College Success Mentor Program

I was at the AFB Leadership Conference this past February in Washington DC and had the great opportunity to hear about the launch of this new program through Learning Ally. Learning Ally has been around for awhile (formerly known as RFB&D) and provides books to download.

I loved hearing about this new program that provided support, instruction and mentoring for youths with vision impairments as they prepare to go to college or are in college. They have a set of curriculum that include topics such as how to speak to professors and partnering with using the disability resource office. They also have thousands of textbooks to browse through.

A young man who is blind stands with a friend in his graduation gown

I highly encourage transition age youth (and new college students) to sign up for this program. I especially like the mentor system that they have. You can read about their bios on their site and then sign up for one. Mentoring is such a powerful tool for our kids to learn the tips and tricks of being successful in college.

Here's the link: http://www.learningally.org/CollegeSuccess

Communication Desk for Students with Multiple Impairments

It's almost time to get back to school! If you are a teacher of a student with a multiple impairment including deafblindness or blindness, you need to read this!!

Communication is at the very top of my priority list when it comes to being a teacher. Our kiddos need consistent opportunities for expressive and receptive communication. The second priority on my instruction list is creating defined spaces. Defined spaces allow our students to be anchored in space/environment/body and then sets the framework for anticipation.  

If you are unsure on how to use a calendar box system, read these articles:

Let Me Check My Calendar by Robbie Blaha,

Routines by Millie Smith (via TSBVI),

Learning & Instruction for Calendar Box Systems (via NCDB)

The student communication desk idea follows tactual symbols/calendar box system strategy and using a defines space. The students that use these desks that are pictures are those with multiple impairments or show Autistic like behaviors and have significant vision impairments. All of the students are non-verbal. 

The teacher has done a terrific job of implementing tactual/object symbols for instruction. She was stumped because using a traditional finished box was not working. We needed to find a solution that would help students establish that a concept/lesson/symbol was finished but wouldn't fly away (if thrown) and was unique enough that they could comprehend "finished". 

Solution: The object symbols (routine for the day) are laid out across on top. The blue or red felt area that is perpendicular is the finished area. Notice that it is a defined area that is unique. It is a clearly defined finished area. Students place finished symbols on the felt area. These two areas teach spatial awareness (across and top/bottom), literacy (left to right, reading symbols) and self determination (students make choices and can communicate based on the location of the symbols) and communication. 

The student communication desk also teaches compensatory skills including communication and reading their name by tactually identifying their desk (notice the symbol placed at the bottom right of the desk and on their chair). 

Their academic piece as well as any career ed/work for reward also follows a consistent communication system. Notice the discreet trial training boards (penny boards) that have each students' unique symbol. 

Note: We placed their boards and binders on the desk for the purpose of this picture. All of these items may be on the desk at one time depending on activity. It is important to note that each of these items have a specific and consistent placement for students. 

I can't reiterate enough that knowledge is key for using the communication desk idea. You must have knowledge of calendar box systems, creating tactual symbols and communication strategies. There are some terrific articles out there about incorporating, implementing and standardizing tactual symbols for students with vision impairments. Here is one that I really like from Paths to Literacy.

The tactual symbols pictured were created from the APH Tactile Connections Kit. It's a quality kit that can be purchased on quota funds via APH. Make sure you have a quality hot glue gun and hook & loop (Velcro, too!). Always remember that symbols should be easy to replicate (always save extra fabric or duplicates of object). Symbols can be eaten, slobbered on and tossed in a heartbeat. 

I love this desk idea especially for our nonverbal students that do not use a complex communication system. You can build on these symbols and concepts. I love that this teacher uses consistency for the students. And yes, it does implement Expanded Core Curriculum objectives!!

Outside Water Fun for Kids with Vision Impairments

A blind student slips down a water slide on the  grass.

Hope your summer is off to a great start! My summer has been flying by with camps and programs for my students. We have had some real scorcher days here in Utah during camps. During one particular camp, it was SO HOT! The students and staff were in need of something to jump start them from the heat. I ran to Walmart and purchased a ton of water play items with the goal to teach them (or refine skills) for water play! 

Water play is a staple of summer fun and our kids love to be in the mix just as much as any other kid. I saw how this could be a great Expanded Core Curriculum learning opportunity! I grabbed my physical therapy assistant and some of my PE folks and worked a lesson plan. 

It is easy to overlook that even in fun activities like water play our kids require some explicit ECC teaching. But there are some tips and tricks that we reviewed to make sure that our kids got the biggest bang for their buck during water play this summer!

Concepts to teach for water play fun (based on the ECC):

1. Give a quick pre-teach of items: Before we turned on the water, we gave students the opportunity to just check out what was available for play. This included 'seeing' the layout of the slip slides and the different water guns. 

A blind child feels the water slide to understand the length of it. 

Providing tactual support for a blind child learning how to slide down the water slide

2. Ensure students have the motor skills down to execute play gracefully and appropriately. This sounds really technical but this just means that children (especially those that have the most significant vision impairments) truly understand how everyone else is slipping down the slip & slide. A lot of times our kids don't know the motor planning for getting the momentum down the slide or how to initiate it. We did a few test runs with several of our students so that they had killer slip & slide skills (see picture above)

3. Have a designated area for water play toys. I know this sounds silly but there's nothing more frustrating for our kids than not knowing where to get the goods! We made a designated water station (next to a landmark) so that our students could easily locate the toys. I bought a variety of water launchers (not guns) for about $1-$5 at Walmart. *I looked for the ones that had the brightest contrast of colors for visual efficiency. I also looked for different grips, sounds, etc that would be the most appealing. Good news: all of them are appealing for our kids!*

3. 'Shooting rules': I gave each student about 5 minutes to check out the water shooters. Then I gave them target practice with lessons and guidelines on how to shoot. We gave everyone the "belly target"  to keep the water off the kids faces and a safe place to shoot water (especially because I am not fond of being shot directly in the face!). 

4. Choosing your water slide: I went with the H2O Go slide for it's easy visual efficiency. See the pictures from above and you will notice the strong contrast between the blue and orange. We had the students slide down the orange path (in between the blue). I also liked this one because it had a nice defined start and stop location. I know that it may appear that I am reading in too much on selecting a slip and slide for kids but the little things do matter especially when you don't have any vision.  Side note: once the kids got really comfortable, we faded all the support and cueing because it was no longer needed. I like to front load instruction for our kids so that they are set up for success in any activity. 

Can you spot all the areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum from this fun activity? 

We covered many including:

*recreation and leisure

*orientation and mobility

*self-determination

*independent living skills

*compensatory access

*social skills development

All in day's work!

Flashlight fun

Happy summer friends!
I found these fun flashlights at Walmart the other day and instantly knew that it would be the perfect addition to my sensory room. These flashlights come in a variety of different colors, red, blue and green and come in a variety of sizes (thin and fat ones). I like them because of their color illumination (they are so bright) and the variety of light options. They illuminate to a solid color (see pictures), blink and have true white light (so many fun options!!).  I bought the thin ones for about $3 a piece and the other ones for about $7. I loved how bright then thin glow sticks illuminated!

Place the flashlights on a black contrast board from APH to provide visual efficiency

 I also liked these lights because they are super portable! You can throw them into a bag and take them anywhere. I like to use them with the felt board from APH (available on quota funds). If you are using them in the classroom, you can also hang them or place them on the floor/desk. I bought some to use for my sensory rooms and my own CVI kit.

And just when you thought these lights were only for our CVI kids, let me tell you the initial reason that I purchased them: I bought them for nighttime for my current STEM Camp. I divided each group into a color. I gave the group leaders and students one color. Many of the students have good color vision and since the colors red, green and blue are distinctive, it was easy for students to see. We used them at night to walk back to the dorms. Students were able to follow the lights. Much easier than a whole bunch of white light flashlights that were shining everywhere. Note: these lights were used for identification, not for lighting the path. Group leaders had one main light to help with traveling safely. 

Add 

Disney Movies Anywhere Includes Descriptive Audio Accessibility

Hello accessibility for our kiddos with the Disney Movies Anywhere App! 

This app has a built in feature that allows for audio descriptive service on many of Disney's movies and Pixar, too! 

How cool is that?! I love that major companies such as Disney are thinking about accessibility for our  community. This isn't the first time that Disney has had audio descriptive services. I blogged about this awhile back when I discovered it while watching a Disney movie with my kids. 

I found a few really good articles about this. Check this one out from The Audio Descriptive Project:

http://www.acb.org/adp/disneyprfeb2016.html

In case you are not super tech savvy, I found this great little video posted by Wonderbaby.org on YouTube. It shows how easy the app is to use. 

I want to encourage families, teachers and students to continue to blog, Pin, share, etc. about when companies do these things for our community. Blindness and vision impairment is a small but AWESOME community and people can easily not understand the unique needs of our people. The audio description on these movies is playful and cute---perfect for young ears listening to the movies.  Different people may make these things happen so I definitely support everyone who makes accessibility happen for our community. Let's continue to support and recognize the advancement of accessibility for people with vision impairments!

Sensory Bags Expanded Core Style!

Happy spring everyone! I know you have already probably experienced at least one good day of weather as we head into warm weather season. The spring season gave me a great idea for my students: sensory bags! Sensory bags are not a new idea but let me walk you through how it is also an Expanded Core Curriculum lesson. 

We did this project as an after school program activity. The sensory bags are actually a two part activity. Part one was a fun walk around our school campus (we have tons of trees, paths, etc that surround our campus). I gave each student an empty bag as they went out on their walk. We looked (touched) everything and anything on our walk! We discussed what we discovered. 

ECC areas: 

orientation and mobility (cane skill practice, using stairs, locating landmarks, direction development)

 sensory efficiency (using our senses to discover/determine what we encountered, using our senses to integrate information)

compensatory (organization/concept development)

recreation & leisure (enjoying a walk and or nature)

self-determination  (making choices about what to look at or touch, in control of self)

and social skills (conversation and friendship opportunities) 

Part two of our activity was easy discussion of what we collected (see above). The next thing we did was continue the sensory fun with oils, plants and textures. I bought a variety of essential oils (from Walmart for about $5 each) and we soaked some cotton balls. The scents ranged from orange to lavender and lemon. I also used some around the house scents such as vanilla. We took turns smelling the cotton balls and rating what we liked and disliked.

I also purchased some herbs and flowers as well (also from Walmart--all under $5 each). I bought lavender and rosemary with lambs ear and basil in small pots. Each student had the opportunity to explore each item. They could add the herbs/flowers to their sensory bags.

Note: Maintain a good pace throughout the activity. This is an opportunity for exploration and concept building skills. My students ranged from typical to kids with multiple impairments. Don't limit your students to just smell. This is a sensory activity--allows fingers, taste, feet, etc. to experience what you can find in nature!!

The end of part two was planting our plants. Each student selected something to plant. I bought simple red pots and decorations for each pot. The students selected decorations and customized their pot to their liking.

I used the APH Invisboard to help with CVI and visual efficiency modifications. Below is an example of how we placed the sparkly foam stickers for selection for the students. I know they are true to life pictures for students but I knew that the students could make a choice based on what we offered them. 

Look at how much fun we had decorating our plants! I liked the idea of having the students take home something other than the sensory bags to help keep the fun going. I have to admit it, as a parent I wouldn't have kept the bag around long term but a flower can be enjoyed all season!

Last, we loaded up our little red wagon with our flower pots and headed back outside to water our flowers/herbs. I gave each student spray bottles (bonus teaching tool) and we finished our project. The other little sneaky teaching moment was to provide more opportunities for non-sport recreation and leisure. How many people garden for fun? Our kids can, too! 

What a fun activity and another great way to implement the Expanded Core Curriculum!