Writing Without Pencils? A review of Writing with Alternative Pencils Hello, I am Ynez Peterson and I am an OT by training and I work as an Assistive Technology Specialist. and then Hello, I am Kelly Clayton and I am a Special Education Teacher. We are very happy to be here to share with you a teaching strategy that is showing to be successful for REACH students; has renewed staff use of eye gaze with our students and has increased communication attempts with our students. Since we are such a small group let’s all introduce ourselves. Tell us your name, where you work, and the types of students you work with. VOTA Annual Conference 2007 Kelly O. Clayton, MSEd, Special Education Teacher Ynez Peterson, OTR/L, Assistive Technology Specialist REACH Program/SECEP

Partner Assisted Strategies Eye Pointing/Eye Gazing Partner Assisted Scanning Auditory Scanning Visual Scanning Are helpful for individuals who are unable to hold a pencil, point, or physically manipulate a keyboard. Ynez: We use a variety of AAC Strategies from Low Tech to High Tech. Today we will be discussing Low Tech strategies Eye pointing: looking at desired item (on an etran board/frame) Eye gazing: user looks at the symbol and partner watches the direction of the user’s eyes Auditory Scanning: list of vocabulary items spoken to the user; user identifies desired item by showing a predetermined response or switch press Visual scanning: partner points to the visual cue and pauses, then after the pause goes to the next visual cue until the user responds to their desired item Diagnoses such as CP, Rett’s Syndrome, Aphasia, locked-in syndrome We will be talking about these strategies from an educational perspective but I believe these devices could be used for adults/individuals of all ages who have difficulty manipulating items.

Writing with Alternative Pencils! Activities fostering emergent literacy skills Ynez: Emergent literacy – the activities with literacy and writing from birth to the beginning of formal education. As an Occupational Therapist, I was interested in learning about writing activities for students with severe and profound disabilities. But what I found was…

Teaching emergent literacy skills teaches Communication skills One of the guiding principles of our program is the philosophy that all children call learn and that all children can communicate. In our experience in the REACH program, we’ve seen that emergent writing and literacy activities provide a platform to learn communication skills

Writing with Alternative Pencils! Developed by Karen Erickson, Ph. D and Gretchen Hanser, OTR Designed for students with significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness Provides opportunities to actively engage students in emergent writing and literacy-based activities Ynez: 1. of the Center for Literacy & Disability Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; 3. Our students need practice in the activities that typical children learn prior to attending school such as emergent writing to build communication skills.

Six Alternative Pencils Braille Alphabet Flip Chart Braille Alphabet IntelliKeys Overlay Color Coded Eye Gaze Frame Print Alphabet Flip Chart Tactual Alphabet Intellikeys Overlay Scanning Setups in IntelliTalk II Ynez: Use page size 118 or 125% on pdf. Scroll through each picture.

Alternative Pencil #4: Print Alphabet Flip Chart The Alphabet Flip Chart is intended for students who have some vision, as well as significant motor difficulties. This light tech pencil is often used by students who are switch users and are unable to hold a pencil or physically manipulate a keyboard. This pencil is used with the support of a partner/helper and is accessed by the student through “partner assisted scanning.” The partner also records the student’s writing. Hearing is not required to use the Flip Chart. There are upper case and lower case versions. Ynez discuss briefly, Kelly to pass out the two we bring

Alternative Pencil #3: Color Coded Eye Gaze Frame The color coded eye gaze frame is intended for students who have some degree of vision, as well as significant motor difficulties. It is often used by students who are switch users and are unable to hold a pencil or physically manipulate a keyboard. This pencil is used with a partner who interprets the student’s eye gazes and records their writing. Letters are organized in color coded groups. Kelly:Today, we will focus on the Color Coded Eye Gaze Frame and this is the “alternative pencil” that we use in our program and the one we’ve had such phenomenal success with.

Alternative Pencils Can be used while side lying, sitting, standing, prone, and kneeling. Uses a “Smart Partner” who can read subtle cues and adjust interaction as needed. KELLY: one of the benefits of COCO is that it can be used in any position and can be brought to the child. 2. Smart Partner is a term from Linda Burkhart, special education teacher. The Smart Partner can focus on the communication attempts and not get bogged down by the lack of motor control needed to do the task. The partner’s job is to respond to all communication/behaviors as intentional. Tell how Citadel is using it for students with visual impairments.

REACH Program Students’ Writing Samples 09/07/06 E H M L O U R A A (asked to find these specific letters) 09/08/06 O T D U Y Y T L E A W O 11/20/06 L L L S S R A O U L B M U L S 11/22/06 L O S T L A R O L A S L S R A 12/01/06 B R M E X/Y L A R O U Student AH 10/27/06 M O M A M M U O M 11/15/06 R A M L O H G K L O Kelly: Tell Star’s and Mollie’s story, we do five letters then give student a break Emphasize 2nd day of school Student SA 09/13/06 B M S S S O I 10/20/06 O R B D A S U R O M 11/15/06 B L K D A S U R A O 12/01/06 R B S U R O A S S R B M A F G

Emergent Literacy Development Typically developing children explore and play with books, sing, listen to stories, and scribble as building blocks for language and literacy development. Students with significant disabilities have fewer and qualitatively different emergent literacy experiences than their typically developing peers. Kelly: Students with significant disabilities spend more class time participating in self care and positioning activities. Therefore; they have fewer opportunities to devote to straight academic activities. Often these skills are not focused on due to unbelief that these students can learn these skills.

Typical Emergent Writing samples Kelly: Making circles Writing her name

Typical Emergent Writing samples 3 year old RD Kelly 3 year old RD

Emergent Writing Samples Review 3 year old RD SW: 09/07/06 E H M L O U R A A 09/08/06 O T D U Y Y T L E A W O 11/20/06 L L L S S R A O U L B M U L S 11/22/06 L O S T L A R O L A S L S R A 12/01/06 B R M E X/Y L A R O U Ynez: emergent writing is playing with letters; not writing words

Emergent Literacy Development Students with significant disabilities need to understand how print and symbols work and how they can be used as a means of communication. From using these devices, we have seen that if a student can demonstrate understanding to others, then improved communicative interactions will follow. Ynez: Introduce Loura and how she just happened to tell ou the impact using the device has had on Star’s life.

How can Occupational Therapists use these devices with students? Use as designed for emergent writing activities Use as a tool for assessing eye gaze and scanning abilities for functional activities; observing behaviors that can be used for communication (assessing meaning) Use as a back up for high tech devices if device breaks or student is tired Ynez

Thanks for attending this session.  References: Linda J. Burkhart, (February 27, 2007). Partner-Assisted Communication Strategies for Children Who Face Multiple Challenges. www.lburkhart.com/hand_partner_assist.pdf “Early literacy." BrainWonders & Sharing Books with Babies. [cited 30 January 2007]. www.zerotothree.org/Brainwonders/EarlyLiteracy/earlyliteracy.pdf Erickson, K. A., & Hanser, G. (2004). Writing with alternative pencils [CD]. Chapel Hill, NC: Center for Literacy & Disability Studies, University of North Carolina. (Available from www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds) Hanser, G. (2006, March). Fostering emergent writing for children with significant disabilities: Writing with alternative pencils. AOTA, Technology Special Interest Section Quarterly, 16, 1-4. Norfolk Public Schools AT Team (2001). “The IEP Team’s Handbook for Assistive Technology Considerations, (A Guide for Decision Making)” Let’s try it out. Thanks for attending this session.  Contact info: peterson.ynez@secep.net