Katie LyonKatie LyonSpeech Pathologist

Speech Language Pathologist and AAC ConsultantSpeech Language Pathologist and AAC Consultant

Vi l S iVisual Strategies to support

communication andcommunication and

participation using the

Boardmaker Software Family

What are visual supports?pp

Things that we SEE to enhance g

the communication process.

I hear and I forgetI hear and I forget

I d I bI see and I remember

I do and I understand

Wh Vi l St t i ?Why Visual Strategies?• Some people find the world to be too chaoticSome people find the world to be too chaotic.

• Expectations and demands they cannot understand may

confuse them.

• Verbal instructions and explanations are often not

adequate to provide the information needed in order to

h dcomprehend.

• These people often need the support of having

information presented in visual forminformation presented in visual form.

• Some people learn best through what they see, and

using visual strategies builds on this strength.

From “Visual Strategies”

Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2000

Why Visual Strategies?

• Visual supports give the individual time to focus

attention work out the meaning and keep the messageattention, work out the meaning, and keep the message

visible when the person needs to refer to it again.

• Visual supports enable communication to be more

specific and encourage consistency in expectations,

d d ti ll th l i l dprocedures and routines across all the people involved

with someone.

Wh Vi l St t i ?Why Visual Strategies?Many people are not easily able to understand spoken• Many people are not easily able to understand spoken

directions.

• It is not always obvious that a person is having difficulty• It is not always obvious that a person is having difficulty

because they may be quite good at following environmental

cues.

• Dinner time example…..take away those cues, might not

follow what is said….can give the impression that they are

“not listening”

Why Visual Strategies?

• It is also difficult to judge people’s ability to

comprehend by evaluating their spokencomprehend by evaluating their spoken

language.

• Some people are able to repeat very clearly• Some people are able to repeat very clearly

what is said, but still do not understand the

meaning of the message People who use a lotmeaning of the message. People who use a lot

of echolalia are particularly difficult to judge.

Wh Vi l St t i ?Why Visual Strategies?• Many times we don’t realize how many visual cues weMany times we don t realize how many visual cues we

are providing for someone when we make a request

(e.g., we say “Pick up your shoes” while we point to the

shoes on the floor in front of us).

• If those cues are taken away, the person may not be

able to complete the task.

• We may think he is unwilling to do what we ask, when

t ll h j t t k h t t d tactually he may just not know what to do next.

• Using visual strategies may be the tool needed to help

the person process and complete novel requests and/orthe person process and complete novel requests and/or

complex directions.

People who may benefit fromPeople who may benefit from

using visual strategies include:• Intellectual disabilities

• Sensory impairments eg hearing• Sensory impairments eg. hearing

impairment

• Specific language disorders

• Memory problemsMemory problems

• Autism spectrum disorders

• Acquired disabilities

• All of us!!!!• All of us!!!!

What visual supports doWhat visual supports do

you use? y

Types of Visual SupportsB d M t h b d l• Body Movement: such as body language,

natural gesture, key-word sign

• Environmental cues: such as objects and

signs e.g. logos, labels

• Traditional tools for organisation of

information: such as calendars, shopping lists, pp g

recipes, instruction manuals

• Specialised communication aids andSpecialised communication aids and

materials: such as picture stories, behaviour

scripts, activity schedulesscripts, activity schedules

Visual Support ContinuumVisual Support Continuum

C tC tConcreteConcrete

Real objects

Object symbols

Coloured photosColoured photos

Black & white photos

Line drawingsLine drawings

Sign Language

W itt dWritten words

AbstractAbstract

Visual Support Continuum

Real objectsColoured photos Real objectsColoured photos

Black & white photosBlack & white photos

Sign LanguageWritten words

Object symbolsObject symbols

Line drawings

Timetables/Schedules

Schedules in depth:

Part of day day week• Part of day, day, week,

month, year

• Sequence a routineSequence a routine

• Connecting clock times

• Loosely phrased as y p

appropriate (Times change)

• Other events or actions of

lpeople

G i blGroup timetable

Templates and CalendarsTemplates and Calendars

Visual

Schedules

CCalendars

T l tTemplates

S h d l id hSchedules may provide such

information asinformation as

• a visual representation of what regular events• a visual representation of what regular eventswill happen;

• new activities that may be occurring;• new activities that may be occurring;

• changes that may be occurring in regular activities;activities;

• the sequence of activities throughout a day;

• when it is time to finish and move from one• when it is time to finish and move from oneactivity to another.

Schedules may help:

• establish the concept of being finished;

t t ti• set expectations;

• decrease “surprises” and reduce anxiety and

distress;

• establish routines as they are used over time;y ;

• provide a visible means to anticipate transitions.

Mi i S h d l /A ti itMini-Schedules/Activity

SequenceSequence

• Mini-schedules are similar to schedules, but they cover

l ti it ll t f th ’ tionly one activity or a small part of the person’s routine.

• Mini-schedules may map out the steps in one of the

main schedule activities including many more detailsmain schedule activities, including many more details

than the main schedule can accommodate.

• The use of mini schedules allows the person to be• The use of mini-schedules allows the person to be

independent for a longer portion of the day, since the

sequence of activities for a particular period is made q p p

available to the child.

Mini ScheduleMini Schedule

• Demo swap shuffle

Using the schedule

• Involve the person ie. Ordering the schedule, watching,

i th h d lcopying the schedule

• Person should manipulate to show change eg. remove

the symbols turn them over cross them offthe symbols, turn them over, cross them off

• Take it to the area in which the activity is performed and

match it with an identical symbolmatch it with an identical symbol

• May use it for choice making

Washing your handsWashing your hands

Timespan SchedulesTimespan Schedules

Can help to giveCan help to give

some flexibility

between

ti itiactivities

demo times

Finished StrategiesFinished Strategies• Formal strategies to indicate when

child

- has completed task

- wants a break

- wants to avoid/escape activity

• Finished mat - checkered

placemat

• Finished box - may incorporate

checkered icon

Fi i h d b l h k i• Finished symbols - eg. check icon,

finish sign, abstract symbols

Strategies for Dealing with g g

Change

Who’s here today? Demo low techWho s here today? Demo low tech

Label itemsLabel items

Social Stories

• Is a tool for helping people to control or redirect behaviourbehaviour

• Identifies the consequence of the behaviour

• Acts as a visual reminder content is important• Acts as a visual reminder - content is important

• Use consistent language across changing communication partnerscommunication partners

• Think about the language you use!!! Can’t!!!!

R i d R h R i• Remind, Rehearse, Review

Washing your handsWashing your hands

Additional Strategies

Incredible 5-Point Scale

Additional Strategies

Incredible 5 Point Scale

T h i l d t di• Teaches social understanding

using a 5-Point Scale

• Students can help in assigning• Students can help in assigning

and defining numbers when

possiblep

• Symbols can assist in visual

representation

Community Request CardsCommunity Request Cards

• Used in the community to request a service or objecta service or object

• Person only needs to have a “passing” behaviourpassing behaviour

• Use large print for easy reading for communicationo co u cat opartner/symbol for person who uses AAC

• Must be self explanatory

• Specific to person and situationp p

Recipes and Menu PlannersRecipes and Menu Planners

f• Involve from the

start

• Using symbolate!!• Using symbolate!!

• Check on activity

exchange and g

adapted learning!

Picture Based Shopping ListPicture Based Shopping List

Cooking Up Fun

•Over 30 Symbol-Adapted Recipes

•Activities to Support the Entire

Cooking Processg

Comm nication Bet eenCommunication Between

EnvironmentsEnvironments• Beware of notes between environments

A th d t d?• Are they understood?

• Communication between environments is a strategy that uses visual supports to allow astrategy that uses visual supports to allow aperson to compose and express a message about his/her day.y

• The complexity of the message depends on the person’s language and literacy skills.

• Some people may use symbols or objects to share their experiences, while others may use words supported with a picturewords supported with a picture.

Communication betweenCommunication between

environmentsenvironments

• Individuals should compose the messagep gthemselves or participate.

• Basic – may choose a symbol from scheduley y

• Copy the word from the schedule card onto a paper paired with the symbol to be successful p p p y

• People may also use wrappers from food or play items, glued to a piece of paper, with a p y , g p p p ,message written by a staff member describing the activity (the student may dictate or write the message if s/he is able).

Chat BooksChat Books

Personal History

Single Message Devices

My Day BooksMy Day Books

C i ti b tCommunication between

environmentsenvironments

• Allow time during the dayAllow time during the day

• Allow practice

• Allowing a person to create a message

about their own activities and initiateabout their own activities and initiate

conversation as s/he shares that message

with others is extremely motivating Thewith others is extremely motivating. The

use of visual cues provides the support

d d tneeded to ensure success.

Tips for using visual supportsTips for using visual supports

• View the person’s visual communication

supports as part of their every day, not

something additional that has to be

incorporated.

• Visual supports must be accessible, durable and

easy to useeasy to use.

• Visual Supports must contain relevant

information that is up to date

Boardmaker v6 comes inBoardmaker v6 comes in

three software models

• Boardmaker

• Boardmaker Plus

• Boardmaker with Speaking Dynamically ProBoardmaker with Speaking Dynamically Pro

Sample Boardsp

• Colour codes for Age groups – DEMO

il bl !available!

PCS Addendums

• 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 & 2008

libraries (PCS)libraries (PCS)

• 6000 symbols

• 2008 alone is 1300 symbols• 2008 alone is 1300 symbols

Build your symbol libraries!!!Build your symbol libraries!!!

Bought as a deluxe bundle with or without school fonts

Wid it Lit S b lWidgit Literacy Symbols

Picture This…Pro Series Photo

LibrariesLibraries

• Picture This Pro• Picture This…Pro

• Picture This…Functional Living Skills and

Behavioural Rules EditionBehavioural Rules Edition

• Picture This…School Routines and Rules

www.google.com.au - Images Search

www adaptedlearning comwww.adaptedlearning.com

Boardmaker Plus PlayerBoardmaker Plus Player

www.spectronicsinoz.comwww.spectronicsinoz.com

•Activity

Exchange

•Support –

Knowledge BaseKnowledge Base

•Download

Center – Updatesp

for free!

•Education and

Resources –

online live and

recordedrecorded

sessions

•www.mayer-johnson.com

Spectronics Online Training Services!

www.spectronicsinoz.com/onlinetraining

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FinishedFinished