Deaf-Blindness The Big Picture 8:30-2 April 23

Communication Rights

TASH Resolution Communication Rights Right to Request desired objects, people, events Right to Refuse undesired actions, objects, events Right to Express personal preferences and feelings Right to be Offered choices and alternatives Right to Request attention and interactions

Tash Resolution Communication Rights Right to reject offered choices Right to ask for and receive information about changes in the routine and the environment Right to receive a response to any and all communicative intentions Right to have access to augmentative and alternative communication and assistive technology

TASH Resolution R- e –s- p- e- c- t Right to be spoken to with respect and dignity………..

This child can’t communicate!

Communication: 3 Basic Ideas 1. Everyone communicates. Whether it be a sigh, blink, point, gesture, sign or word. Everyone can communicate. Our challenge is to find out how our learners with deaf-blindness communicate and respond to it. We can then try to 'shape' the communication into more formal systems.

“With deaf-blind kids I always do...

Communication : 3 Basic Ideas 2. Everyone is unique. There is no single description of a learner with deaf-blindness that fits all learners. What works for one learner may not work for another. The "I" in IEP and IFSP stand for "individualized" and that is what our learners with deaf-blindness are - very individualized and thus need very individualized instruction. Most learners with deaf-blindness have some usable vision and hearing. Every effort should be made to use and enhance the remaining vision and hearing.

“He’s deaf-blind! He doesn’t need to know all of this!”

Communication : 3 Basic Ideas 3. Everyone needs input. Deaf-blindness is an information-gathering disability. We all need information about the world around us. Most of us receive that information by observing and listening. Imagine if the only information you received about the world was through your touch, taste, smell and distorted vision and hearing. We need to find the most appropriate way to provide input to learners with deaf-blindness.

What is Communication?

Communication is A basic need and an individual right of all persons

Communication is: Sending and receiving messages

Communication Reason for communicating Something to Communicate Way of communicating

The Reasons We Communicate to socialize and to interact with others to exchange information to make requests

Expressive and Receptive Communication Expressive communication is how we communicate to others. Receptive is how we understand others For many children with deaf-blindness. Expressive language may be different from their receptive language – for example, they may understand some signs, but only communicate using gestures such as pointing

SKI Hi Unit 1 How Do We Communicate? Approximately 70% of information we receive during typical communication is nonverbal. In other words: Only 30% of the messages we receive and send are conveyed through words.

Ski Hi Unit 1 How Do We Have Successful Communication? Both people must be able to send a message and understand the message being sent to them.

Getting the Message Across Communication Cues –Environmental –Object –Touch/Tactile –Movement –Gesture –Picture –Signs –Verbal Language

Ski Hi Unit 1 How Do People Send and Receive Messages? Messages could be sent through eye gaze or a slight movement toward and object. Messages can also be sent in one way and received in a different way.

Ski Hi Unit 1 People Can Communicate Through: Facial Expressions Body Expressions and movement Gestures Vocalizing Sign Language Talking Communication does not require talking or the use of language. Communication leads to language!

Basic Elements of Communication o Turn taking – we can’t talk at the same time or we’ll miss the other person’s communication and vice versa o Joint attention – we have to both know what we are talking about and pay attention to the topic or the thing we are talking about o Role of communication partner – the persons we are communicating with play an important role in whether we are communicating or just talking to ourselves!

Ski Hi Unit 1 The Importance of Understanding the Child as a Communicator Since messages are sent and received in unique ways, you must observe the child’s communication attempts. You must also understand how the child sends and receives messages. You should watch for patterns and consistent behaviors and don’t rule out any behavior as a possible communication attempt.

As Your Child Does Things Ask Yourself: What might he be saying? What is she trying to tell me?

One Parent Role Is To Be A Communication Facilitator/Partner The Facilitators Role “Tune in” to behaviors that the child prefers to use Foster a nurturing relationship of security and warmth Provide comfort, support and affection Create positive environments for interactions Focus on the individual’s interest at the moment

Ski Hi Unit 2 What are the Stages of Communication Development? Children begin to communicate in simple ways and develop more complex ways as their physical and mental capabilities increase. The three stages of communication development: –Early Communication (Pre-Intentional Communication) –Simple Communication (Pre-symbolic Communication) –Complex Communication (Symbolic Communication)

Ski Hi Unit 2 “Pre-Intentional Stage” In this stage, a child responds or reacts to her environment, feelings or needs through reflexive, unintentional behaviors, like crying. As other individuals respond to her behaviors, she begins to learn that her behaviors can get her what she needs.

Pre-Intentional Stage Children may cry, push or reach with their feet or arms, laugh – but they do not know they are sending a message to someone else – only that they have a particular feeling. When another person gives meaning to their behavior – “Are you wet? Let’s change you,” and meets their need, then they begin to “shape” the children’s reactions to their feelings and help them understand that they are sending a message and someone understands it and will respond.

Pre-Intentional Stage It is this interaction over-time – baby cries and adult tries changing, feeding, rocking, etc. until the child is comforted – that helps children begin to communicate – and leads to the parent who hears their baby crying and can tell whether they are hungry, wet, or just tired and trying to soothe themselves to sleep! As we get better at meeting their needs, the child gets better at making small changes in his communication behavior – such as crying – to communicate different things, in other words to send a different message.

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Ski Hi Unit 2 Intentional but Pre-Symbolic Stage At this point she moves on to the next stage, pre-symbolic communication. There are often many inappropriate behaviors such as pulling hair, biting, and hitting

Intentional but Pre-Symbolic Stage Because children with deaf-blindness may not be able to use a lot of different behaviors to communicate, many of the behaviors we see as “bad” are their only ways to tell us things like “I don’t like this!” “Leave me alone!” “Hey, pay attention to me!” “I’m frustrated!” and so forth.

Ski Hi Unit 2 Simple or Pre symbolic Communication Children use behaviors or actions intentionally to communicate their needs, thoughts, feelings, and wants. For example: –Waving goodbye –Pointing at an object –Tapping someone on the shoulder –Shaking your head yes or no These are called gestures and are used intentionally to express specific needs, feelings, or thoughts.

Ski Hi Unit 2 Complex or Symbolic Communication In the complex communication stage, symbolic communication is used as a base. Spoken language is symbolic communication. We have words that represent people, things, actions, and emotions in our environment. These symbols are used intentionally with the purpose of communicating something.

Complex or Symbolic Communication For example, reaching your arms toward someone when you want to be picked up is pre-symbolic communication – saying “up” or pointing to a picture or picture symbol is the first step in symbolic, complex communication – later, more complex symbolic communication might including saying or pointing to picture symbols: “Up now, please!”

Ski Hi Unit 2 In this stage children with sensory losses may rely on: Picture symbols like a photograph or drawing Object symbols like a spoon to represent dinner time Manual symbols like sign Verbal signals like spoken language Written words or raised symbols like Braille. A combination of some or all of these forms, or other symbolic systems

Ski Hi Unit 2 Communication Forms Picture symbols and object symbols are more concrete symbolic communication forms. Sign language, spoken language, and written language or Braille are all more abstract symbolic communication forms.

Communication Forms Object cue Partial Object cue Picture symbol cue Picture Cue Tactual symbol cue

An Assessment Profile for Your Use. x2.html x2.html Toward the bottom of the page click on ONLINE Communication Matrix website Click on Design of the Communication Website and read the description of the stages of communication

Ski Hi Unit 2 Communication Forms that are Best for Children with Sensory Losses Children with sensory losses need to be exposed to all forms of communication without being overloaded with too much information in different ways. Keep communication clear by using ways that the child seems to understand.

Ski Hi Unit 2 Communication Forms that are Best for Children with Sensory Losses Most children will use a variety of forms within their own communication system. Children need to move through early communication and realize that their behaviors communicate something before they can move into more sophisticated communication forms found in the next stages. Many children will express communication in one form and receive it in another form.

What you need to develop communication Routines Communication Approaches-- Ways for you and your student to express and receive information Behavioral Supports Routines, routines, routines

1. Attention seeking signals – a way to let people know you have something to ‘say’ 2. Acceptance signals – a way to let people know you ‘heard’ them 3. Rejections signals – a way to let people know you don’t want to interact with them Three Essential Building Blocks of Communication

Communication Record What are some of my child’s –Attention-seeking signals –Acceptance signals –Rejection signals D. Brown CDBS

Communication Record How does the student let me know that he or she: Likes something? Doesn’t like something? Wants something? Doesn’t want something? Wants to be moved? Wants more of something? Is tired? Is finished with something (or has had enough)? Wants to keep going with an activity or interaction? Wants help? D. Brown CDBS

Personal Passports Beginning at the beginning - a Personal Passport as an aid to enhancing realistic positive expectations of the individual, increasing the confidence & competence of the family, making assessment data effective and accessible, creating appropriate so successful programs, assisting with transitions, & recording progress. D. Brown CDBS

A special way of sorting and recording information about an individual (not everything you know but what others need to know) An efficient way of presenting the information and making it accessible (simple, clear, direct, first-person, specific, honest, detailed, lively) D. Brown CDBS

An empowering and positive way of presenting information - showing a person as human, individual, and recognizable A tool for helping an individual during transitions (meeting new people and starting at new places like nursery, school, hospital, holiday program, workplace) D. Brown CDBS

A way of orientating new people quickly A tool for working towards consistency in how different people interpret, understand, and approach the individual A way of de-mystifying professional knowledge, and of helping people to observe more competently D. Brown CDBS

A reminder that behavior is communication and that ALL people communicate An approach that gives a specific focus to discussions for parents, other family members, friends, and professionals to achieve a deeper understanding of an individual (and of each other) D. Brown CDBS

A way of recognizing and valuing the roles of family and carers, and of giving them more influence ADAPTED FROM CALL CENTRE INFORMATION SHEET 5 (JULY 1997 D. Brown CDBS

Initial basic information Most important is the child’s “likes and dislikes” (or their “want and don’t want” behaviors) - and a description of how you know which of these opposite feelings the child is probably demonstrating. Consult with those who know the child best, and if it is not clear then at least have a ‘best guess’ which will be an important step on the journey to an effective assessment D. Brown CDBS

Hello, my name is Terry I cannot hear you when you talk, but I like to watch your mouth move I don’t see with my right eye but I do with my left if things are less than 2 feet away I love to be picked up and held as long as you let me know you are going to pick me up and then do it slowly using a firm grip and supporting my head the whole time I love gentle bouncing D. Brown CDBS

Personal Passports - Possible topics (1) Title/ Cover page Introduction (what this is all about) Contents (pages color-coded) The most important things you need to know about me Likes (and how I express this) Dislikes (and how I express this) Other things I can tell you (and how I do this) Strengths (things I am good at) D. Brown CDBS

Personal Passports - Possible topics (2) How I work best & what you can do to help Things I can do for myself Things I can do with supervision or help Things I need you to do for me Things I like to talk about D. Brown CDBS

Personal Passports - Top Tips (1) Having a clear reason for making the Passport helps with timescale, framework, content, and perspective Take time and have patience, and enjoy the process Start small and brief, and expand the Passport when it feels right Keep it personal and include photographs, and also the child’s own work and words when possible D. Brown CDBS

Personal Passports - Top Tips (2) Work to think and write from the child’s perspective Write the text before taking the photographs Present it well, use humor to make it real & interesting Use color-coding instead of page numbers Select a coordinator, especially to organize periodic updates Share as widely as possible but agree confidentiality rules D. Brown CDBS

Personal Passports as a Tool This is a great tool for working with and getting to know families and their child Let’s try it!