bridge the gap between understanding cause and effect and the learning of simple choice making skills. The "Switch It!" series from inclusive technology combine fantastic graphics with a variety of switch accessible options that provide a platform to teach these concepts.
Clicker 5 by Crick Software is best described as both an extendible resource in itself and a toolkit for resource development that allows switch users to more independently further their learning. We can get creative and develop our own resources or make use of the growing pool of off the shelf add ons to Clicker that Crick provide.
As the blog continues I will expand on some of these thoughts and look at the software mentioned in greater detail.