The most important thing for any assistive technology device is that it is used in situations that are highly motivating for the student. All kids, especially preschoolers, will want to explore the device before using it in an organized way. If the communication device has overlays that can be changed like the TechTalker (Mayer-Johnson, Inc.), then make an overlay with pictures and messages that you can use with a favorite story or song, like “The Wheels on the Bus.”

A communication device should be used to increase the child’s ability to participate in activities with her peers. For instance, during an art activity the communication device would be set up so kids could use it to request materials and make comments. “Pass the paste”, or “Red, please.” Be sure to use the device to say things that the student who is non-verbal cannot communicate in another way. For example, if the student is mobile she might just go and get the paste rather than using the device to ask for it. IF that’s what the other kids in the classroom do, then don’t put that request on the communication device. Try something like, “Sticky-Iccy” , or another comment you’ve heard other kids say. IF the student is not yet able to use the communication device selectively THEN be sure that all of the message choices will be appropriate during the activity, i.e., a “fail-safe” overlay of comments and/or requests.

The mistake I see most often - is a communication device set-up for requests only or the recorded messages are all complete sentences and don’t “sound like” the other kids. We need to set up communication devices for kids to connect to other kids, to make a comment, or be silly. The best thing to do is to watch other kids in the class; see how they participate in activities, then create ways for the child who is non-verbal to interact in the same or a similar way. Listen to what other kids say and how they say it; have another, same gender, child record the messages so that the non-verbal child’s messages sound like she might sound if she could speak.

Be sure to model use of the communication device yourself i.e., use the device to make comments on the story being read or to ask for the page to be turned etc. Also, encourage other children to use the communication device. Generally, other kids are very attracted to communication devices and think it’s great fun to use it. For example at snack-time everyone at the table could use the device to ask for “More juice, please.

RESOURCES

There is a wonderful video, Welcome to my Preschool! Communicating with Technology that depicts a preschool environment where students with physical disabilities use assistive technology devices to participate in all of the typical preschool activities. Your school district or county office of education may have it, if not it is well worth the $29.00. You can order it from the

National Center to Improve Practice NCIP,
55 Chapel Street, Newton, Mass. 02158,
Call: 617-969-7100 or at http://www2.edc.org/NCIP/videos/ec.htm

If you can’t find it, let me know and perhaps we can figure out a way for you to borrow my copy.

A few great AAC web sites to get you started:

Carolyn Musselwhite’s http://www.aacintervention.com
Linda Burkhart’s site: http://www.lburkhart.com/main.htm
Let’s Play Projects: http://letsplay.buffalo.edu/

http://tobey.ushaonline.net/ an amazing site by Tobey Fields with early literacy lesson plans for students with severe disabilities. Each thematic unit is structured around a book and includes several extension activities (cooking, songs, art projects) with picture communication supports in BoardMaker format (Mayer-Johnson, Inc. www.mayer-johnson.com )

Here is an excerpt of an article by Karen Erickson, Ph.D., and David Koppenhaver, Ph.D. who are experts in literacy in augmentative and alternative communication. The article was written for parents of girls with Rett Syndrome and is based on research they conducted at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. It describes strategies to increase participation and communication when reading a storybook with your child who is non-verbal and not able to physically interact with a book in typical ways.

Storybooks offer a communication context with lots of opportunities for joint attention (you and your daughter looking at, talking about, and learning about the same thing), lots of ideas for things to talk about can be an interesting experience for young kids.

Here are some things that seem to be important when reading storybooks with kids who are non-verbal:

Point to pictures or words as you talk about them/read them--keep pointing until your daughter has directed her attention to what you're talking about. Make sure you have her attention before you talk/read. (e.g., "Oh, look at this page. I see a red bird just like the cardinal that comes to our birdfeeder." Once the child is looking, point to page and read, "Red bird, red bird, what do you see...") If your child's attention is diverted, don't be afraid to point out something in the same picture or same page again, but you don't have to insist on attention to everything on every page--nondisabled kids don't pay attention 100 percent of the time either.

Always have pictures or picture symbols representing key vocabulary (central characters and actions) and generic comments ("I like this," "Turn the page," "What's that," These messages might be recorded into a simple communication device with voice output to encourage your child to comment/ask questions/participate in the communication exchange of story reading.

Start with 2 different pictures/symbols if you've not done this before. Model for your daughter how to use them by pointing to them whenever you read or say them--same pointing rule. Keep pointing until your daughter sees what you are pointing to. Ask questions that the picture symbols could answer (e.g., "Who went out to play?") rather than telling your daughter, "Point to the [dog]."

Increase the number of pictures/symbols as your daughter (and you) become more comfortable in pointing to them in order to communicate. Accept all forms of pointing--fingers, eyes (i.e., looking in the direction of a response), other body parts...

Use a simple communication device such as the SuperTalker from (Ablenet, Inc. http://www.ablenetinc.com/ which has a variety of message grids available. Program it with one of the repeatedly used words or phrases from the story. Many of the kids respond more favorably to the device with voice output than to us reading the repeating phrase (Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you see?).

 Expect participation and WAIT when you ask a question or provide an opportunity to comment. If you don't get a response (including eye pointing) after X seconds (whatever you decide through experience is her typical response time), repeat the question. If you still don't get a response, you can try modeling the response yourself (i.e., pointing and talking), and modeling the response using “hand-over-hand” (your hand, over her hand) with your daughter.

 Assume competence in your child. No matter what any expert tells you or how often. The kids with severe or multiple disabilities who "make it" (become literate, become good communicators...) are the ones whose parents consistently involve them in family activities, conversations, and experiences.