Link to article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/us/navigating-love-and-autism.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
Probably one of the most moving, well-written articles on individuals with autism I have ever read. I love how the article eschews the experts and lets the people involved speak for themselves.
Posted by: Andy, Speech-Language Pathologist
In mid-November, I attended the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) convention in San Diego, California. I attended sessions on current research, therapy strategies, and service delivery models. I was thoroughly impressed with my profession and all the fascinating and inspiring things that speech-language pathologists are doing in public schools, hospitals, universities, and clinics. It was my first ASHA convention and it has taken me awhile to unpack and synthesize much of the information I took in while I was there. It was a tremendous opportunity to connect with other therapists and to learn about cutting edge therapy, based on research and best practice. It was clear from the onset that what we are doing at Lakeside Center for Autism is in line with the rest of our profession and that we are also pushing the envelope. I left with the hope that next year therapists from LCA would be presenting about our collaboration between therapy disciplines and possibly, our work using Kinect to help children learn new skills and interact with peers.
As Lakeside Center for Autism begins a new Home and School Visit program, it was exciting and informative to participate in a session about telepractice.
Telepractice is defined by ASHA as “…the application of telecommunications technology to deliver professional services at a distance by linking clinician to client, or clinician to clinician for assessment, intervention, and/or consultation” (ASHA, 2004a).
In the session, the presenter, Deborah Theodoros, noted that clinical settings might not be the “gold standard” for therapy. Research has shown that naturalistic settings, such as a client’s home, support generalization and skill maintenance because of the salient effect of learning and trying a new skill in a familiar and relevant environment.
As a huge proponent of parent education and training, I can see that telepractice could be a great tool for connecting with parents during times in the day when the parents and caregivers are available, but the child is not. Telepractice can also help link families to therapists who are far away and have expertise that would be especially helpful to their child.
I look forward to continuing to follow the advances of telepractice and to further LCA’s commitment to home and school visits.
Posted by: Piera, Speech-Language Pathologist
Lakeside Center for Autism, and our use of the Xbox 360 and Kinect, were recently featured in a local television news story produced by Q13Fox. Here is the link to the video and the story:
I certainly appreciated the human-interest side of the story, and I am a fan of all attempts to increase awareness of autism and other development differences. LaConia, mother to one of our clients, had some extremely beautiful and stirring words to say about her son and his progress. Oh, and I liked the camera work, narration, and our staff interviews. However, the problem that I and my co-workers had with the report was the characterization of use of the Kinect and video games as “therapy.” Use of any object or system – whether you are talking about a ball, a swing, flash cards, an iPad, or a Kinect, is not necessarily therapeutic by nature. Rather, it is the overlay of therapeutic strategies and goals that give these materials all their power and meaning in therapy.
Here is an example of what I would consider successful use of the Kinect in speech-language therapy, which utilizes the motivation and novelty of the Kinect in order to set up opportunities for the child to problem-solve through language. A child says, “I want Kinect.” I could respond, “You want to eat Kinect?” The child might respond, “no, I want to play Kinect.” Then I would say, “OK, let’s play – what do we need to do?” The child would be required to turn on the TV, turn on the Xbox, find the games, open the game box, take out the game disc, open the tray of the Xbox, put in the game disc, adjust the lighting, start the game, and lean the rules and controls of the game – all actions the child can request assistance with through language. And because there is a prize of playing a video game, the motivation is there to sustain the child’s interest in working through various problems which arise – problems which can be “planted” by the therapist (e.g., unplugging the Xbox, hiding the games, etc.). In one session, I encouraged a child to use language to problem-solve how to set up the Kinect for 25 minutes – leaving only 5 minutes at the end of the session to actually play a game. To me, that was a fine therapeutic application of the Kinect – and actual video game playing was barely involved at all.
Posted by: Andy, Speech-Language Therapist
Here is a goofy project I did for my aural rehabilitation class in college. And before Jay-Z and Jimmy Page can take credit – the rhyming and guitar playing is all me:
The idea here is to play the song, and then ask questions about what happened during the protagonist’s trip to the store – thus addressing auditory memory and comprehension. Here are some questions you could ask about the song:
1. What was the person doing at the beginning of the song?
2. What did the person have in their refrigerator?
3. How did the person get to the store?
4. What kinds of foods did the person see at the store?
5. What did the person eventually buy?
Feel free to use it in therapy – just send me a dollar each time you play the song. Oh, and my enunciation might not be the best – but rappin’ ain’t easy.
Posted by: Andy, Speech-Language Pathologist
[Dan and Amy are in Paris attending a conference organized by UNESCO and Microsoft entitled "Accessible ICTs and Personalized Learning for Students with Disabilities: A Dialogue among Educators, Industry, Government and Civil Society." Dan is writing a series of reports from Paris.]
So Amy and I finally have our bearings such that when we walk around, no matter if we go on a new street or not, we can find our way back. Because of this we have been able to see some of the hidden or less known structures in Paris. It is surprising how many sculptures and monuments that are in the city that you never hear about or see in pictures. One of the funniest things about our trip has been becoming comfortable with the crosswalks. When we first arrived and saw people nearly walk in the middle of the street, it took effort to not jump in the street and save them. We were able to control our impulses and maintain our trust that, they likely knew what they were doing. In the end we became part of that crowd and found ourselves crossing the streets before the walk sign was lit, seeing where the street lights are located and knowing that almost all the streets are one way (meaning you only need to look one way, when you see someone looking both ways, it is a sure sign that they are a tourist).
Aside from the city, I have begun to synthesize some of the information from the conference that I have been participating in and I want to address something something that we discussed – accessibility. It is amazing to think about all of the limitations that are present on things such as a website. When we look at a website, you typically do not see consideration for options of the size of the text on the site for individuals with visual impairments, or an option to read the text, or a braille based system for the internet. If you think about just those three things, you can see that there is limited accessibility on the web. Then you think about developing nations that struggle with basic needs and are largely unable to provide access to the internet. There are a lot of challenges facing our world. Limited accessibility of information and communication technology is a large scale problem that, when solved, can make a great impact on the global community.
Dan
[Dan and Amy are in Paris attending a conference organized by UNESCO and Microsoft entitled "Accessible ICTs and Personalized Learning for Students with Disabilities: A Dialogue among Educators, Industry, Government and Civil Society." Dan is writing a series of reports from Paris.]
I have to say we have made a tremendous amount of progress with our navigation. We now have three points of reference, the Seine River, the Eiffel Tower and the elevated train. Using these landmarks we did not get lost so we are ahead of schedule. We walked to the Tower after completing the conference today and it was amazing. It is quite a sight to see. I will attach some pictures tomorrow as the memory card was full today. We are starting to get the hang of some basic phrases in French, such as: bonjour, merci, pardon, au revoir, cappuccino, espresso (oh wait are those French? Well, those are some very important words when trying to adjust to a different time zone that is 9 hours ahead).
We continued to have a great meeting today. The emphasis of our discussion was to go over what UNESCO had created for teacher competencies for information and communication technology (ICT) in the classroom. UNESCO spent 4 years developing a program to establish and check the competencies of educators around the world. They did a tremendous job creating a framework that I cannot wait to share with our facility. This framework was designed to be open and be adapted to the country in which it was adopted by. The challenge we faced was finding ways to include competencies of ICTs for individuals with disabilities. The group that I was a part of noticed that because the document did not specifically include individuals with disabilities, we would generate an annex to the original document that would supplement the current document as it stands. This has created a new action for UNESCO and project that we hope to be able to collaborate on. Some of the main aspects of this annex include: online accessibility, that it will be a living document that has the capability of being updated as new technologies emerge, and that there would be a process by which a group or committee is responsible for updating and filtering the information available. Alright, that is enough technical jargon for tonight.
Posted by: Dan, Speech-Language Therapist
A tiny Dan at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
[Dan and Amy are in Paris attending a conference organized by UNESCO and Microsoft entitled "Accessible ICTs and Personalized Learning for Students with Disabilities: A Dialogue among Educators, Industry, Government and Civil Society." Dan is writing a series of reports from Paris]
The education on how to navigate the streets of Paris continues. We managed to get lost twice today. Fortunately we expected to get lost so we left a bunch of time to get to where we needed to go. We are starting to get a little sense of direction. One of the biggest challenges was that we had no point of reference. It has been so foggy that we have not seen the Eiffel tower. Well, today the weather cleared and we were able to navigate much better. I think tomorrow our goal is only one time being lost and by Saturday we should be good.
Today was a great day of discussion from experts around the world to discuss questions like, what level of awareness do educators have around individuals with mild disabilities? If you could implement personalized education tomorrow, what would that look like? This was a 10 hours day of discussion, brainstorming, collaboration and objective developments. The individuals that are attending the conference are so amazing and share some of the same passions that we have for the kids at LCA. After today, I have a greater respect for educators and particularly for the educators at LCA. There is a significant amount that needs to be managed when working with children with ASD – leaving little room to differentiate instruction, collect data and implement assistive technology plans for the kids. I admire the work that is done for these children and particularly when it is done well. I can also say that I am so grateful to have such an amazing team that challenges traditional methodology and works toward providing an education that is specific to a child’s needs and abilities. Will post some of our discussion notes soon.
Posted by: Dan, Speech-Language Therapist
Dan and Amy are in Paris attending a conference organized by UNESCO and Microsoft entitled “Accessible ICTs and Personalized Learning for Students with Disabilities: A Dialogue among Educators, Industry, Government and Civil Society.” Dan is writing a series of reports from Paris – here is the first one:
Today was a big day. We woke up this morning and realized that we were going to be leaving on a 7 day journey half way around the world. This journey actually started about 6 months ago when one of the parents at Lakeside Center for Autism (LCA) approached us about how we use the Kinect in therapy and what effects it has on children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. We have been very fortunate to collaborate and share our ideas around technology and how it can support kids on the spectrum. From this work LCA has been asked to be present for a global meeting through an organization called UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). This meeting is intended to discuss access of information and communication technology for individuals with special needs. We are thrilled to be representatives of LCA and the families that attend our programs. We believe that technology needs to be a part of the circle of care for children with ASD and we strive to find ways of utilizing and providing access to all children we see.
For more information on the UNESCO conference, click here.
For me, this was my first international flight and travel overseas and the first time that Amy and I are going to be away from our amazing girls, Bailey, Peyton and Madden for 7 days. It was hard to leave them this morning. Quite a different experience than traveling in the US. The people are different, the process is different and all I can say is, “WOW,” when it comes to going to a country where you do not understand anything that the people say. It really gives you a perspective on how our kids experience the world when they really don’t understand what is going on. I can’t imagine the sheer frustration and overall confusion of living in a world that does not make sense. Considering this is my first trip, I have done fairly well so far. It is all relative though, I guess. We took the train and metro to the hotel that took about 2 hours total with only one wrong turn and of course the anxiety of wondering if you got it right and are on the right train or metro. It was also amazing to run into two people that were nice enough to help us lost souls. It must have been obvious to them because they came right up to us and asked what we were looking for. Shockingly, they both spoke English just as well as they spoke French. Eventually we arrived at the hotel and now it is time for some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day with round table and break out discussions. I cannot wait to start talking about the importance, improvements and recommendations for technology for children with special needs around the world. Will post again later.
Posted by: Dan, Speech-Language Therapist
Phoenix Jones - ready to kick butt on some activities of daily living instruction!
For anyone who is unfamiliar with Phoenix Jones – he is a self-styled “superhero” who can be seen patrolling the streets of Seattle, wearing a black and yellow rubbery-looking costume and mask. As one of my friends told me after a personal encounter with Jones in the University District, “he walks around breaking up drug deals and fights, and looks pretty imposing – he is over 6’5” and has pepper spray and a night stick.” On October 9th, Jones was arrested following an incident in which he dispersed pepper spray into a crowd (he said he was attempting to stop a fight which was taking place). Jones’ real identity, it has been ascertained through court records, and by him symbolically unmasking himself at a press conference, is that of mild-mannered Ben Fodor – an aide who provides life skills training and support to clients with autism. According to recent news reports, Fodor has since lost his contract to provide services through the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services because of possible assault charges which could be filed against him.
As someone who also works with individuals with autism (sans a secret identity, though), I thought this story was intriguing. Let’s just say I find it to be something of a “zany” concept to hear of a guy who dresses up in a faux-Batman suit on days besides Halloween teaching “life-skills” to people with autism. Is someone teaching Phoenix life skills? Because he probably should take on a mentor. However, he would be fantastic as a pretend play facilitator – the guy’s got imagination. But it is also important for children and adults, with autism and without, to differentiate between real life and fantasy – something that Phoenix Jones might not have the firmest grip on.
Posted by: Andy, Speech-Language Pathologist
Although the question of whether iPads are a “miracle” for kids with autism existed and has been debated in the blogosphere long before last Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes, the national attention given to the question after last weekend can’t be ignored. Blog opinions range from “the iPad is life-changing!” with heartwarming stories to back it up, to “more screen time is bad for kids,” and although there is a nuanced middle ground, it’s often not heard (or maybe it just doesn’t have enough media pizazz).
As the facilitator of an assistive technology program focused on using the iPad, what do I think? I think the iPad is amazing. Sure, as many have pointed out, it’s just a tool. When handed to a child with autism, it doesn’t magically make difficulties with communication, engagement, and learning go away. An iPad doesn’t guarantee perfect behavior or instant functional communication. Although the iPad itself can’t do these things, it is a tool that, when used effectively, can help children with autism work on all of these things. And I believe that it’s a pretty cool tool, and it surpasses many other currently available technologies.
We all know that the iPad is portable, accessible and multifunctional. The responsive touch screen on the iPad eliminates the “analogy” inherent in using a mouse to work a computer. Parents of children with autism know all about the importance of visual aids for their children, but having the right picture in the right moment is challenging! With a few apps, you can have visual schedules, communication aids, and social stories in one place (in addition to apps that focus on learning, engaging, and just having fun).
iPads enhance engagement and help build relationships. I realize that is a controversial statement…technology can BUILD relationships?!? Consider the foundation of most friendships: a common interest. I work at LCA and, therefore, one circle of my friends is full of therapists and teachers. I play rugby, and therefore another circle of friends also plays rugby or are fans of the game. I enjoy playing on the iPad and therefore, another circle of friends is 4-10 year old children with autism (among others).
Could a child sit in a room with an iPad and tune out the rest of the world? OF COURSE they could… couldn’t you?
I hope it goes without saying that this isn’t how we use the iPad in therapy. In therapy, the iPad can be a starting point for pretend play. We play Angry Birds and then go to the motor room and build a structure for the pigs out of blocks. Using weighted balls to simulate birds, we bombard the pigs to save our eggs! After playing Toca Boca Tea Party, we set up a tablecloth with dolls, tea cups and treats and have a live tea party at Lakeside! Children who have trouble playing with peers work on taking turns just to get a chance to complete a puzzle on the iPad. We work on pronouns, teaching “my turn” and “your turn” while we play. These kinds of experiences are some of many, and still only consider applications that are “just for fun.” I haven’t even discussed the apps that are designed to be therapeutic.
The iPad as AAC is a truly a topic for its own full blog post. Although the iPad may not be a good AAC option for those with severe physical disabilities, I believe it is the future of AAC for many. I agree with Rob Rummel-Hudson, parent, activist and author, who wrote, “one of the most promising developments in AAC right now is the emergence of Apple’s iPad on the market, as well as whatever competing products inevitably appear.” You can read Rummel-Hudson’s blog here.
The iPad is amazing. The possibilities for its use as a therapeutic tool are unlimited. At LCA we discover new ones every day… maybe even every hour.
Posted by: Michelle, Assistive Technology and Developmental Therapist
