Re: speech and aug communication letter-help

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for your help in advance. I'm trying to get Brook's IEP set up and

I would appreciate your insight into how to word it regarding using a yes/no

switch to teach Brook how to communicate. I want to make sure that they use

the switch for communication that is motivating for him and not something

like, yes/no regarding things like the weather is cloudy, or it is Wednesday,

which he would not understand. Also how do you see the pecs incorporated

into this? I think he could make some progress with pecs if we really try. We

had goals like this last year and nothing much happened with them so we want

to try discrete trial this year and see if we can get him to clearly

communicate yes/no with a switch. Thanks, Marisa

Mona Epstein, MS, CCC

Los Cerros Middle School

Re: Brook Duncan's IEP

March 15, 2003

Dear Mona,

Thank you for your phone call and discussion of Brook's speech therapy

program and progress several weeks ago. Last Friday, we met with Dr.

Wachtel, Director of The Child Development Center at Children's Hospital and

autism specialist. Dr. Wachtel recommends that Brook's speech and

communication goals be the primary focus this year. She proposes an

augmentative communication device switch with 2 choices only, yes and no. I

spoke with Judy Dawson, the augmentative communication specialist and she

recommends a skill builder. Dr. Wachtel also proposes that discrete trial

methodology be used to teach him the use of the yes/no switch to make choices

and clearly communicate his needs and desires for 3 sessions per day of 15

minutes each to be provided by the speech therapist and augmentative

communication specialist. She also advises the reintroduction of pecs with

photos of desired objects for communication, which we had also talked about

during our phone conversation. Dr. Wachtel recommends that we reconvene in 3

months to examine how Brook is doing in order to make adjustments where

necessary to ensure his success. She has requested to review his IEP goals

and objectives before the IEP meeting to assist us. I would appreciate it if

his goals and objectives could be written to reflect the above information

and then sent back to me, I will then send them to Dr.Wachtel after reviewing

them. Thank you very much for your help. Please call me at your earliest

convenience with any questions or to discuss his IEP goals and objectives.

Sincerely,

Marisa Poggi

J. Duncan

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/17/03 2:56:31 AM Eastern Standard Time, poggim1@...

writes:

> Also how do you see the pecs incorporated

> into this? I think he could make some progress with pecs if we really try.

Marisa, I think I would need more information about how you introduced the

PECS last time. Rochelle uses the PECS and was taught by the Speech Therapist

trained in PECS. We hired a home therapist in the summer months for

continuity. We had to use it daily with really motivating things. At first it

was food then videos. She is non-verbal pretty much. Communication is her

biggest goal this year. She is 6 yrs old.

Diane

[Guest guest]

At 02:55 AM 3/17/2003 -0500, you wrote:

>I would appreciate your insight into how to word it regarding using a yes/no

>switch to teach Brook how to communicate. I want to make sure that they use

>the switch for communication that is motivating for him and not something

>like, yes/no regarding things like the weather is cloudy, or it is Wednesday,

>which he would not understand.

Marissa:

I'm going to offer a couple of suggestions.

" Given a (describe the voice output device) a voice output device such as a

Big Mack, one-step, or italk2, brook will answer questions during

individual and group instruction about the curriculum content to answer:

a) the weather

yes/no

c)calendar concepts "

You can also try things like

Given a voice output devices such as....Brook will select an answer from

a field of four to comment on:

a) the weather

yes/no

c)calendar concepts

I can't find my PECS files wiht goals at the moment. I'm working on it, though.

Joan

[Guest guest]

Marissa:

I posted a file to the " files " section of our gorups page with

IEP objectives that are specifically for PECS. this is from the SLP

Communicate list on groups.

It should give you some ideas.

Joan

[Guest guest]

Joan,

Thanks, I will check that out when I get back later this am after helping

in Genny's kindergarten. Also, after talking again to Brook's teacher

yesterday I realized that I should not be using the word pecs since we really

want to use photos of actual objects that he recognizes. The symbols are too

abstract for him right now. Later once he gets the photos we will move to

pecs. Also is there a CD-ROM called " Picture This " that I can recommend to

them to purchase for this purpose? I think we are going to use the yes/no

switch at different times than we use the photos if I am correct. The yes/no

switch or skill builder will be used during discrete trial sessions and the

photos throughout the day. I will check the files section and see what

objectives they have that I can use. Thanks for your help Joan.

Marisa

[Guest guest]

Diane,

Did you use photos or the line drawings to start? Originally we used

photos with Brook and then the teacher switched him to PECS before he had

mastered the photos and then he couldn't get the PECS. That was the problem,

it was too abstract for him.

Marisa

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/18/03 12:46:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, poggim1@...

writes:

> Did you use photos or the line drawings to start?

They started with photos in preschool but they photos did not have enough

contrast for Rochelle to get it. If there was any background the object would

be lost for her. She does have a strong eyeglass prescription. In Kindy with

went to boardmaker symbols. She learned what the symbols mean but you have to

teach her the symbol first. This takes many trials. Her current teacher uses

both.

Diane

[Guest guest]

At 12:39 PM 3/18/2003 -0500, you wrote:

>I realized that I should not be using the word pecs since we really

>want to use photos of actual objects that he recognizes. The symbols are too

>abstract for him right now.

The terminology of thingsr eally irks me.

PECS is a method of communicating (www.pecs.com), not merely the use of

symbols. PECS as a AAC method can be done wiht objects, photos, symbols, or

words. You just need something to EXCHANGE in a prescribed method--the

method of using these things is what PECS is about. So if what you want is

for Brook to learn how to use objects, photos, symbols, and words to make

his requests (first stage) known, then PECS is just fine. He can give the

object to the communication partner just as easily as giving a symbol to a

partner.

" Picture this " is indeed chock-full of photographs of tons of things. You

should check out all her products:

www.silverliningmm.com

All this is done by a Mom of a boy with autism. No wonder it works well.

And it's affordable. but if the school is buying it for themselves, suggest

they buy the " professional " version. There are more options available.

Good luck!

Joan

[Guest guest]

At 01:23 PM 3/18/2003 -0500, you wrote:

>Did you use photos or the line drawings to start?

I didn't see this and want to respond.

Do NOT let them tell you he MUST show proficiency wiht objects before he is

able to use photos or symbols or words.

In the beginning AAC days, folks said that this was the hierarchy of

skills. Now they recognize, **especially wiht autism** that kids who need

AAC understand at different levels AND, they don't always understand the

same thing.

Andy can do most symbols, especially if introduced systematically, but for

some things, such as things that cause high anxiety, photos are better.

He NEVER got an object system and never will. He got photos right away.

If you can get your hands on Libby Kumin's " Classroom Language Skills " so

you can review the chapter on AAC, do that. It has a decent outline of what

I " m ranting about.

The Picture This CD photos have the backgrounds removed, so that makes it

easier to focus on the one thing. You can also remove the backgrounds from

things using photoshop or photo elements. (photo software programs)

j

[Guest guest]

Thanks for this info - I have trying to get Conner's school to use photos

instead of objects, and they have resisted. It has only been going on for a few

months, but I want it changed. I'll find the book and give them a copy of the

chapter you are talking about. He has used pictures at home for about 1 year

before starting preschool - we were using a modified PECS system. They had a

good reason for using objects, but I'm still not pleased with it and am ready

for them to change it.

Thanks again,

T.

Re: speech and aug communication letter-help

At 01:23 PM 3/18/2003 -0500, you wrote:

>Did you use photos or the line drawings to start?

I didn't see this and want to respond.

Do NOT let them tell you he MUST show proficiency wiht objects before he is

able to use photos or symbols or words.

In the beginning AAC days, folks said that this was the hierarchy of

skills. Now they recognize, **especially wiht autism** that kids who need

AAC understand at different levels AND, they don't always understand the

same thing.

Andy can do most symbols, especially if introduced systematically, but for

some things, such as things that cause high anxiety, photos are better.

He NEVER got an object system and never will. He got photos right away.

If you can get your hands on Libby Kumin's " Classroom Language Skills " so

you can review the chapter on AAC, do that. It has a decent outline of what

I " m ranting about.

The Picture This CD photos have the backgrounds removed, so that makes it

easier to focus on the one thing. You can also remove the backgrounds from

things using photoshop or photo elements. (photo software programs)

j

[Guest guest]

--- In , " K.theriault " <k.theriault@a...>

again,

> > able to use photos or symbols or words.

>

> In the beginning AAC days, folks said that this was the hierarchy

of

> skills. Now they recognize, **especially wiht autism** that kids

who need

> AAC understand at different levels AND, they don't always

understand the

> same thing.

>

> Andy can do most symbols, especially if introduced

systematically, but for

> some things, such as things that cause high anxiety, photos are

better.

>

> He NEVER got an object system and never will. He got photos right

away.

>

> If you can get your hands on Libby Kumin's " Classroom Language

Skills " so

> you can review the chapter on AAC, do that. It has a decent

outline of what

> I " m ranting about.

>

> The Picture This CD photos have the backgrounds removed, so that

makes it

> easier to focus on the one thing. You can also remove the

backgrounds from

> things using photoshop or photo elements. (photo software

programs)

Thanks Joan for this information. This is the line I got at school

too!! Love this group.

Diane