Catering To Students With Special Needs: Technology For Communication Development

Here is the second installment in the series about helping students with special needs succeed in the classroom. This entry focuses on helping children with communication difficulties have a voice so we can better understand their needs. I have personally used these tools and they have been great resources to help a child "speak" their needs.

Sounding Board:
(https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/soundingboard/id390532167?mt=8)

How it should be introduced to and used by the child in need:
The sounding board app is used to help children who are non verbal to speak. There are pre-loaded words and phrases like, “hello,” “yes,” “no,” and “all done.” Users can also record their own words and upload pictures for their favorite toys, family pets, or classroom materials. I would upload pictures and record words for common classroom materials and people, like, “teacher,” “friends,” “pencil,” and “paper.” I would also make sure there are common communication words (yes, no, help me, all done, etc.) available. I would show the child how to tap the word and then show them the item. I would tap “teacher” and point to myself. I would tap “pencil” and give the child a pencil.

How it should be introduced to other children:
I would first let them know that the tablet is not a toy, it is a communication tool. I would let the other children know that the student needs help talking, and this is the tool to help them do so. I would ask the children how they would feel if they couldn’t say anything, and tell them this is how our student feels, so we are using the app to give him a voice. I would also let the children know if they hear the student speaking through the app, help them get what they need or get a teacher to help.

Goals for the child’s use of technology:
The main goal for the child using the sounding board app is that they become more involved in the classroom, and they get to make more choices. Often times we guess what non verbal children need without giving them a voice, and the app would give the child more freedom to express their wants and needs. As they listen to the word being said and learn new vocabulary, if they do become verbal, they will have the words to speak their needs.

How the child’s development will be assessed:
I would assess the child by viewing how involved the child is in the classroom, and also chart their moods and decision making abilities. I would look for improved mood, how many times the child gets involved in class, and their satisfaction with making decisions. My hope would be that when the child makes the choice between apples and grapes, they will be happier and more satisfied than if we picked one for them. Over time, I would see if the sounding board app increased their ability to participate in class and communicate with teachers and students, as well as improve decision making abilities.

Talkables Visual Message Communicators:

(www.rehabmart.com/product/talkables-visual-message-communicators-31970.html)

How it should be introduced to and used by the child in need:

The Talkables Visual Message Communicators has three different colored buttons, and each button has a place to hold a picture card and 15 seconds of recording time to record a word or phrase. You can record common phrases for the child, such as “yes,” “no,” and “all done.” There would be picture cards with the written words on each button. I would ask the child a question and encourage the child to hit a button. For example, I would ask, “Do you want to play with blocks?” If the child hit yes, I would give them the blocks. This would teach them that the buttons speak words that help them get the things they want and need.

How it should be introduced to other children:

I would first let them know that the tablet is not a toy, it is a communication tool. It may look fun, but the child needs the buttons to help them speak words. As with the sounding board app, I would ask the children how they would feel if they couldn’t say anything, and tell them this is how our student feels, so we are using the buttons to give him a voice. I think it is also very important to let the children know if they hear the student speaking through the buttons, help them get what they need or get a teacher to help. This way, students are interacting with the non verbal student too.

Goals for the child’s use of technology:

The main goal is that the child is able to have a voice when they use the Talkables Visual Message Communicators. I want the buttons to increase the child’s vocabulary and create a more “talkative” child. With the a voice, I would hope that the child would also have increased social skills and be able to socialize with their teachers and peers. It will be easier for the child to communicate their needs during school and it will be easier for me as a teacher to meet the child’s needs.

How the child’s development will be assessed:

I would assess the child by viewing how much “talking” the child does in class, and how effective their communication is. At first, the child may just hit buttons randomly, but as they build association between the buttons and certain words, my hope is that they will use the buttons to say what they need. I would love to have teacher’s aides and other students attempt to communicate with the child and report how effective it was and if they could understand what the child needed.