Low Tech Communication Tools:
Communicating ones thoughts, feelings and ideas is crucial to do in the classroom environment. However, some students who have hearing issues or cannot express themselves through speech have a difficulty communicating in a classroom. There are different forms of technology that can assist these students in meeting their communication needs. This can help these students to be able to communicate with their teachers and peers more effectively.
These communication devices essentially help three types of special needs students:
Students who are Deaf: These students have little or no functional hearing. They lack the skills to communicate with others and are not comfortable speaking. These students usually communicate via sign language and have an interpreter translate to others.
Students who are Hard of Hearing: These students have some speech impairments but do not typically use sign language. They are able to understand speech through the use of personal hearing aids that magnify sounds and reading lips. Some students have had cochlear implants surgically inserted in their ear to help with this problem.
Students with Physical Disabilities and Autism: These students do not have the oral motor control to be able to speak. This includes students with cerebral palsy, autism and other physical disabilities. Dysarthria is the term given to describe these speech disorders that prevent the oral motor muscles to move to their proper position because of neuromotor control issues.
These communication devices essentially help three types of special needs students:
Students who are Deaf: These students have little or no functional hearing. They lack the skills to communicate with others and are not comfortable speaking. These students usually communicate via sign language and have an interpreter translate to others.
Students who are Hard of Hearing: These students have some speech impairments but do not typically use sign language. They are able to understand speech through the use of personal hearing aids that magnify sounds and reading lips. Some students have had cochlear implants surgically inserted in their ear to help with this problem.
Students with Physical Disabilities and Autism: These students do not have the oral motor control to be able to speak. This includes students with cerebral palsy, autism and other physical disabilities. Dysarthria is the term given to describe these speech disorders that prevent the oral motor muscles to move to their proper position because of neuromotor control issues.
1. PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System): PECS are used to help students who are non verbal and need a way to express themselves. Through this system they are taught in different stages to communicate with pictures. This way they are able to tell another person what they want and are trying to say. The student requests something by handing a picture of the desired item to the person. Then the person gives the student that desired item. This can be especially helpful to those students with autism who are non verbal because they have extreme difficulty in the communication process.
PECS includes the teacher moving through different phases to teach the student how to use them effectively:
These students can use PECS to help them communicate in social settings and in a wide variety of different environments.
Here is a video on how the PECS communication system works:
PECS includes the teacher moving through different phases to teach the student how to use them effectively:
- Phase 1: Teaches physical exchange of a picture, no discrimination is required
- Phase 2: Teaches distance and persistence
- Phase 3: Teaches picture discrimination skills through pairings of preferred and non-preferred pictures
- Phase 4: Teaches sentence structure to use with picture
- Phase 5: Teaches using specifics, how to respond to "What do you want?"
- Phase 6: Teaches commenting on environmental stimuli
These students can use PECS to help them communicate in social settings and in a wide variety of different environments.
Here is a video on how the PECS communication system works:
2. BIG Step-by-Step with Levels Communicator: This is a device that allows a person to pre record messages for a student to use in the classroom. Therefore, when the student wants to say a desired message they can find it on the device and play it to the person. The device consists of a big colored button that the student presses to reveal the messages recorded. There are 4 colors included in all. The messages are divided by different levels so it is more convenient for the student to find the one they want to use. Also, they can be divided by messages used daily and messages used at certain parts of the day. There are 4 minutes of recording time on each communicator.
3. QuickTalker 12: This communication device allows a person to record messages into an overlay of 12 pictures that match the message content. Then the overlay is inserted into the communicator and the student presses the picture that plays the message they want to say. This device is ultimately used by the student to verbally express themselves in the classroom. It is a very easy to use device and can help the student to know exactly what picture they need to press to convey their desired message. This communication device has many benefits to special needs students who have communication difficulties. It is also available in overlays of 7 or 23 pictures to fit the needs of the student.
Some of its key features include:
Some of its key features include:
- 12 message locations and 5 different recording levels
- record up to 60 messages and 3 static messages
- 12 minutes of recording time
- interchangeable symbols
- a side handle for easy on the go use
- requires 4 AA batteries
Resources:
702901330 (April 19, 2007). "Phase I PECS."
Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP48lxnNdHM
Ablenet (2013). "BIG Step-by-Step Communicator." Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.ablenetinc.com/Assistive-Technology/Communication/BIG-LITTLE-Step-by-Step%E2%84%A2-with-Levels
Autism Society. "The Picture Communication Exchange System: Helping Individuals Gain Functional Communication." Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.autism-society.org/living-with-autism/treatment-options/pecs.pdf
Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., & Petroff, J.G. (2012). Assistive technology in the classroom: Enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Mayer-Johnson (2013). "QuickTalker 12". Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.mayer-johnson.com/quicktalker12
Pyramid Educational Consultants Inc. (2013). "PECS". Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.pecsproducts.com/catalog
Ablenet (2013). "BIG Step-by-Step Communicator." Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.ablenetinc.com/Assistive-Technology/Communication/BIG-LITTLE-Step-by-Step%E2%84%A2-with-Levels
Autism Society. "The Picture Communication Exchange System: Helping Individuals Gain Functional Communication." Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.autism-society.org/living-with-autism/treatment-options/pecs.pdf
Dell, A.G., Newton, D.A., & Petroff, J.G. (2012). Assistive technology in the classroom: Enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Mayer-Johnson (2013). "QuickTalker 12". Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.mayer-johnson.com/quicktalker12
Pyramid Educational Consultants Inc. (2013). "PECS". Retrieved March 25, 2013 from http://www.pecsproducts.com/catalog