Visual Supports for Students in the Primary Grades & An Introduction to Boardmaker Online Sarah Anderson, Speech-Language Pathologist Asha Parkash, Speech-Language Pathologist Brendan McCann, Occupatioinal Therapist Chris Brown, Registered Psychologist Peace Collaborative Services

SESSION OVERVIEW: Part 1: Visual Supports for the primary student/s Part 2: Introduction and Overview of Boardmaker TM Online

Activity

What are VISUAL supports A way of making auditory information visual  Most of us use visual supports to navigate our days: calendars, maps, watches, to-do lists

Why Are Visuals Important?  Words are transient (once said they are gone), but visuals are permanent (can refer to them repeatedly and independently)  Increase structure and routine  Builds understanding of expectations and wait time  Can help to improve organization, planning, memory, and communication intent  Prepare and cope with transitions  Reduce stress and/or anxiety  Reduce negative behaviors  Builds confidence and interdependence

Important Considerations  Strengths and weakness of the individual (e.g., sequencing, following directions, memory, etc.).  Modes of learning (visual, auditory, written, 2 vs. 3-deminsional objects, etc.).  Advantages and disadvantages of different types of visual aids

Types of Visual Representations  Real Objects  Most concrete form of representation  Tangible representations of activities  Helps solidify connection between object and activity  Cumbersome  Photographs  Digital, clip art, magazines  Line drawings/Symbols  Computer programs  Boardmaker TM Studio  Written Words  Can be combined with photographs or line drawings

Types of Visual Representations  Real Objects  Most concrete form of representation  Tangible representations of activities  Helps solidify connection between object and activity  Cumbersome  Photographs  Digital, clip art, magazines  Line drawings/Symbols  Computer programs  Boardmaker TM Studio  Written Words  Can be combined with photographs or line drawings

Types of Visual Supports  Visual Schedules  Visuals to Structure the Environment  Visual Scripts  Rule reminder cards  Visual task analysis

Visual Schedule  E.g., daily schedule, first/then Help children anticipate the order of events and activities and increase independence  Illustrate what activity is taking place  To specify what activity will occur next  To indicate when an activity is finished  To identify any changes that might occur in the schedule

Object schedule

First/Then Chart  A visual display of something a child prefers…that will happen after completing a task that is less preferred  It motivates/teaches children to do activities they don’t like and clarifies when they can do what they like  Decide what task you want the child to complete first and the preferred item/activity that the child can have immediately after the ‘first’ task is done.  Present the board to the child with brief verbal instructions “first ___, then ____”

Types of Visual Supports  Visual Schedules  Visuals to Structure the Environment  Visual Scripts  Rule reminder cards  Visual task analysis

Visuals to Structure the Environment  Use photographs and lined drawings (symbols) to visually organize the environment and to represent the specific places where items belong  Can help identify tasks that are completed in specific locations  E.g., picture of a dishwasher to show empty dishwasher, picture of clothes and a laundry basket to show wash clothes

Types of Visual Supports  Visual Schedules  Visuals to Structure the Environment  Visual Scripts  Rule reminder cards  Visual task analysis

Visual Scripts  Refer to written scenarios, skits, examples children can use to initiate conversations or interactions with others. Social Story  Can help children with  Social behaviour  Sharing toys, taking turns  Decreasing an inappropriate behavious  Whining, yelling, nose picking

Types of Visual Supports  Visual Schedules  Visuals to Structure the Environment  Visual Scripts  Rule reminder cards  Visual task analysis

Rule Reminder Cards  Visually present expectations for behaviours in a variety of settings  Can help children learn what behaviour is acceptable or unacceptable and what consequences are likely to result from engaging in these behaviours

Visual Task Analysis  Step-by-step support to facilitate a child’s independence in completing tasks.  These tasks can be simple everyday activities or more complex tasks that are composed of many steps  E.g., making a sandwich, completing an assignment, getting ready to go home, doing laundry, hygiene routine  Providing children with an accessible, visual reference guide, you can enhance a child’s independence and decrease adult prompting  Ideal for students with receptive language delays; who are easily distracted from task at hand, who forget the order of a multistep process or who have become dependent on an adults prompt

Resources  

Final thoughts  View the student’s visual communication supports as part of their educational program, not something additional that has to be incorporated into their day  Visual use can support IPP goals  Just because visual use is successful for that child does not mean you can take it away they still may need the support (may just know the routines)  Visual use is a skill that needs to be taught to a child and this takes time to learn– be patient!

 Let’s practice!  Boardmakeronline.com  How to use the visual support?

Creating original content  Create a new project, page, activity  Click new project  Name file  Choose page  Save page  File menu  Save as  Choose location to save  Once boardmaker is installed on your computer, there will be a boardmaker Studio file under documents. This is where it defaults to when saved unless otherwise specified.  Saved as a bdf file which can only be opened in a boardmaker program

Project organization  Projects, and pages  Project Name=test; Page name: Page 1  Add a page within a project  Practice opening multiple pages  Using the project panel  Use to work with the project and its pages  Pinning the panel  Main tool bar  File menu  New  Open  Save  Save all  Undo/redo  Exit to connect

Designing a page  Working with buttons  Standard button  Style  Style override (shape, fill colour, border colour)  Group button  Spray tool  Working with freeform objects  Working with labels

Working with Symbols  Overview of symbols  Accessing symbols through library  Accessing symbols through typing  The symbols panel  Using real photos

Creating content using templates  Templates at a glance  Create a new project from a template  Create a new page from a template  Add content to a template  Create new template

Printing  Printing a page from your project  Printing a project

Convert to pdf File menu-print page or print project-choose adobe pdf (see below) Name the document, choose place to save it-click save