Low Tech Communication Tools - Students who cannot speak or who have trouble communicating can benefit from alternative/augmentative communication technology along with more simple low-tech communication tools. There are a wide variety of options available, and everyone who has difficulty communicating can benefit from learning to use some form of alternative or augmentative communication system. This page of the website focuses on low tech assistive technolgoy for communication.
"Tangible Symbols." Photo. deafblindinformation.org June 18, 2013
<http://www.deafandblindinformation.org> Youtube (n.d.) PECS Video. Retrieved, June 18, 2013 from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbZhcyXfaNo "Boardmaker Communication Board." Image. scaacn.blogspot.com
June 18, 2013 http://www.scaacn.blogspot.com Sources:
Dell, A., Newton, D., & Petroff, G. (2012). Assistive Technology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Gierach, J. (ed.). (2009). Assessing Students' Need for Assistive Technology (5th ed). Milton, WI: Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative. |
Tangible Symbols - These are concrete representations of concepts, objects, and activities about which the user wishes to communicate. Tangible symbols may be whole objects, parts of objects, associated objects, shapes or textures, or line drawings or photographs. The relationship between the tangible symbol and the object it represents is obvious to the student based upon daily experience. One advantage of tangible symbols is that they are easier for students to understand than signs, symbols or written words. Another advantage is that visually imapaired students can descriminate between 3-D symbols, even if they cannot read Braille.
The Tangible Symbol Primer available at the designtolearn website offers an explanation of tangible symbols and information about how to teach students to use tangible symbols. http://www.designtolearn.com/uploaded/pdf/Tangible-Symbols-Primer-07-09x.pdf Picture Exchange Communication System - PECS is an alternative/augmentative communication system designed for non-verbal people with autism or other developmental disabilities. PECS is a system of communication in which individuals exchange a picture of a desired item to a communication partner in order to request what they want. PECS allows students to initiate communication. As they advance, students also learn to reply to questions by choosing between a variety of options by selecting the corresponding PECS picture card. As a person becomes more skilled in PECS communication, he or she may learn to combine picture symbols to construct sentences and expand communication. The Pyramid Educational Consultants website is a great source of information PECS and how to utilize this system with students. http://www.pecsusa.com/ Communication Boards - Low tech communication boards are a layout of pictures and/or symbols that allow users to point to pictures or symbols to pictures in order to communicate. The size of the symbols and/or pictures may vary depending upon the ability of the user. Various display layouts may be used depending upon the needs and abilities of the user. A traditional layout seperates symbols or pictures into boxes. Language is taken out of context and separated. A visual scene layout typically works best with younger users. In this layout presents vocabulary within the context of a visual scene in which the vocabulary is typically used. Boardmaker software is a tool used by educators to creae low-tech communication boards.
http://www.mayer-johnson.com/boardmaker-software BoardmakerShare is a site where users can share communication boards and lessons created with Boardmaker. http://boardmakershare.com/ |