Real life; real low tech

1. Real life; real low tech Julie Atkinson (Access to Communication & Technology) Helen Paterson (COMPASS)

2. Summary • Symbol & Text resources • Practical ideas • Interspersed with case studies / videos • Children • Adults with acquired conditions

3. Access to Communication & Technology • Regional NHS Tertiary Assistive Technology Service • AAC, EC, computer access • Children and adults • Mission statement: • To empower people with disabilities, using techniques and technologies which optimize potential for communication and control • Staff: OT, SLT, Clinical Scientists, Workshop team, Administrators – about 20 people • Website: http://nww.bhamcommunity.nhs.uk/departments-and-services/rehabilitation-services/services/act • Email: julie.atkinson@bhamcommunity.nhs.uk • Phone number: 0121 466 3050 • Referral helpline 0121 472 0754

4. Royal Hospital for Neuro-disabilityCOMPASS • Based in London, serving all of UK. • Rehabilitation & longer term care • 230 Patients & Residents with Head Injury, Stroke, MS, HD & a range of other neurological conditions.

5. Compass • 6 team members working with High Tech AAC, Computer Access, Environmental Control and Powered Mobility Computer Access Environmental Control Communication Aids Switches & Mounting Powered Mobility

6. COMPASS • http://www.rhn.org.uk/our-work/our-services/electronic-assistive-technology/ • hpaterson@rhn.org.uk

7. Symbol Resources

8. PictoSelectorhttp://www.pictoselector.eu/

9. SparkleBox http://www.sparklebox.co.uk/

10. Widgit • http://www.widgit.com/resources/health/a_and_e/index.htm • http://www.widgit.com/resources/classroom/index.htm

11. Foreign Language Charts • Bedside messages, hospital flashcards, A and E passport - 28 languages: http://www.widgit-health.com/downloads/languages.htm

12. Foreign Language ChartsEastern Health cue cardshttp://www.easternhealth.org.au/gp/service,serviceid,35836.aspx

13. Straight-street (Mulberry symbols)www.straight-street.org

14. Matrix Maker

15. Symbol Resources • Eye Encoding • Partner Assisted Scanning • ACT symbol resources • Talking Mats • Books

16. Eye pointing / colour encoding to decorate cakes

17. Perspex boards for eye pointing

18. ACT symbol resources • Doll play – Aided Language Display • Bath – with symbols • “Where’s Daddy” book – symbols to tell story Practicalities: • Consider displaying on classroom whiteboard • Use a tabard / old woolly pully – free hands • Tupperware for wet environments

19. Low Tech Ideas • Aided Language Displays / Stimulation

20. Daniel using Partner Assisted Scanning on an Aided Language Display • Used to demonstrate to Mum the flexibility of vocabulary within a non-Noun-based Aided Language Display (and Partner Assisted Scanning) when reading the ‘My Presents’ book

21. In the real World!

22. i-SET • ACT Goal setting tool based on Talking Mats and the Means, Reasons, Opportunities model (Bulpitt1989)

23. Talking Mats to review AAC

24. Talking mats to review AAC

25. Talking mats to review AAC

26. Sally Conner books

28. Other Book-based resources • Birmingham Children’s Hospital book • Life Book / Communication Passports • Look 2 Talk • PODD-type • Communication placemat

29. Angelo video • Spinal Muscular Atrophy • In hospital • Using his symbol book to talk about what he wants for Christmas

31. A book for Billy • Receptive use of symbol communication book for adult post-brain injury with acquired central hearing impairment • For behavioural management • 2 way communication

32. Chart based on Talking Mats

33. Chart based on Talking Mats

34. Text-based resources • Direct access • Indirect access • Eyes • Partner Assisted Scanning

35. Direct access: Video-Brenda using direct access

37. Help with direct access: prodders

38. Charts with guards & FAB

39. E-tran frame

40. SpeakBookhttp://www.speakbook.org

41. SpeakBook

42. SpeakBook

43. Eye Linking-videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdTeVwTXjxI

44. PAS chart SPACE MISTAKE

45. Partner Assisted Scanning How to use the alphabet chart • Need to establish a reliable yes/no response • Have a pen and paper handy so you can keep track of all the letters the person is giving you • Hold the chart where the person report they can see it • Point down to the beginning of each row (row A, row E, etc), until they indicate the row containing the letter they want • Once the row is selected, move along it, starting with the first letter, until they indicate that you have got to the letter they want

46. Practicalities 1 “The alphabet board was wonderful, except that nobody else knew how to use it. The rules were too long and complicated. First of all, there were not any set rules written down and when somebody did write down rules there were too many.” Alec in Fried-Oken et al 1991

47. Practicalities 2 “ One of the problems… was that people wouldn’t know how to hold the board high enough up for me. I’m laying on my back and they’re standing up…They need to hold it at their head level so I can see what’s going on… people wouldn’t be aware of holding it at a proper height for me and not for them” Vic in Fried-Oken et al 1999

48. Practicalities- clear Communication Guidelines • Richard can understand everything you are saying to him. • Richard looks up for ‘yes’: and downfor ‘no’: • You can use this method to • ask closed questions • e.g. are you in pain? • Do you want to go back to bed?

49. Video-Andrew using PAS

50. You Tube clips • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLb6-Oi3uR0 (memorised Partner Assisted scanning of AEIOU) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jynuu7smBM (low tech temporary vocab, laser pointer)