Dynamic Therapy Associates, Inc.

Watching YouTube & Talking with my Tango

2010-11-23T18:26:00.000-08:00

Nicholas uses his Tango communication device to request favorite videos, use action requests and do a weekly movie review. He's getting good at selecting among his favorites, Scooby Doo and Blues Clues, giving them a big THUMBS UP!

Speech Therapy with George & the Balloonimals

2010-11-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

We found this hysterical iPad/iPhone app that lets kids blow up virtual balloons, tie them into animated balloonimals and POP! them when they're done. We are having fun and working on our language skills at the same time. In this video George is having a blast and working on speaking in sentences.

Miracle & Gwendolyn Chat with their V's

2010-11-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Miracle and Gwendolyn sat down for a chat last week in our office. Both little girls are using Dynavox Series 5 software with pragmatically organized messages. This is a fun little snippet of our chatterbox girls learning about conversation.

New Device, Familiar Messages, Familiar Partners

2010-11-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

Lauren is transitioning to a new speech generating device, the Maestro. At 18 years old, Lauren has recently been showing a significant increase in her functional use of her messsages. On this day, Lauren is getting used to the new device but is using some very familiar messages. When she's stressed, Lauren benefits from holding her partner's hand when she touches her device. When she's motivated though she is VERY much in charge of what she presses and allows no direction from her partner. At the end of our video you can see how beautifully Lauren tells us she's "ready to go" and that she "want(s) to get in the van!"

Intro to the DynaVox Maestro

2010-11-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Carson is an emergent AAC user. Today was brilliant, watching him discover the power of communication with AAC and the Maestro. Good things are coming for this cute little guy!

Xpressing My Opinion on the Xpress

2010-10-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

In late winter, 2009, Anthony was introduced to the Dynavox Xpress on the day this video was made. We considered the Xpress for Anthony because he's such a social guy and enjoys being fun, cracking jokes and being the COOL teenager he is. In the months that followed, Anthony got his own Xpress. He loves the video and MP3 player on his device and the COOL vocabulary. This video shows Anthony figuring out all of his commenting options on his My Phrases page set.

Damon on Valentines 2003

2010-09-28T18:05:00.000-07:00

A visit with Damon 7 years ago to see how far he's come! This is Damon with his first Dynavox 3100 in January 2003. He used 36 location Gateway at the time with some partner assistance for navigation to new vocabulary. Just a few years before this video was made we were told he couldn't use a high tech device. So much for that!!

Damon On Wrestling

2010-09-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

Damon uses his DynaVox V to introduce himself and his favorite sport. Damon uses several different page sets to have a conversation in this video. He uses My Phrases for a quick "hello" and "see you later." He moves out to his scenes introduce himself and tell his listeners a little about himself and how he communicates. Damon loves wrestling and goes to his wrestling scene page with 40 location popups to talk about his favorite wrestler (for today, anyway!). Unfortunately Damon's speech therapist has no idea how to pronounce Ted DiBiase!

Malick Introduces Himself

2010-09-18T06:03:00.000-07:00

Our friend Malick uses the C12 with CEye by Tobii ATI with eye gaze access to activate his messages on a 30 button grid page format. He has had his C12 consistently for less than 2 months. In this video Malick is using his "talk" page to greet his therapist. Watch his sweet smile when he is able to introduce himself by name.

(On screen, Malick looks and holds his gaze for 3 seconds. You'll see the red clock on the button count down quickly and then speaks his message.)

A Poem about a Special Nonverbal Child by Kim Funderburg

2010-09-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

Caroline

The seed of some intention slips from my thought and on to my tongue,

never to take root.

Now there takes place a dying bloom

Upon a darkened shelf.

For how can grunts and points light up the gloom

Between my dreams

And this place I call my “Self”?

With clenched fists

I pluck the flowers from my garden of wishes.

I try to catch their petals

As they float silently to the ground

While all around me, others tie lovely ribbons

Around the bouquets of my decaying notions

And offer them back to me

With love.

No utterance, not one, slides from my lips,

And not one word is caught between my fingertips.

This question dances across my face:

How can grunts and points

Fill up the space

Between my dreams

And this silent place

Called “me”?

Kim Funderburg, 2010

This poem was inspired by a special young lady we encountered last year. This little girl ended up using a Dynavox EyeMax to begin to share the flowers of her thoughts. Thanks so much, Kim, for sharing your work with us!

Learning to make sentences on the Vantage Lite

2010-09-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

At the time of this video, Jujuan had his Vantage Lite for one week. We chose the Vantage Lite with 60 location for him because he has amazing sequential and motor memory. He navigates to his pages very quickly and can communicate very specific information using correct word order and form using his Vantage Lite. A screen shot of his main page is to the right.
Apologies that you can't see the screen well in the video.

Katie Goes to Walmart

2010-07-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

Katie took her first trip to Wal-Mart using her Tango to interact. This is Katie's introduction to her Shopping Talk Topic. She's learning positive/negative commenting and social interaction messages. Katie is a little cautious when she learns new message so she likes to hold our hand as she's trying out her new words. Katie's partners do not physically guide her hand but do provide verbal cueing throughout this initial experience. Katie had a great time in her outing and went home with a funny new video!

The Tango is a speech generating device available from Dynavox at www.dynavoxtech.com.

Tess and Alli Chatting with AAC

2010-07-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Tess came all the way from Texas and visited Alli in our Georgia office yesterday. Tess and Alli are both terrifically smart young ladies who use AAC devices to communicate. Tess uses the Vanguard by Prenke Romich with 2-switch scanning. Alli uses the Vmax with EyeMax by Dynavox with eye gaze access to activate her messages. Alli and Tess spent an hour and a half chatting and checking out each other's devices. The girls have plans to keep in touch via video chatting.

iCommunicate App Picture Schedule

2010-07-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

Megan uses iCommunicate for a visual schedule of therapy activities. Megan is very cautious about trying new things so she's says "no" when offered to touch the iPad. It took her about 5 seconds to decide she might want to try it out!

Can I Have a Hug? And Hugs and Hugs and Hugs...

2010-07-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

Nia is an adorable little lady who has found a voice with her DynaVox V. How cute is this??

Making Sentences with Gateway on the Dynavox V

2010-07-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

Josh is moving up in the communication world- leaving behind his MiniMo and making the move to the more advanced Dynavox V. Josh has become motivated by the power of having a significantly larger vocabulary available to him and is now making short sentences on his own. We've seen many AAC users who rejected their devices when they were limited to 4-6 messages develop internal motivation to communicate when they moved to a larger, richer vocabulary. Josh is a wonderful example of this!

Meeting a New Person with my Dynavox V

2010-07-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

Ronnie is a sweet young AAC user who loves to talk! In this video he is meeting a new friend for the first time. Ronnie does an excellent job making appropriate eye contact, and taking turns in conversation. Social interaction is such a motivator for many of our kids!

Shopping with iReward

2010-07-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

iReward is a new iPhone/iPad application made by Grembe http://www.grembe.com/. iReward was designed as an application that shows the user a picture of the reward they are working toward and gives them a checklist to mark off completed tasks to earn their reward. I've used this app with Chad for several different purposes. In his job setting at Williamson Bros. BBQ, he used iReward to mark off tables as he cleaned them in order to earn a Coke and a break. The videos below show us using iReward as a grocery list. The picture cues Chad to the item we are purchasing. When he finds the item, he marks off the one checkbox above the item. The "list" is simply the main page of iReward. Items that are in the basket have "green" numbers beside them cueing Chad that he's marked them off his list. iReward is a very versatile app with an inexpensive price tag!

Chad used the iPad iReward app as a grocery list. He consults his list, picks up the items than checks them off the iPad.

Chad continues shopping consulting his list on the iPad using Grembe's app, iReward. In this clip, Chad, a young man with autism, finds the item on his list, checks it off the iPad and looks to see what's next. Chad us nonverbal and uses a DynaVox V to communicate.

Alli Learning Programming on EyeMax

2010-07-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

Alli has come a long way and is engaging in interactive communication with her EyeMax. She is beginning to be interested in programming her EyeMax. In this video, Alli independently accesses the modify button, selects her own symbol and changes the color of her new button. Alli uses her Dashboard page to change her own volume and turn on/off her Chat mode.

Emily Revisited! Dynavox Vmax with Step Scanning

2010-06-25T12:02:00.000-07:00

Emily has been working very hard this year and has become quite independent in expressing herself. She uses a switch placed on the upper left side of her tray to step by step scan her choice of message on her Dynavox. When Emily hears the message she wants, she stops tapping her switch and the message speaks loudly for her partners. Emily likes to hold and pull her device closer to her with her right hand but does not have the fine motor skills to access the individual buttons with her hands. You can see Emily's video in the Fall of 2009 in our other videos. She's come a long way!

http://youtu.be/7XEzAng1joE

Abby Shows off 2-Switch Step Scanning

2010-06-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

Abby has been one of our friends in the clinic for over a year now. She began her journey using augmentative communication with a Dynavox Vmax with auditory cued step scanning. Abby does not see well enough to scan her messages visually so she uses an auditory cue she hears in a pillow switch behind her head. Abby uses her left (red) switch to move her scan, one step at a time, until she hears the message cue she wants. Then Abby uses her right switch (yellow) to select the message and speak it aloud for her partner to hear. In this movie Abby was "rocking" the switches- scanning quickly to interact with her therapist, Adina. http://youtu.be/vv1s1n9clls

Kendel The T.V. Critic

2010-06-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

Kendel is a Dynavox MT4 user who is trying out an Xpress. He's ready for an upgrade and made an easy transition to the smaller size device. Kendel has made wonderful progress using his speech generating device to request, comment and control his environment. Kendel is using the Xpress as an effective alternative to behaviors and is continuing to make wonderful progress.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS35r8OXsxw

Little Ansley Meets the Alt-Chat

2010-06-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Little 2 year old Ansley was introduced to the Alt-Chat for the first time when this movie was made. She is using a 15 location vocabulary file called Multi-Chat which allows her to comment, respond, request, label and socially interact. Ansley has LOT to say! With a new baby blue Alt-Chat coming her way, I'm sure we'll hear a lot from her soon!
http://youtu.be/i5fKx6XdXFI

Gwendolyn Says, "Something's Wrong!"

2010-06-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

Gwendolyn is a sharp young lady who uses a Dynavox V with automatic auditory scanning and a head switch to make selections of messages. She has had her device less than a month and is already telling us what's on her mind. This video is a wonderful example of a partner guessing the wrong message and our little AAC user persisting and getting her needs met.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVejGOPQq20

Free On-Line Trainings for Dynavox and Tobii

2010-04-07T12:12:00.000-07:00

Both Dynavox and Tobii are offering free webinars you can attend in the comfort of your home or office. These are wonderful opportunities to learn about the devices, implementation and literacy. Karen Erickson (special needs literacy guru is featured with Dynavox this month).

Dynavox Information: http://www.dynavoxtech.com/email/1004-apriltraining/
Tobii Information: http://www.tobii.com/assistive_technology/training/training.aspx

Enjoy!

Vicki

FREE ABA Flashcards this month for the iPhone

2010-04-03T09:06:00.000-07:00

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, Kindergarten.com is giving away all of their ABA Flashcards for the iPhone/iTouch (and maybe the iPad??). This is a one month offer and a fantastic opportunity to try out these high quality flashcards. There are flashcards available for a wide variety of vocabulary items including common noun categories and actions.

Thanks, Kindergarten.com!!!

Cortical Visual Impairment and AAC

2010-03-31T19:25:00.000-07:00

After yet another opportunity to listen to Linda Burkhart (http://www.lburkhart.com/index.html) at ATIA, we've been all excited about our work with children who have cortical visual impairment. Cortical visual impairment is a condition which causes the child to have a decreased ability to respond to and interpret visual information (http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/fall98/cortical.htm.) When we encounter those children who are not visually attentive, who don't watch television and don't attend to a communication device we start to consider adaptations that are success for children with cortical visual impairment. Although we can't diagnose this condition, we are finding that standard strategies for CVI are effective in improving many of our patients' attention to and use of their communication devices.

Quick and easy strategies to try include:
- Decrease the size of the symbol. At times a smaller target requires less focal area and is easier for the child to see.
- Increase the contrast between the symbol/button and the background (for example use a black background with a bright yellow, pink or red symbol)
-Add movement to increase the child's attention to a symbol location. We use video clips inside small buttons to draw the child's gaze to the location of the message.
- Use brightly colored backgrounds for each button that contrast with the other buttons on a page (color response is often preserved in children with CVI)
- Decrease visual "clutter" of symbols (strategies can include using simple line drawings with limited detail and coloring)
- Maintain consistent appearance of symbols. Children with CVI show better visual recognition of familiar images.
- Maintain consistent placement of symbols on pages so that the child can use motor memory skills to locate familiar, taught messages

We have a new little friend, Justin, who is using many of the above strategies. In his first two visits he was introduced to 2 large buttons on both the Dynavox M3 and the Dynavox V. He showed very little visual attention or use of the buttons for communication.

His therapist, Jessica, decided to try some of our techniques for CVI with impressive results. She took Justin down to a 1 1/2" button, brightly colored on a black background. Justin has moved from a simple field of two requests for "more" and "all done" to beginning to learn basic navigation by selecting "Quick Fires" on his home page and then "more" to request his favorite movie song- in 2 weeks! Excellent! Here are two short clips of his last two sessions with us (visit #3 and #4 at our office).

Justin's 3rd visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWztYaFJ6c
Justin's 4th visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYCWiyJYWHg

Socialization vs. Content with SGD users? Which to tackle first?

2010-02-18T13:46:00.000-08:00

Today I noticed with 2 of my kids, during a 60 minute session, I got more independent interaction during our social time (15min), than I did during our content structured activity time (45min). As a professional, I want to teach a topic; “label this, match this, find this” and report good data but, as a friend, I want my kids to be able to interact, have an opinion and voice it! When a child is finally given a voice with his/her SGD, we need to listen to it, BUT first we need to teach them how to use it! Sometimes, it is easier to focus on what content they do or don’t know vs. if they can greet someone, request or reject something and have an opinion about something.Let’s teach our children how to interact socially and voice their thoughts and opinions, then we can tackle the content.

Jocelyn Bremekamp, CCC/SLP, Dynamic Therapy Associates, Inc.

Chad Visits the Social Security Office: Using AAC in the Community

2010-02-14T15:21:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Kelly Roberts took her 18 year old son with autism, Chad, to the social security office. Chad has a history of difficulty in unfamiliar community places. He has difficulty waiting and can have disruptive and aggressive behaviors if upset by the setting. Kelly and Chad had a very successful visit thanks to his new found ability to "complain" using his Dynavox V, instead of acting out behaviorally. Kelly took a minute to share her experience with us in the following video:

Kelly talks about Chad's visit to the Social Security Office

Just Back From ATIA!

2010-01-31T14:15:00.000-08:00

Several of our therapists just returned from the Assistive Technology Industry Association's January conference in Orlando, Florida. It was an exciting conference this year where we learned from Linda Burkhart, Joanne Cafeiro, Caroline Musselwhite and more. We are charged up and ready to go with a renewed focus on Interactive Communication! We spent time looking at wonderful learning software from Mayer-Johnson, Judy Lynne, Soft Touch, Inclusive Technologies and Learning Magic. We were reminded of free activity shares from AdaptedLearning.com (Boardmaker) and LearningGrids.com (Cricksoft/Clicker 5). An excellent conference, as always!

AAC: Whose Job Is It??

2010-01-22T04:58:00.000-08:00

Question of the Day:
At what point does it become not only our student/child's responsibility to learn, but our own responsibility to keep up with the technology that allows them to do so? AAC technology is an amazing gateway to communication for so many of our children. Unfortunately most of them struggle to learn the new "language," week after week in therapy, only to have partners who are not willing to simply keep up with them. To become an effective communicator using a speech generating device, it is imperative that communication partners learn the system enough to provide at least minimal support, if not appropriate adult models of interaction. Being the teacher, therapist or parent of a child who speaks through technology means that you have been given the gift of hearing a special child's thoughts. Don't' throw it away because you won't take the time to learn their language.
Ideas:

Join your child/student in therapy. You will learn the location of messages s/he is learning. You will have models of interaction techniques to try yourself. You can provide key information about important goals to the therapist in order to meet your needs at home/school.
Ask your therapist to videotape several sessions of therapy to share with his other partners.
Participate in Intervention Planning: a process of examining your child's day and determining priority goals for her communication.
Spend an hour talking with someone using ONLY the child's communication device. It's a great way to learn the location of messages, appreciate the challenges of communicating with a device and, problem solving missing messages.
Make sure you and your child/student are being assisted by an experienced AAC therapist. This is not an easy process and the assistance an AAC specialist can provide is invaluable.

The most important idea to keep in mind is that we never give up on communication! The technology exists to help almost EVERY SINGLE PERSON communicate in some way. Don't be the handicap that limits a child's potential! If you need help, please talk to a knowledgeable AAC therapist for ideas. There's always something that can be done to help.

Vicki

Georgia Respite Summit

2010-01-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

SPORTS & MORE FOR SPECIAL KIDS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

2010-01-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

The McCleskey-East Cobb YMCA would like to invite all parents with children, 6-12 years of age, who have high-functioning Autism, Aspergers & related conditions to register for a new program that will focus on you & your kids having fun together while building strong family relationships.
All programs will be held on Sundays, 4:30 - 5:30 PM.
Pricing
Facility Members: $60.00
Program members: $75.00
Community: $85.00
What's in store for you?
Starting 1/10/2010, Meet & Greet, Basketball, Relay Games, Hockey, Kickball, Baseball and more!

McCleskey-East Cobb YMCA 1055 E. Piedmont Rd., Marietta, GA 30062 770-977-5991

Allie Explains Communicating with her EyeMax

2010-01-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

Alli is a very smart young lady who uses eye gaze to talk with her EyeMax communication device (Dynavox). This is a short video clip showing her explaining how she communicates. Alli looks at the button for the message she wants to speak and holds her gaze while the camera on her EyeMax calculates exactly where she's looking to select and speak the message. You can see the red highlight "drain" as she holds her eye gaze on a specific button to activate the message. Pretty amazing stuff!! Check out Eye Gaze products: EyeMax by Dynavox, C-Eye on the C-12 by Tobii/ATI; Eco2 with EcoPoint by Prentke Romich

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGu61eywYOo

2010-01-05T18:11:00.000-08:00

Our Dynavox Sales Representative, Ron Steinberg, came through in a pinch with a loaner V (Dynavox, dynamic display device) for Adina's patient, Ryan, when his V had to go for repairs right before a big vacation. Adina and Ron worked out the loan and Ryan and his family sent us this wonderful thank you note after the fact. I think it is gratifying to hear how much having a voice means to our friends!

"The most precious time was when we were in a Red Lobster in Tennessee and the wait staff was all gathered around Ryan as he told them his name, the names of his siblings and pet, where he lives and of course our home phone number!! He then made them laugh by telling them that he wears underwear!! They got such a kick out of talking to him and were simply amazed by the technology available today! I felt he really impacted those 4 people at the restaurant, they were so appreciative that we allowed him to talk to them and that we explained the device." Krista Elema, 1/5/2010

Katie Beckett/Deeming Waiver GA Workshop

2010-01-05T10:06:00.001-08:00

WOW Outreach Proudly Presents: A "Hands On" Katie Beckett/Deeming Waiver Application Seminar for Parents

By Debbie Dobbs & Lisa Tatum

Sunday, January 31, 2009

3:30-6:30 pm

Peachtree Road United Methodist Church Room C208

3180 Peachtree Road NW

Atlanta, GA 30305

RSVP to WOW by calling 888-871-7157 or info@theWowAcademy.org

AAC Learning Auditory Automatic Scanning with a head switch

2010-01-02T20:30:00.000-08:00

Our friend Bradley is just learning to use his switch to start an automatic auditory scan and interact using his Dynavox. He presses his head switch placed to the back right of his head to start the scan and then presses it again to select when he hears the message he wants to communicate. This is a very simple video showing basic choice-making. Bradley is also using this method of communication to greet friends and say goodbye, make activity choices and offer his opinion!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewPzOmVEmow

Emily Learning Single Switch Delay selection on the Vmax

2009-12-29T15:23:00.000-08:00

AAC Treatment Video Examples! We have the distinct fortune to work with many AAC users each week in our office. In an effort to share their achievements and advance understanding of AAC for other professionals and families, we are going to attempt to share our clinic videos. Videos will be chosen which show specific examples of AAC access methods, training methods, prompting strategies and different levels of communicative competence. Please let us know if you have specific AAC related topics you would like to see in our video examples!

Emily Learning Single Switch Delay selection on the Vmax
Emily is an adorable young lady who is just learning to use her communication device. Emily began working on cause/effect programs with 1 switch in August, 2009. She has quickly progressed from working on 2 step scanning to move and select an item on her Vmax to using a single switch to select. Emily shows extensive involuntary motor movement which intensifies when she is excited. Because she has difficulty with consistently moving between 2 switches, we moved her to a single switch that moves her scan along on the device. When she moves her scan to her intended message, she simply stops activating her switch to make the device "speak" her message. Emily is in the learning stages of this motor pattern but is showing wonderful progress and visual attention to the moving scan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDObjR15Afc

Accessible Book Launcher

2009-12-27T18:03:00.000-08:00

Samuel Sennott is the creator of Proloquo2Go, an iPhone application which allows the iPhone to function as a speech generating device. Sam is a wonderful source of information at his blog, http://www.alltogetherwecan.com/. Recently I found his post describing his Accessible Books Launcher which lets teachers and children access books online at all reading levels. Very cool resource!

http://otot.wikispaces.com/file/view/Accessible+Books+Launcher.swf

iPhone and iPod touch Apps for (Special) Education

2009-12-27T16:04:00.000-08:00

Eric Sailors just posted a great resource listing applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch that help out special educators. My favorite so far is Percentally which lets you keep track of data during therapy sessions. It's cheap, $2.99 and effective!

Here's the link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/24470331/iPhone-and-iPod-touch-Apps-for-Special-Education