Pupil portrait 2 – Shoab

Nature of special needs

Shoab is in Year 2. He has difficulties controlling his movements and has associated moderate learning difficulties. These are due to his having cerebral palsy. Shoab has no recognizable speech but his limited vocalization can be understood by those familiar with him. Shoab has good vision and reasonable head control. He can recognize 50 to 70 Rebus symbols including a number within the context of his early reading books.

For face-to-face communication the Rebus symbols are presented to him four to six at a time on an E-Tran Frame. This enables him to eye-point to the E-Tran frame and make simple choices or communicate needs and feelings. He does not have access to any form of electronic communication aid.

Shoab shows good awareness of his environment and is developing good social and personal skills. He prefers group activity to one-to-one learning. Shoab can listen attentively for ten to fifteen minutes, for example to an interesting story.

Using his Rebus symbols he can recall single key events or characters in the story. He can consistently recognize his own name and the names of his class friends without the help of symbols.

In addition, there are some five to ten other words he can read including ‘mum’, ‘dad’, and ‘Hanif’ (his brother). Shoab cannot number-bond to five or match simple objects in a one-to-one correlation. However, he is developing some basic comparative concepts such as ‘big’ and ‘little’, ‘fat’ and ‘thin’. He can also receptively recognize some basic geometric shapes such as ‘square’, ‘circle’, and ‘triangle’. Shoab is unable to control a pencil, crayon or felt tip without hand-over-hand facilitation. He is in a wheelchair.

Prerequisites for ICT success

Seating and positioning

Shoab’s seating has recently been replaced because he outgrew his wheelchair insert last year. His new seating now enables him to make effective use of ICT equipment including a simple communication aid. It is essential that Shoab use this modified seating whenever he accesses a computer or communication aid. Discussion and review of Shoab’s seating and positioning will be on-going, but will receive particular attention at his Annual Reviews.

Multidisciplinary ICT assessment

An interdisciplinary ICT assessment took place soon after Shoab received his new wheelchair insert. The team recommended that Shoab should have two-switch access to the class computer together with a pair of simple One Step digitized communication aids (the One Step communication aid is a simple, robust, digitized communication aid, see Unit 3). It was also flagged up that in the medium-term Shoab would need a more flexible switch-based communication aid such as the Message Mate (see Unit 3 – Language and communication).

To complement this hardware a nucleus of special needs educational software (Choices, ChooseIt! Maker, ClickIt, and Writing with Symbols 2000) was recommended. This software will provide a switch-accessible framework for Shoab to develop and consolidate many aspects of his Towards Level One learning objectives. (For information on the special needs software, see Units 1, 2 and 8)

Access

Shoab has only gross motor control of his hands. This will only enable him to press and release his One Step communicators with any degree of hand control.

To access the computer-based switch software recommended above, when greater accuracy is required, Shoab will need to use two Tash Cap switches fixed on a mounting system at either side of his head. Universal Mountings should be used to ensure that fine positional adjustments can be made to these switches at any time during ICT activity. Initially, he will be introduced to switch scanning and selecting incrementally (see Unit 8).

Shoab will need help to learn how to use the head switches. This might be by an adult holding the switches attached to two rulers and moving one close to Shoab’s head when he is trying to press it and moving it away to ensure he does not press it accidentally.

A mirror placed in front of Shoab would also help him learn how to use the switches. If he has difficulty in learning the necessary movement, a gentle touch on the side of the head can indicate the movement he needs to make.

Teamwork

Shoab’s multidisciplinary team also discussed in detail ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ ICT would be used during the school day and at home. A team co-ordinator (his class teacher) was nominated to ensure that everyone working with Shoab would adopt a consistent approach. Where important changes are desirable or necessary these will be communicated to everyone (including Shoab’s parents) by the team co-ordinator. Significant changes to his ICT use will also be recorded and attached to Shoab’s IEP for attention at the next Annual Review. The team co-ordinator will also be responsible for encouraging team members to attend subsequent Annual Reviews, at which key decisions will be made.

Access to the curriculum

WHAT? – Pre-level 1 performance criteria (taken from ‘Supporting the Target Setting Process’ – DfEE)

The performance criteria itemized below are those that Shoab is working towards achieving in the following year.

Language & Literacy (Pages 24 – 29)

Personal & Social Development (Pages 36 - 41)

HOW? – ICT can help to meet the following targets

(i) Language & Literacy

Listening / comprehension and Speaking / expression (P6 – P7)

• • Learn to follow instructions.

ICT intervention: Shoab can be asked to go to the school office and deliver a message / collect the register etc. Messages can be put on the One Step communicators, which he must use appropriately in the office.

• learn and use Rebus symbols for ‘What?’, ‘When?’, and ‘Why?’ within meaningful contexts.

For example, in the context of ‘Weather’:
“What is snow?” “When is it dark?” “Why is it sunny?”

ICT intervention: Reinforce Shoab’s use of simple questioning by sticking symbols on his One Step communicators and recording various questions according to the context of the activity.

Reading (P6 – P7)

• show an interest in stories by answering questions about it.
“What is your favourite part of the story?”
“What do you think will happen next?”
“What animal might be on the next page?”

ICT intervention: Using his E-Tran frame Shoab can answer the above questions. These answers can be put on his One Step communicators so Shoab can join in with the rest of the class during group work of the Literacy Hour when, these questions are asked of all the pupils.

• Encourage Shoab to recognize and select words / symbols associated with familiar objects, actions or activities.
• Familiarize Shoab with the shapes and sounds of initial letters associated with words he already recognizes.

ICT intervention: Use a very large three or four-cell Writing with Symbols template to contain Rebus symbols (with words) or single letters and digitized speech. Facilitate Shoab’s use of the ‘scan’ (move) switch to auditorily scan each cell. These can be automatically linked to other two to three-cell files when added complexity is needed. A simple template like this will also develop Shoab’s understanding of early switch scanning. Use and create appropriate ClickIt! templates to scan and read talking books (for example, ‘Wellington Square’)

Writing (P5 – P6)

• Raise an awareness of how words / symbols are sequenced.
• Produce letters, words and symbols from a small repertoire of familiar vocabulary.
• ‘Play and pretend’ to write with a random choice of letters, numbers and other characters.
• Use copying, under or over a model, to produce some meaningful print.

ICT intervention: Design document templates into which Shoab can write by adding initial or final words / symbols to simple phrases or sentences. Shoab can auditorily scan (move) and select (facilitated by his LSA) keywords or letters from his three cell grids. Writing with Symbols grids (perhaps, with up to six cells at a time) can also be set up for random ‘play and pretend’ letter-by-letter writing. The use of digitized auditory scanning will be essential for this activity to have more meaning.

(ii) Maths

Number (P5 – P6)

• Join in familiar number rhymes and songs (“One man went to mow…”, “Ten green bottles…”).
• Develop an understanding of one-to-one correspondence.
• Rote count to five and use numbers up to five in games and fun activities.

ICT intervention: Use the One Step communicators to join in the rhymes and songs. This will also reinforce the important social skill of turn-taking within a group activity. Use Writing with Symbols 2000 templates set up for 2-D, one-one-correspondence activities. Use a simple five-cell grid with the scan or ‘move’ switch to join in with rote counting. Make sure auditory cueing is switched on!

Using and applying (P5 – P6)

• Group or sort objects according to characteristics such as size, colour or shape.
• Copy and begin to create simple patterns and sequences.

ICT intervention: Use Choices and SwitchIt! resource files to provide a variety of activities to explore the concepts of grouping, sorting and sequencing.

Shape, space and measures (P5 – P6)

• understanding of words / symbols which have positional value (in, on, under, next to)
• comparative awareness (short, tall, shorter, taller, shortest, tallest)

ICT intervention: A number of the SwitchIt! suite of programs offer the switch user activities which address these concepts in a stimulating fashion. However, such early learning programs should be used in moderation and always in context.

(iii) Personal & social development

Interacting & working with others (P6 – P7)

• working and playing with another pupil or within a small group
• taking turns
• interacting by responding to the initiation of others
• beginning to initiate, for example by asking a ‘What’, ‘When’ or ‘Why’ question

ICT intervention: Abundant use can be made of Shoab’s E-Tran frame and keyword Rebus symbols to discuss what messages to put into the One Step communicators. These messages can then be used to interact, initiate or turn-take in a variety of situations.

Independent & organizational skills (P5 – P6)

• anticipating the next step in a familiar routine or activity
• initiating a desire to be challenged and experience new or untried activities

ICT intervention: Using the E-Tran frame and appropriate symbols, Shoab could anticipate the next activity in the school timetable or the next ingredient in a cake recipe and have appropriate messages programmed into his One Step communicators. Likewise, new symbols and associated One Step messages could be offered to Shoab to encourage him to initiate a wish to try something different or new.

Attention (P5)

• paying attention to others’ activities

ICT intervention: While playing near other children his One Step communicator could be programmed with a message such as “Can I see what you are doing?” or “Will you show me your drawing?”

WHO? – responsibility for ICT

Shoab’s ICT system (both for communication and education) demands specialist training of his LSA, teacher and parents. Initial familiarization training will, therefore, be consolidated by on-site training sessions from the teacher, and speech and language therapist with responsibility for ICT and Communication. The LEA’s ICT advisor will provide further support when this is requested. Shoab’s class teacher will hold overall responsibility for planning, supervising and monitoring the framework, content and delivery of his ICT needs. In doing this, he will be supported by Shoab’s multidisciplinary team (see above).

WHEN? – to use ICT

Shoab should make frequent use of his One Step communicators (see Unit 3 – Language and Communication) in a wide variety of situations, both at school and at home. Their use should be integrated, wherever possible, with his increasingly successful use of the E-Tran frame and Rebus symbols. For the next year Shoab will not need to have his own computer, as shared and modified access to one of the three classroom computers will be sufficient. However, at the next Annual Review this decision should be reviewed, especially if his understanding and control of early switch scanning progresses well, as is expected. The computer should be used primarily to deliver or enrich activities for which it is best designed – activities such as those described above. As a switch user it is particularly important that the use of ICT be associated with success and adult praise.

Learning objectives

Learning objectives for Shoab are set for a half-term: (Only those specifically involving ICT are itemized below.)

• Shoab should use his One Step Communicators without prompting and appropriately in familiar situations.
• Shoab should be able to independently, with his head switches, scan and select items in a Living Book.
• In Writing with Symbols 2000, with three large cells with whole words, symbols and auditory scanning, Shoab should be able to use his head switches to scan to the correct word and choose it – to be achieved with adult vocal support and encouragement.

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