tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12718293451897736132024-02-20T03:07:05.377-08:00Voices Found - autism and typing to speakVoices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-23545887351087041022011-02-28T13:06:00.000-08:002011-02-28T13:06:34.290-08:00Michael's goal is to be a Librarian's Assistant<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout his 17+ years in school, Michael has been instructed to complete the same type of first grade level worksheets over and over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It's not unusal for people who don't speak to be thought of as lacking intelligence. </span>Michael has said people don’t realize he is smart – especially people at school (he calls them “the people who raise you”).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since he’s been typing to talk over the last year, he’s revealed he has an intellect that none us realized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom said she would have never believed her son would be practicing job skills to become a librarian’s assistant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She astonished, as we all are, as Michael, now 20 years old, shows us he can learn to alphabetize books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The great thing is rather than get stuck in being frustrated, Michael can tell us - by typing - when he doesn’t understand a concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s our responsibility to be creative at accessing Michael’s way of thinking so he can put the pieces together for himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning how to alphabetize library books is not done by rote memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael understands he has to think. </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>how's it going practicing with grand mom?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that I understand the alphabet better </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ok. Let's practice the letters A B C D E F G.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>I handed Michael the lettered cards and he quickly and correctly sorted them A - G.</em></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>hat is perfect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> L</span>et's practice with library books. I brought some that have these letters A B C D E F on their spines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put them in the right order on the shelf. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I handed Michael one book at a time in random order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put the books on the shelf in the order I gave them to him.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: We need you to put them in alphabetical order.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I handed Michael one book at a time in random order, and this time he shelved them correctly A - F.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> P</span>erfect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>o you know the alphabet rule. are you ready to learn the next rule?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ready to learn the next rule</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he letters on the spine are the first letter of the authors last name. What is the first letter of your last name? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>H </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Y</span>es, great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this book, G is for Garrison. When there are books with the same last name, use the first letter of the first word of the title. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first letter of the first word of the book by Paul Garrison is</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(no answer)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he title of the book is Red Sky at Morning. so the first word of this title is red. What's the first letter of the first word?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>R</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> G</span>reat… just like h is the first letter your last name is h</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get it?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> W</span>hat's the first word in this title (Paul Garrison’s other book)?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sea</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: And the first letter of sea is</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>S</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to use the letter cards to help you understand the rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I put the letter cards R and S in front of Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>R comes before S when the author has two or more books, alphabetize the first letter of the first word in the title.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael sorted the books incorrectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put the S book in front of the R book.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>ell me what is hard to understand?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you don't easy to understand</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I realized I had given him too much information at one time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed the R and S letter cards on the table and handed Mike one book at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I showed him how the title with Red as the first word went “on top” on the R letter card and the title with Sea as the first word went on the S letter card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him lots of opportunities to put these two books in their right places making sure to hand him the books in different orders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He soon began sorting the books correctly: R before S.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I</span>s this helping?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think so</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will understand this rule soon... maybe today maybe tomorrow just like you did with the A B C D E F books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now add the two Garrison “G” books to the shelf with the other (A B C E D E F) books on it.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael put the Garrison’s “Red” Sky first on the shelf next to the F book and then shelved Garrison’s “Sea” book</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: Perfect! Excellent! You shelved two Garrison “G” books! The R in Red comes before S in Sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You did it. Fantastic!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We repeated the process 4 times and I handed Michael a different book each time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sorted the books correctly – the first letter of the first word on the title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>Michael was gleeful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rocked, and laughed, and maintained huge smile. He was very pleased with his accomplishment.</u></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now shelve two more books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author of these two books is Lehrer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>L in Lehrer goes after the G in Garrison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>wo Lehrer books means go to the first letter of the first word in the title. The first letter in the first word (I held the book up to him and was careful not to point to the first word or its first letter so as not to give him the answer) </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>p <em>(for purple)</em></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first letter of the first word in this other book by Lehrer is</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>m <em>(for Mack)</em></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now put them on the shelf in the right order.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael put the two Lehrer books in the correct order immediately after the Garrison books.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael this is amazing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look how much you learned in one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>ow do you feel?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I easy do it and I feel terrific</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> E</span>xcellent. Ok grand mom will help you practice this week. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ok that sounds great cool, </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> W</span>e are very proud of you!!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-54663120173358216302011-02-24T18:37:00.000-08:002011-02-24T18:37:59.751-08:00A Job Skill For Michael<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael is a 20 year old young man with autism who doesn’t speak but who types on an iPad to talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because he needs physical support from another person to use his fingers to translate his thoughts into words on a keyboard, people have questioned whether the words he types are his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he was 8 years old, professionals at his school refused to allow him to receive physical support to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ten years later, after seeing the video: Kayla’s Voice, empowering people with autism, Michael started to type again.</span></span></i></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoPlainText" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael will graduate from school at age 21 in June of this year – 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has talked to various transition coordinators as well as his family and support staff to help him decide how he wants to spend his days as an adult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to take courses in psychology to understand why people do the things they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants be a volunteer but hasn’t determined exactly in what way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His main goal, though, is to work in a library shelving books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you saw the 1000 or so video tapes and DVD’s in his room perfectly shelved – and always in their right place, it would be clear to you, too, that shelving books would be a fantastic job for Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The challenge is that no one ever thought to teach Michael how to alphabetize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the people in Michael’s school don’t know he can read – let alone believe he knows the alphabet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael can put books labeled with numbers in order without a problem, but if he is to work in a library, he’ll have to know how to sequence letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael is extremely motivated to learn, though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has often said over the last 6 months that getting a job would allow him to be normal.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: can we work on the job training and alphabet?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tired to illustrate the concept of “this letter comes before that letter” by using a Thomas and Friends DVD cover.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: Thomas comes before Annie (the passenger car) A comes before B</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael got confused and frustrated – unable to make the connection of the concept.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to make small flash cards with each letter on the alphabet on them and spread them across in a long row across the table. Every time I showed Michael a letter, He wanted to type the letter on the iPad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want him to need to fulfill another habit.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: The keyboard is to talk the cards are for practice right now.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you put the books in order on the library shelves the letters won't always be in a row like A B C D E. That means you have to think about sections of the alphabet not just letters that are right after each other.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So we need to help you understand where letters go in the alphabet. What do you think will help you?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think in stead in and need to understand the alphabet</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: I agree! yes you need to know the alphabet well enough so we can say to you here is the letter G does J come before or after G do you see what I mean?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>talk to me more</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ok</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I used sections of the alphabet to help Michael “see” what letters are next to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started with A B C D E.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him each caard to place in order in front of him in what I called the practice are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I removed the cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I randomly gave him one card at time (either the A B C D or E) saying the books starts with the letter D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He placed the D in the practice area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him the letter E, and I was surprised to see him place the E after the D.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him the rest of the cards in random order and he placed them all in their right place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We moved to the next letter of the alphabet including the “chunk” of letters he just mastered: B C D E F.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was able to place the cards in the correct order as I gave them to him randomly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We continued with the next letter and mastered “chunk”: C D E F G until we got to the middle of the alphabet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He expressed more happiness by giving lots of smiles and making “happy grunts”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was clear that he was pleased with himself that he was learning.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: is this helping you understand the alphabet?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I am getting the hang of it</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: cool. do you want to keep going or work with grand mom later </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to easy now.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael completed the entire alphabet and smiled through the process as he placed every letter card in the correct order all the way to the letter Z.</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: that was absolutely fantastic mike. let's let grand mom practice with you and I'll come back on Friday to learn the next step together. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yes </span></span></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-14683275240637539472011-01-31T13:14:00.000-08:002011-01-31T13:14:38.306-08:00The Lights Went Out<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>The whole family gets nervous when the lights go out. Without electricity, Michael can't spend his time watching DVD's or YouTube. The family has to endure Michael's anger and Michael has to endure being without his primary way of keeping himself "happy". Because Michael's anger has been extreme in the past, the family bought a portable generator for the garage, and they send electrical cords from it through the house to Michael's room. </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Since he can speak to us through typing, my approach has been to help him understand how to handle his feelings more effectively. What if we let him experience the difficulty and then teach him the sequence of steps involved to deal with the situation? After all, he wants to be employed. He has said, "I want to have a job and be normal." He's thinking about shelving books with the help of a one-one-aide. Realistically, he can only have a few meltdowns in the middle of a library if he plans to keep his job.</em></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: when it snowed the lights went out you were afraid because </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: I could not watch you tube </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: did you worry they would not come on again </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: yes </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: was it easy to fall asleep knowing the lights were out </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: no </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: how did you manage the worried feeling </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: I think you me </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: what </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: happy thoughts </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: happy thoughts like</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: think I them </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: them what </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: friends </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: friends such as </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: thomas the tank engine </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: so when you are worried and sad you can think of Thomas right </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: yes </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: what is Thomas doing in your thoughts </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: he says nice things to me </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: we are happy that you have a way of feeling good. what kinds of things does Thomas say to you ... describe a nice thing he says </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: he says that I am very useful </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: we totally agree! does he say other nice things</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: he says that everything the really really really ok </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: we are very glad you have a friend like that. he helped you get through being afraid when the lights went out. what would you have done if the lights were still out when you got up in the morning?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: ok</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: I don’t think you would just be ok</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: I would angry</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: and how would you handle your angry</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: I want the lights on</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: I understand but if the lights could not come when you wanted them to and you were angry what could you have done?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: easy set I have waited just waited until the lights came back on alright. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: so mom and grand mom will help you remember that you know you will wait until the lights come back on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so is it ok if they say... Michael, you know you have to sit and wait until the lights come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is this okay?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">M: easy they need to be kind</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">S: I understand</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-16608393239787293602011-01-30T16:23:00.000-08:002011-01-30T16:25:47.759-08:00Using Michael's Interest in Thomas the Tank Engine<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been writing stories using Thomas the Tank Engine as the main character to help Michael talk about what he is thinking and feeling...</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="color: #333333;"><em>Thomas the Tank Engine moves on his track and the track takes him to different adventures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Thomas travels on the track, he meets other trains along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is always curious about what is happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During every adventure, Thomas has a certain feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of adventures Thomas has make him feel happy, and some adventures make him feel sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some adventures make him feel really really really angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter what happens, Thomas always knows the other engines are his friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: tell us the things that make you scared</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: really really really fear when the storm comes thunder and lightening that fear happens </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: tell us the afraid fear part of thunder and lightening</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: fear the thunder and lightening the storm and the thunder and lightening and the rain the rain gets me wet and the thunder and lightening put the lights out and the computer out and the tv out and I can not watch what I want to I get afraid because I can not easy feel happy without the Thomas and friends treat me to be happy I easy they the friends that in </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: that makes sense to me. tell us your back up plan if the lights and the tv and the computer go out. what do you do to pass the time until they come on again?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: say to mom to get lights on again</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: this is one of those adventures just like Thomas has on his track. your track is I need the lights back on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: the lights back on the track I do not like to be on.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: I understand. you are on a track that makes you feel afraid and angry because the lights won't come back on when you want them to. in that case, your backup has to be to get on a different track. any ideas?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: easy not to be on a different track</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: I understand. one idea I have is that I remember that the lights will come on again sooner or later. the light track will always be there. in the meantime since I want to feel happy at least a little I need to get on a different track... unless I want to keep feeling afraid and angry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: the really really really angry the feeling not easy to have and go to different track </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: you are absolutely correct. just because it's not easy, it still is possible. it means that you have to be okay with being afraid and angry for awhile until the lights come back on. in the meantime you can go on a different track. like mom just said. you might can go on the nap track or sit on your recycler on some other hobby.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: I feel the anger too much to the different </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: ok. like we talked about before... sometimes you can switch tracks easy and sometimes there are days when it's a lot harder for you And ME to switch. we just have to remember it's possible so it will always be an option for us in our brains.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: that sounds better get really really really angry lot of the time </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: do you think you can notice when you can easy switch tracks? that's all that any of us can do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: typing the words is easy yes</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">S: I totally agree. all we can do is do our best as best as we can. ok </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">M: really really really thank you that was help and easy to think about the day comes when thunder and lightening here I will try to remember this </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-11944666264911338502010-12-31T10:19:00.000-08:002010-12-31T10:19:00.974-08:00Applying the Back Up Plan to Another Situation<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Michael got angry yesterday when a DVD wouldn’t work and his mom couldn’t fix it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael’s mom told me that Michael accepted her suggestion to watch a different DVD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was good news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People with autism, in particular Michael, aren’t easily redirected away from what they demand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We call this “having trouble with transitions”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Michael got angry today, though, for a different reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “Marty Stouffer’s Wild America” DVD set hadn’t arrived in the mail yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t that a DVD couldn’t be fixed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, the DVD wasn’t in the house for him, and it wouldn’t be until next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now we had to explain that he could use a back up plan in this situation, too, not only when a DVD couldn’t be fixed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had to help his brain make the leap... or at least consider it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: You heard your grandmom and mom talking about you getting so angry today?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think I was that way because I can not have that DVD that the funny think that the DVD has not get that time I need so I get angry </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: Grandmom and mom told you it will come either tomorrow or Monday or Tuesday.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: Yes </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: So why stay angry?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: That is that truth byes that is the truth but I can not stop being that way fit yes I have I have fit that I get that way I get very very very angry </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: I understand you have a fit of anger. The problem is that you make everyone else angry too and get them upset.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think I am help them to understand me that I am angry </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: Yes I understand that you want to help them know that you are angry but you can let them know in just a short few minutes. instead you let your anger out for a very long time.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think I really really really think that no body care in the first first place </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: They do care. It may not seem that way at the time. Mom ordered the Marty Stouffer Wild America DVD seasons one through twelve. You have to wait. If mom didn't care she wouldn't have ordered it.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think that you think that the DVD is coming good to hear that but I want it really really really a lot you understand how I think right </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: Why not watch the Marty Stouffer VHS tapes you have until the DVD comes?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">Can you go get the Marty Stouffer and his Wild America VHS tapes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom doesn’t know where they are in your big collection of tapes and DVD’s.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: Yes</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;"><em>He went into his room, looked around for a minute or two, and then walked back to the iPad with two Marty Stouffer VHS tapes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put them on the table and sat down to type again.</em></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Thank you Michael. </span>Here you had the ability to watch the Marty VHS tapes and instead you let yourself feel really really really angry and let your mom and grandmom be upset for all that time.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think that you are you that know then I feeling get the DVD </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: And in the meantime while you wait for the DVD to come what will you do.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I watch the VHS tapes </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: That's what's called a back up plan. You are doing something else so you won't have to stay angry and you won't upset mom and grand mom.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: That is a back up plan </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: But what happens if grand mom or mom says what's your back up plan while you are angry? you can just get more angry at them.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think that happens the I that you get that the way to handle that is to tell me to the room so I can get calm.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S: So do you think this idea will help you?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">M: think it will</span></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-39257718875602557842010-12-30T17:58:00.000-08:002010-12-30T17:58:14.651-08:00Michael Agrees to Have a Back Up Plan<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Maybe it’s the change in seasons or maybe Michael needs an adjustment in his medication, but for whatever reason, Michael is experiencing another cycle of destructive and aggressive “episodes”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means his family has to endure his cycle, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time around though, we can help him type to talk about his anger in ways he couldn’t express before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our intention during our conversations has been to help him develop a greater awareness of his beliefs, feelings, and behaviors and to support him to come up with ways that he can handle difficult situations using his more productive thoughts and strategies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">One of his major stressors happens when his mom can’t get a DVD to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’ll hit the wall, throw his computer monitor or computer, and as a last resort, he’ll hit his mom.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. So do you understand that sometimes mom and grandmom do not have the ability to give you what you want?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can’t always fix a DVD to make it play.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: yes </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. What can we do to help you to understand that before you get out of control?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think they get want that I need I that will get calm</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. I see that you think you need the DVD to be fixed in order to calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are going to need a backup plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know what I mean?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think so </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. A back up plan is when you can't get what you really really really want so you agree to get something else in its place.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: Right then I will have a back up plan </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. When mom can't get a DVD to work what is your back up plan?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">NO ANSWER</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. Let me see if I can help you understand.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: ok </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. If the DVD won't work what will you do?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: Then I ask mom to fix it you I play the DVD </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. If mom can't fix the DVD what will you do?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think I will much angry </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. Ok that is true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, though, you can be angry but you need to keep your hands to yourself and off the monitor and computer and TV.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: That I easy if the DVD get fix get easy calm</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. I understand that you swear you need the DVD to be fixed in order to be calm but if you always depend on the DVD to be fixed and it can't be fixed you will be stuck feeling angry and lousy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you like to be calm even if the DVD can't be fixed?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: yes </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;"><em>I believe Michael may have made somewhat of a breakthrough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe it has never occurred to him that he didn’t absolutely have to have the DVD fixed in order to get calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></em></span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. What if mom reminded you that you want to be calm even if the DVD can't be fixed?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">M: I think that sounds all right good have that feeling even when the DVD can’t be fixed </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">S. So if the DVD can’t be fixed and since you want to get calm you need to let mom and grand mom remind you to do something else to stay calm. That is a back up plan.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 11pt;">Examples of back up plan choices are go on YouTube, watch TV, play x box, play a different DVD, eat a pretzel, drink some milk, rest for a while in your recliner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are choices of a back up plan. Doing one of these choices will help you get the calm feeling if things don't go exactly the way you want. The lights might go off or the DVD might not get fixed... but you can stay calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you think?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">M: I think that sounds have to really really really get back up plan you understand I you really really really trying to help me</span></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-9416005134602474462010-12-23T05:29:00.000-08:002010-12-23T05:29:34.560-08:00Michael’s typing is inconsistent but informative.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">November 9, 2010</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>do you know that you have a dermatologist appointment tomorrow?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to and really really really to right not go. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you don't want to go but the doctor needs to look at your face and your chest. you really really really have to go. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>type this that I do not want to be at the doctor tomorrow I want home you understand. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it's really not an option. you have to go. why not take your squeeze ball and squeeze the whole time?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to talk the palm look have you your house. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my house isn't really that interesting trust me. let's just figure out a way for you to feel comfortable going to the face doctor tomorrow. we know that going to the doctors is not fun for you. tell us where you would like to go after the doctors so you can look forward to something fun.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I easy gets have remember the thomas the tank engine that I want today them I can have the one I want. Thomas the tank engine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the title is help me get he's you the Thomas the tank engine. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>unless you can give us the title you are going to have to give us another idea... like why not go out for lunch with mom maybe macdonalds.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ok </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the plan is you'll go to the doctors and then to macdonalds with mom. ok?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ok</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Mom emailed me the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael went to the dermatologist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was much more relaxed while he was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He let the doctor examine him without being restrained in any way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and his mom and grandmother went to MacDonald’s afterward.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">December 2, 2010</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: elephants noses are like straws. they suck up water or milk. what do you know about straws.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>straws are for drinking</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: do you know how to use a straw?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: which do you like better? drinking milk from a straw or just drinking with your mouth?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like drinking milk with mouth</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: do you use a straw or your mouth when you drink soda at friendly’s. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>straw </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear you love to drink milk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>do you like the taste or something else about milk?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the taste.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you certainly are talkative today. what makes today different than the last couple times we typed when you didn't seem to want to type clearly?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am more aware of my thoughts and so I can type what I want to type you understand what I am saying Steve </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so if am I hearing you right, somedays your brain is cloudy so it's harder for you to concentrate. can you tell me more about what it's like when your brain is cloudy?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>yes talking is harder when I can not think as in the way I am doing now </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wow. I understand. is there anything we can do to help your brain get unclouded when its cloudy?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the is and in that I can stay that way for about three days and the clouds go away for a while and I can think for a while that is what I can tell you for now </div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-59117319507520760652010-12-22T12:15:00.000-08:002010-12-22T12:15:48.395-08:00Supporting Michael to Express Original Thought<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I type with Michael for one hour two times per week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His grandmother types with him for shorter periods on days when I’m not there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I arrive, it only takes a minute or two for him to pull himself away from watching Thomas the Tank Engine, his number one passion, and sit down in front of his iPad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve developed a routine for our time together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He completes “set work” the first half and then he engages conversation with me for the rest of the session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I create the set work, which for him is essentially a series of short worksheets, based on the level of understanding Michael has illustrated in the prior session.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael is for the most part consistently accurate when he completes the work sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the beginning, he needed my physical support to type every answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he types the answers independently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom and grandmother are always in the room with us when Michael types, and they are as amazed as I am that Michael gets the answers right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s been given the same kind of “circle the right answer” work in school for the full 15 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of his school work involves him typing words on a keyboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">No one figured out until now that Michael has a greater capacity to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder how different his life would be now if someone discovered they could have challenged Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to do that, they would have likely needed to trust that by giving him physical support to help with his motor planning while he typed, it would have directed him to access his brain to expand his use of a keyboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They would have had to explore Facilitated Communication as a possible intervention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael could already copy words and sentences, but he couldn’t fill in the blank word from a list or give a one-word answer from his own thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After typing together regularly for the past 6 months, Michael can now generate a one-word thought and type it on his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael’s most recent display of his intellect involves him copying a sentence and filing in the last word.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For example, I give him the sentence “when I think of the word girl the first word that comes to my brain is ______” and he needs to copy type it and fill in the blank. This is a copy of his latest work:</div><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when I think of the word girl the first word that comes to my brain is <u>friend</u> </div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when I think of the word book the first word that comes to my brain is <u>read</u> </div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when I think of the word hat the first word that comes to my brain is <u>head </u></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when I think of the word library the first word that comes to my brain is <u>book</u> </span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when I think of the word iPad the first word that comes to my brain is <u>type </u></span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">M.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>when I think of the word snow the first word that comes to my brain is <u>white </u></span></div></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It may not seem like a great accomplishment, but Michael has been treated as though he’s not capable of creating original thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been assumed that the most Michael could do is shake his head to acknowledge what he wants from choices that others suggest for him, choices that center around food items, movie titles, or tasks that he needs to complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can also point to picture symbols, but his collection of symbols is small.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now he is being given the chance to express his personal thoughts… and he is showing us that he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">has</i> personal thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Copy typing is not seen as a means to generate self expression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes sense… it doesn’t require must thinking energy to type someone else’s words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael has been able to copy type long before he and I started to type together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to pair his ability to copy type sentences with a fill-in-the-blank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way, Michael gets to complete a task he can do independently as well as illustrate his intelligence by adding the “one-word answer” without needing physical support from someone else to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I can’t overstate the importance of Michael’s accomplishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before we started giving Michael added physical support to type, Michael only used the keyboard to ask his mom to download episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine by copy typing the titles from YouTube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is developing skills that only a few people in his life suspected he had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He continues to surprise us.</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-986058606304402352010-11-18T06:52:00.000-08:002010-11-18T06:59:53.466-08:00Who is an Independent Typer?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Since it was introduced in the 1970’s, facilitated communication has developed a following of parents and professionals who view it as helpful to non-speaking individuals with disabilities such as autism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of these parents and professionals describe that FC users construct complete sentences and paragraphs, hold open conversations, write poetry, chapters in books, and obtain bachelor’s and master’s degrees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the conventional standards, many of these individuals don’t appear to be competent enough to ever achieve this kind of accomplishment, yet to the parents, professionals and the individuals themselves, these accomplishments are real and indisputable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These same parents and professionals acknowledge that there would be no dispute if an FC user could type without physical support from a facilitator and be identified as an independent typer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime, knowing that independence is the primary goal, they have no hesitation in continuing to support FC users to share their voices in the interim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until you meet FC users in person, it’s easy to suspect that the parents and professionals who believe the FC user is capable of typing sentences and paragraphs are deluding themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s possible to conclude the parents and professionals are projecting their hope that non-speaking children, teens, and adults can finally speak using an intervention that’s been called everything from a hoax to pseudoscience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you adhere to the predominant research about FC, you might discount the entire experience as lunacy or at least a sad example of the extremes parents will go to save their children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if you meet an FC user in person, you might have second thoughts about your disbelief... unless you adhere, without question, to the predominant research.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There are a number of studies involving individuals using facilitated communication who have not been able to demonstrate that they are typing their own words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These studies have contributed to the American Psychological Association’s decision to adopt its <a href="http://www.apa.org/divisions/div33/fcpolicy.html"><span style="color: blue;">resolution dated August 14, 1994</span></a> which takes “the position that facilitated communication is a controversial and unproved communicative procedure with no scientifically demonstrated support for its efficacy”.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">However, there are also a number of studies of well-controlled and carefully designed studies involving individuals who <u>were</u> able to demonstrate that they are typing their own words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve outlined some of them in my blog post called: Researching Supporting FC Authorship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is these studies along with testimonies of actual FC Users that contributed to FC being added to the TASH Resolution on the Right to Communicate <a href="http://www.tash.org/information_statements_resourses.html"><span style="color: blue;">(click Communication Rights)</span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TASH is an association of people with disabilities, their families, advocates, and professionals, which has supported equity, opportunity, and inclusion for people with disabilities since 1975.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">TASH’s <u>Freedom to Communicate</u> states that no person should be able to veto the augmentative or alternative communication which another person has chosen to use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes all forms such as communication devices, specially adapted keyboards and pointers, computerized equipment, picture and sign systems, gestures, sign language, and <u>facilitated communication</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any instances where such use is forbidden, there should be recourse to the legal and protective systems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People with communication disabilities must be allowed to use the communication system of their own choice in all communication interactions in any setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">One publication speaks directly to the controversy:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Beukelman, D.R. & Mirenda, P. (1998).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Augmentative and alternative communication: Management of severe communication disorders in children and adults.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., 327-329.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">“Sahrisa (a facilitated communication user) joins a small group of people around the world who began communicating through FC and are now able to type either independently or with minimal, hand-on-shoulder support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There can be no doubt that for them, FC ‘worked,’ in that it opened the door to communication for the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, hundreds (or even thousands) of individuals use FC with physical support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To many observers, it does not seem clear whether or not these individuals are authoring their own messages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, FC has become controversial and hotly contested as a valid and reliable technique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We include FC here because of Sharisa Kochmeister, Lucy Blackman, Larry Bissonnette, and others who now communicate fluently and independently, thanks to FC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For them, the controversy has ended” (p.327).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facilitated_communication"><span style="color: blue;">Wikipedia's entry on facilitated communication</span></a> has a comprehensive list of research studies and publications, a majority of which do not support FC user authorship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entry, however, includes the topic of independent typing which describes when a FC user is able to type without physical support from another person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A main principle of FC is that the user is given the support he/she needs to develop more efficient pointing skills, but that the support is systematically faded so the user can type independently. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In the section subtitled “Independent Typing” the Wikipedia entry cites a statement from the following article:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Calculator, S.N. (1999). Look Who’s Pointing now: Cautions Related to the Clinical Use of Facilitated Communication. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Language, Speech, And Hearing Services in Schools</i>. 30 (October) 408-414<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Critics complain these cases (of independent typers such as Larry Bissonette) have not been objectively verified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such verification is absent in peer-reviewed studies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The paragraph in Wikipedia goes on to read: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">However, a few individuals have in fact been cited as independent typists in independently reviewed publications</span></u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Broderick, A.A., and C. Kasa-Hendrickson (2001). “SAY JUST ONE WORD AT FIRST.” The emergence of Reliable Speech in a Student Labeled With Autism. JASH, 26(1). Speaking of <a href="http://advocatesincorporated.org/home/22-jamie-burke"><span style="color: blue;">Jamie Burke</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Tony Atwood; Lucy Blackman (2001). Lucy’s Story: Autism and Other Adventures. London: Jessica Kingsley Pubslishers. Speaking of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Blackman"><span style="color: blue;">Lucy Blackman</span></a></span><br />
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<div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: purple; mso-ansi-language: EN;">With the presence of independent typers who were initially supported to type using facilitated communication, we cannot say that FC has never worked for anyone.</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
</div><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">In May 2006, Claudia Wallis from Time Magazine published her article <a href="http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1192775,00.html"><span style="color: blue;">"Helping" Autistic People to Speak</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span>in which she described her attendance at a conference in Syracuse University about Facilitated Communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wrote about meeting Jamie Burke, an independent typer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also met <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euz8g7d_q24"><span style="color: blue;">Chandima Rajapatirana</span></a><span style="color: blue;"> </span>and other FC users.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wrote about how she tried facilitating Tracey Thresher to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“At no point did I feel that I was leading him toward the keys, nor did I know the answers to the questions I was asking him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He answered some clearly and others less coherently”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wallis spoke to James Mulick, professor of pediatrics and psychology at Ohio State University and co-author of research debunking FC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She asked him what she should make of what she saw and experienced at the conference in Syracuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mulick replied, “You were simply being deceived. But don’t feel bad. Even some behavioral scientists have been deceived.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<br />
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">I attended a similar conference about FC at Syracuse University in 2009.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I met Jamie Burke, Tracey Thresher, Sue Rubin, </span>Larry Bissonnette, Kayla Takeuchi, and many other FC Users.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My encounter with them led me to create a video about <a href="http://www.newgroundpublishing.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Kayla Takeuchi</span></a> because I saw for myself how - in their case - their lives were transformed by facilitated communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I recognized that it would be easier if FC users quickly and naturally became independent typers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There would be no controversy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after meeting them. I maintained my profession reservations at viewing FC as a valid intervention because it is clear that parents and professionals might be deliberately or subconsciously driven to pretend they were facilitating an individual to type, not typing for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, what if it is true that there are facilitators who, given the right training and guidance, can and do remain objective?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I have the right to say that parents should not attempt to use FC as a possible intervention… especially since I’ve personally spoken with FC users… users who type independently?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
I met Marilyn Chadwick, a speech therapist who specializes in FC at the 2009 conference in Syracuse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She later agreed to conduct assessments on 6 of our 100 clients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael’s mom wanted to find out whether giving Michael physical support would help him learn to type to communicate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael used to type with the support of his teacher’s assistants when he was 8 year old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His school administrators made his teacher’s assistants stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now over 11 years later, Michael is typing again, and we continue to use Marilyn Chadwick's professional guidance to keep us on track.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I decided to become one of Michael’s facilitators because I wanted to experience the process for myself and support Michael to the extent he benefitted from it.<br />
<ul><li>After months of working with him twice per week and watching him literally run to his iPad to type to talk, there’s no way I could say he isn’t enjoying the activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael is not a person who can be forced into doing something he doesn’t want to do.</li>
<li>After months of feeling him pull away his arm from me when he’s finished typing a statement and then giving his arm to me when he’s ready to type another, I cannot tell him I will no longer be there to support his arm to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li>After months of watching Michael’s eyes scan each letter he types on the keyboard and pause to think before he types another word, I cannot tell him that I disbelieve he’s typing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li>After months of feeling Michael guiding my hand (not vice versa) to each letter to type, I cannot say he is not typing his own words.</li>
<li>After months of watching Michael smile when he starts typing something funny, I, as well as his mom and grandmother, know he has a terrific sense of humor.</li>
<li>After months of typing with Michael, his behavior has changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The intensity and frequency of his meltdowns have decreased.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
</ul>And two final thoughts:<br />
<ul><li>Michael and I will continue to undergo “message passing” tests to show that he is the author of what’s being typed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is enthusiastic during these “experiments” because, he says, he wants people to believe him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li>Michael is starting to type words and answers to questions without physical support from me of any kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vision is that is he becoming an Independent Typer.</li>
</ul><br />
<div></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-17922120310387171862010-11-18T06:24:00.000-08:002010-11-18T07:09:41.134-08:00Research Supporting FC User Authorship<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The controversy with FC questions whether FC users are typing – authoring - their own words or whether facilitators are directing FC users to type. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s a list of some of the studies that support FC user authorship.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Bundschuh, K. & Basler-Eggen, A. (2000). Abschlussbericht zur Studie, Getutzte Kommunication bei Menschen mit schwern Kommunikationsstotwigen. Munich: Bayerisches Staatsministerium fur Arbeit und Sozialordunung, Famile, Fauren and Gesundheit.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">In a facilitator blind condition, 6 of 7 students proved they had cognitive capabilities – defined as the ability to solve multiple-choice tasks on mathematics, translations from English to German, geography, biology, and other knowledge.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Cardinal, D.N., Hanson, D. & Wakeham, J. (1996). Investigation of authorship in facilitated communication. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mental Retardation</i>, 34, 231-242.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">This study involved 43 students across 10 classrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two main findings from this study are: (1) Under controlled conditions, some FC users can pass information to a facilitator when that facilitator is not aware of the information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2) The measurements of facilitated communication under test conditions may be significantly benefited by extensive practice of the test protocol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This latter result could partially account for the inability of several past studies to verify FC user originated input (238).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emerson, A., Grayson, A., & Griffins, A. (2001) Can’t or Won’t?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evidence relating to authorship in facilitated communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders</i>, 36 (Supp), 98-103.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">This study involved 14 participants who had been introduced to FC. “Evidence from this project shows similar findings to many of the published studies that conclude, having undertaken controlled tests that FC is not a valid strategy to use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, evidence from the same project also suggests that the overall picture with regard to FC may be more complex than this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same participants who do not provide authorship evidence in controlled trails provide data which indicate that they are authoring their communications when given the opportunity to communicate about things of their own choosing (100).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Niemi, J. & Karna-Lin, E. (2002). Grammar and lexicon in facilitated communication: A linguistic authorship analysis of a Finnish case. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mental Retardation</i>, 40, 347-357.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Based on the analysis (i.e. the idiosyncrasy and agrammaticality of word forms and sentences), we strongly suggest that [this young man’s] output can hardly be a product of any other speaker of Finnish, including that of his facilitators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sheehan, C. & Matuozzi, R. (1996). Investigation of the validty of facilitated communication through disclosure of unknown information. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mental Health</i>, 34, 94-107.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">“Three individuals (8, 10, and 24 years old with diagnoses of autism and mental retardation) participated in a message-passing format to determine whether they could disclose information previously unknown to their facilitators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Results reveal valid facilitated communication from each participant (94).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">“The data from the current study lead us to caution that a phenomena as facilitated communication eludes a cursory exploration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each participant was able to disclose information accurately and deftly at times and was wholly inadequate in his or her attempts at other times… The developing picture of an individual’s validity profile replete with the patterns of required support, inconsistency, language impairment, and strides towards independence may well be the only reasonable evaluation of a validity confidence level (104).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tuzzi, A., Cemin, M. Castagna, M. (2004) “Moved deeply I am” Autisc language in texts produced with FC. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Journees internationals d’Analyse statistique des Donnees Textuelleds,</i> 7, 1-9.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Using texts produced through FC, this work is aimed at identifying the characteristic features of the language used by autistic subjects and understanding when thee distinctive elements may distinguish it from the language of facilitators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Preliminary results show that autistic subjects actually use a special style of writing; this finding supports the hypothesis that texts are the fruit of the individual production of autistic subjects, not inevitably by facilitators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Weiss, M., Wagner, S., & Bauman, M (1996). A validated case study of facilitated communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mental </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Retardation</i>, 34, 220-230.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">“The case of a 13 year old boy with autism, severe mental retardation and a seizure disorder who was able to demonstrate valid facilitated communication is described (220).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Zanobini, M. & Scopesi, A. (2001).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>La comunicazione facilitate in un bambino autistico. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Psicologia Clinica </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">dello Sviluppo</i>, 5, 395-421.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Transcriptions of Facilitated communicative interactions between among a 7 year old autistic boy, his mother, and his teacher were studied using the Sphinx Lexica software program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The results show evidence of stylistic consistency but variation according to location at home or school and interaction with the mother or teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The results suggest that the boy’s original and peculiar linguistic behavior may indicate a degree of linguistic independence from facilitation.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-24520930676282758112010-11-03T12:51:00.000-07:002010-11-03T12:51:21.400-07:00Is Michael typing his words or mine?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When Michael was 8 years old, he typed sentences with his teacher’s aides giving physical support at his wrist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever Michael typed, his teacher would record it in the communication book that he took home every afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom would read Michael’s words, and sometimes found what he typed to be odd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Michael typed that he and his family went to Ollie’s (an overstock store), but they never went there.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">Michael typed that he was sad because his dog died, but they didn’t have a dog at the time.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael’s school hired a consulting Speech Therapist from Rutgers University to assess Michael’s typing, and recommended that the teacher’s aides stop supporting Michael to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given the Speech Therapist’s recommendation and given what Michael had supposedly typed, it was reasonable for mom to assume the teacher’s aides were doing more then supporting Michael’s wrist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they were directing Michael to type their words, not his.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Eleven years later, and a few years after my agency began providing Michael services, I happened to tell Michael’s mom I was visiting Syracuse University to learn more about Facilitated Communication (FC).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t know the term, but when I told her that someone gives physical support to a nonspeaking person so that they can type to communicate, she was quick to tell me about Michael’s history with typing.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was curious why Michael would have typed something that wasn’t true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe there was another way the Speech Therapist could have viewed the situation when Michael was 8 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned from Marilyn Chadwick at Syracuse there is another perspective to consider when non-speaking individuals, especially children, type false statements.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s not uncommon for young children to make up fantasies, even lies, and talk openly about them to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children who speak are part of a verbal community of people who help them understand what makes up appropriate conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children who speak slowly learn the difference between a fantasy and a lie, because people around them have lots of opportunities to teach them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children, adolescents, and adults who are nonverbal don’t have the luxury of being guided to understand the rules of conversation because speech isn’t their primary way of communicating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When a nonverbal individual learns to type to talk, we have to be open to reading/hearing whatever they have to say, just as we do when listening to a person who speaks to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a speaking person talks to us, we listen to what they have to say out of respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a speaking person makes a false statement, we don’t discount whether he/she can speak. At most, we might explore why the person lied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when a non-speaking person types a false statement, we conclude the person’s entire ability to communicate with typing is false.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s unfortunate how we put them in the position of having to prove that they really do have a voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More then that, they have to prove they are more competent than they appear.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There is always the chance that a well-meaning parent, teacher’s aide, family member, or care-giver will want a nonverbal person to speak so badly that she/he will deliberately or subconsciously guide the person’s wrist to influence what’s being typed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because there have been research studies in the 1990’s indicating that nonspeaking individuals were being led to type the words of the facilitators who supported them, educators and other professionals are taught to believe facilitated communication is controversial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>When educators and professionals assume the research depicts a completely accurate picture of FC, they convey their doubts to parents and others who view it as a possible intervention for the nonverbal individuals in their lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, these same educators and professionals may unknowingly be unable to step away from their belief about a particular nonspeaking individual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may be too invested in believing that person is not competent enough to type coherent sentences let alone have original thoughts to share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is this culture of skepticism that leads a non speaking individual who types to talk with the help of a facilitator to assume the burden of proving the typewritten words came from him/her. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael and I have practiced diligently over the last five months to develop the partnership he needed to type effectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If researchers had “tested” us during the first three months of our practice sessions, I wouldn’t have been too confident in the outcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m glad we weren’t tested earlier because the results might have discouraged both of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I have kept showing up for our sessions, and so has Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, as soon as I walk in the door, Michael quickly walks to his room to sit in the chair in front of his iPad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are times when he even greets me at the front door smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knows I believe in him, and he has said as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week on October 21, 2010, I knew he was ready…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: I have an idea that will help you and me get even better at typing together. This idea will also show other people that you really are the one typing your words... not me pushing your hand around. What do you think?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I want you easy to show that I am typing.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: Grandmom will write a word on the white board and only show the word to you so I can’t see it. (His grandmother wrote the word and Michael typed it.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: slow the word was slow</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: Excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Grandmom will write two words (and only show them to Michael).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>eat dinner</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: Great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You did it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Grandmom will write three words (and only show them to Michael).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mom works hard</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">Then Grandmom wrote a fill in sentences (and only showed them to Michael).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the house is <u>and the house is you</u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my favorite movie <u>is Thomas the tank engine</u> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to play <u>to on playstation</u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pop reads <u>the book</u> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: Now Grandmom will tell you to type a word, but she’ll whisper in your ear so I can’t hear what she wants you to type,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">The first word she whispered that Michael typed was</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dog </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">Then Grandmom whispered the word bread, but Michael had trouble processing it what she said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes sense because Michael is better with visual rather than auditory processing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grandmom repeated the word and Michael typed it correctly.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pen </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">Grandmom whispered another word and Michael typed it correctly.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>door </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: Michael, I’m going to say a word to you and I’d like you to type it all by yourself without my help.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>money </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>luke (his dog’s name… Michael needed help spelling it) </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>popcorn </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: Excellent! Now type any word you want to without my help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(There was a long pause so, I rubbed his head and told him to think of a word in his brain and then type the word. He then typed his word without my help.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hair </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WOW one day soon the words are going to flow out of your brain and your heart without needing much support at all and we'll help you all the way.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: I want to try one thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you do a fill in sentence all by yourself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fill in sentence was “eat the_____.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">Michael typed the prompt words without my support.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>eat the</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">There was a long pause.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael think of a word that you can add to the sentence and then type it all by yourself.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: hot dog</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">S: Perfect Michael!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You typed that sentence all by yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re going to keep practicing so you’ll need less and less support from me or anyone else to help you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> You're terrific Michael!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> ... ... ...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Back in August, Michael completed another fill in sentence:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: When I think about typing to talk I wish <u>I could do it do it when I was a little kid. </u></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-67339319023214541112010-10-26T09:52:00.000-07:002010-10-26T09:52:14.401-07:00Typing can develop abilities other than communication.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Set work” is the term for the structured typing practice sessions that helps both the typist and the person who is supporting the typist. There are stages of set work that direct the non-speaking person to complete various tasks ranging from identifying pictures using type-written words to making open conversation by typing full sentences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael and I have mastered most of the stages of set work together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It seems to help Michael when I start our sessions with a “fill-in-the-blank.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I write the statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael “copy-types” it and then completes it with his answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The topics I want to talk about today are _________ and __________.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Michael completed the statement with: afraid and shave.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">S: What are you afraid of?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I want to say that I am afraid of Tony shaving me.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">S: Who do you want to help you shave?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: Steve</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">S: Ok.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will help you shave tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that okay?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: Yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Kayla Takeuchi (Kayla’s Voice: empowering people with autism at <a href="http://www.newgroundpublishing.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.newgroundpublishing.com</span></a>) has been typing talk since she was 16.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is on her way to graduating from high school and plans to attend college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She persevered even though some people didn’t believe she had the skill to type her own words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These people, even professionals such as Speech Therapists suspected her facilitators were moving her wrist for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, after years of practice, Kayla can type independently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She occasionally gets stuck and needs the light touch from her facilitator. Once assumed to be “mentally retarded” by school officials and incapable of learning, she has shown us that for her, instead of leaving her completely cognitively impaired, autism has affected her ability to coordinate her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Not too surprisingly for most of us, Kayla discovered that she became better at typing the more often she typed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is perhaps more surprising is that she became better at activities that require the use of her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She enjoys hobbies now, and jewelry making is one of her favorites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s able to thread various sized beads, even the smallest ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says that typing helps her to feel more organized – clearly on many levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has afforded her a greater life.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I shouldn’t have been surprised when Michael began shaving himself more efficiently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His typing seems to be allowing him to use his hands in ways he hadn’t before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, he can now cut his hot dog into small pieces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of us wouldn’t see this as a great accomplishment, but it is for someone whose mom has had to cut his hot dogs his whole life and who wants to be more independent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I could never completely understand why Michael would allow some people to shave him and not others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with most of Michael’s “challenging behaviors” people tend to see Michael’s outbursts as him being oppositional, or at least trying to get out of something he just didn’t feel like doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he would punch a hole in a wall or when he slaps a table or wall to create a loud bash, it’s not a stretch to hear yourself thinking: “he is being noncompliant” or more to the point: “he’s being a brat.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is, until you remember that all of us use the way we behave as a way to communicate.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When Michael typed that he was afraid of having Tony shave him, I realized the number of times many people in his life – including me - misunderstood Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if every time Michael acted out, we first thought, “I wonder what he needs” rather than jump to conclusion that he was being cruel just for the fun of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before he could type his issue with shaving, he acted out his feeling by doing all he could to resist being shaved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once he could tell me that he was afraid, I not only could address his fear, but I could acknowledge it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So when I went into the bathroom and started shaving him, I wondered what he might be afraid of, and it came to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we use light pressure with the electric rotary shaver, Michael’s longer whiskers get caught in the blade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the feeling, and I don’t like it either… but I still need to shave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I “problem solved” with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I showed him how to wet his face to soften the whiskers, and I showed him how to push the shaver closer to his face on his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When someone else is shaving you and they’re being tentative, there’s more chance that the rotary will catch whiskers especially under the chin and jaw line.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">One week later, I watched Michael shave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is no longer afraid to push the rotary firmly against his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than that, because he is less fearful of the blade catching his whiskers, he will shave areas of his face where he wouldn’t before – as long as he given support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has trouble looking in the mirror and shaving under his jaw because he gets disoriented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much like supporting him to type, if you touch the area on his face with your index finger, he can “feel” where to take the shaver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though he needs support from another person, he can handle the actual task of shaving on his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not surprisingly, Michael doesn’t resist shaving any more. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael represents one of many people with autism that I’ve met who use typing to talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more I speak to them, the more I realize how we perpetuate misunderstanding of nonverbal individuals by assuming that they are more “autistic” than human.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-16685244201271728372010-10-22T05:15:00.001-07:002010-10-22T05:15:57.441-07:00A confrontation at Michael’s school<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael, Tony and I were in a small conference room near the main office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my first training session to help Tony understand how to give Michael the physical support he needs in order to type effectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about 45 minutes, our time was almost up, and I had asked Michael if he had anything else he wanted to tell us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began supporting him to type, and I heard a voice from behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What is he doing?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I looked over my shoulder and saw one of the school professionals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told the person that Michael’s using typing to talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Michael, do you have anything you want to say?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael started typing: I am very ha. Then he got stuck on the double p’s and began alternately typing the backspace and the p to correct himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">She said, “He has no idea what he’s doing.” </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was shocked – not necessarily that she didn’t believe he was typing his own words but that she would make such a statement and use such a derogatory tone right in front of Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s known him for some years now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems she was sure he wasn’t capable of thinking.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Stunned, I said, “You really think he doesn’t know what he’s doing?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">She replied, “Yes.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I repeated myself again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You really think he doesn’t know what he’s doing?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re doing Facilitated Communication aren’t you?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“I’m supporting Michael to type his thoughts.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">She quickly came back, “Don’t you know about the research that says Facilitated Communication doesn’t work?”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Don’t you know about the research that says it works for some people?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’ve met some of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recently met a nonverbal 36 year old man with autism who started typing at 15 and now he travels to tell people it worked for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve met others who’ve gone on to get their Masters Degree.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Well, they had the cognitive ability for that.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Michael has cognitive ability, too.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I turned to Michael and his iPad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Michael, type yes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He typed yes without my physical support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Michael type no.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He typed no without physical support from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then he typed mom and Tony without my support when I asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael’s demonstration seemed to pique the woman’s interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I continued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Michael learned how to type those words on his own after having 35 sessions together with me giving him physical support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our goal is that he will type all of his words on his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needs our physical support to type now so his brain can have a chance to practice coordinating his thoughts with the movements his body needs to hit the correct keys on the keyboard.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">She sounded curious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh, he’s learning how to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how all of us learn to type.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found out Michael had this skill when he was 8 years old, but someone from Rutgers’s University said Michael’s aides were moving his arm so the school stopped allowing Michael to practice.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I don’t remember her exact words, but she said something like “Well that shouldn’t have happened.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">She got called away from someone in the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I gotta go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll have to check up on that latest research about Facilitated Communication.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When she left, I asked Michael if he wanted to say anything about what just happened.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And Michael typed, “I want to say she is very wrong and I am not happy with her because she did not believe not believe that I can type she is the one who can not type.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-74632379414600437792010-10-22T05:14:00.000-07:002010-10-22T05:14:00.213-07:00A walk through Michael’s school<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last week, the IEP team agreed that Michael could try using his iPad or Neo (keyboard) at school to communicate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday, because Michael mom requested that his teacher allow me to visit Michael’s classroom, I helped Michael type on his iPad to communicate.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">His teacher was apparently aware that my purpose for being there was to teach Tony how to use less pressure when he supports Michael’s wrist as Michael types one letter at a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never used the term Facilitated Communication during the IEP meeting, but everyone including his teacher witnessed Tony hold Michael’s wrist as Michael typed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My conversation with the IEP team was all about how we can fade the amount of support we give him depending on what he can do on his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example, when he copy types, he only needs someone to lightly touch his elbow, but he needs someone to hold his wrist when he’s typing his original thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goal is always that he will type on his own, independent of physical support from others.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I reached Michael’s classroom, his teacher continued to be supportive of my helping Michael to communicate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She suggested that Tony, Michael, and I find one of the available empty rooms in the school so we could concentrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, Michael’s classmates needed the classroom for other activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I walked though the school halls, I remembered how much I admire educators and paraprofessionals who work with special needs students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael’s school provides educational services to students in need of all sorts of supportive accommodations – from those stemming from orthopedic to neurological to genetic conditions – that affect mental, emotional, and physical ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first time I visited this kind of school, I thought the people must be angels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their job is an incredible responsibility and it requires endless patience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also requires open-mindedness because you have to be creative in finding ways to teach someone who can’t easily understand you.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Truthfully, some of these students may never understand or perform past the level of what’s called “lower functioning”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how can we be certain which students have the capacity to perform to a higher functioning level and greater? Sue Rubin (<a href="http://www.sue-rubin.org/">http://www.sue-rubin.org/</a>) was thought to have an IQ of 24 before she was introduced to Facilitated Communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is currently a senior in college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We often judge students by the way they appear… as they drool and or hobble down the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered how many other students there might be as aware and capable as Michael and yet have never been given the chance to reveal their intellect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of a school of let’s say 300 students, maybe none, but maybe one or five or fifteen or fifty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, that’s the reason we rely on research-based evidence that substantiates the statistical validity of educational and behavioral interventions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the research says the intervention “works”, than it’s ok to use it to teach students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some professionals stand by the following reasoning: If the student doesn’t learn, it must be the student’s lack of ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve come to wonder if we haven’t done enough to question the validity of research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So Tony found us a small conference room in the main office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After typing a few sentences with me, Michael typed, “I want to type with Tony now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony hit the ground running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had already attended a few trainings with Marilyn Chadwick from Syracuse, New York, and he knew the principles of FC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He already understood that he needed to pull Michael’s wrist <u>away</u> from the keyboard between each letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Tony needed to understand how to ease up on the pressure so that Michael could initiate the movement to the next letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All Tony had to do is to feel Michael taking the lead.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I saw an aha moment in Tony when Michael’s work sheet said “3 types of colors are _______” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and Michael typed the letters y and then e, which are on the left side of the keyboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because Tony had less pressure on his wrist, Michael was able to direct his own arm – with tony supporting it – to the right side of the keyboard to type the letter l.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-19342253506770798812010-10-20T07:39:00.000-07:002010-10-20T07:39:07.222-07:00Michael now types a few words independently.<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I knew Michael could “copy type”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would type out the titles of episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine he saw on YouTube and then bring his keyboard device to his mom as his way of asking her to download the episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people wonder why if he is able to “copy type” this way, then why can’t he type his thoughts independently, too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suppose you were given the following option. Either “copy type” three paragraphs about the benefits of believing in a God that were already written by someone else or compose three paragraphs about the benefits of believing in a God using your brain as your only resource.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then suppose you were told you had 20 minutes to complete the assignment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which option would you choose?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The point is that a non-speaking person who hasn’t been given the support to coordinate his/her body to type effectively experiences major writer’s block… writer’s block times a million. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I type this paragraph, I’m noticing I’ve taken my writing ability for granted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not extolling my ability to write fantastically literate paragraphs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just noticing the mechanics I use to express myself through.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I can say the word to myself that “appears” in my brain and simultaneously coordinate my arms and fingers writing to move to type to put my thoughts into form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
A non-speaking person with autism or other neurological disorder does not have this luxury.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While Michael and I were at the mall last week, after we bought our movie tickets, we had time to walk around with his mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked through the bookstore and stopped at the greeting card section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael touched one of the stands of cards, so I put his iPad in front of him and asked him if he wanted to look at the books or the cards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited for him to extend his arm to me as his signal that he wanted my support to type his answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead Michael extended his index finger and typed books without any help from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mom and I were shocked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, after the movie, his mom met us in the theatre’s lobby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She put the iPad in front of him and said “what do you say to Steve?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, instead of reaching for my support, he typed bye independently.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Short responses in the form of small words are possible for him now, such as yes, no, mom, and Tony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But typing full sentences is a different story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our number one goal is that Michael will type on his own – independent of any physical support from someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until that time, we’ll give him the support he needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Aside from typing with me, Michael has typed with his Grandmother, Mother, and Tony, his one-on-one aide at school. However, as is has happened with other FC users, Michael has grown most comfortable with singling out a person to support him to type, and that person at this point happens to be me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned today that Michael has been resisting allowing anyone other than me to type with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He even hit his mom on the head twice when she asked to support him to type over the weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has also refused to take his iPad to school the past two days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means that Tony can’t practice typing with him either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was time for Michael and me to have a conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t get the words out fast enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t bother reminding him that the needed periods at the end of his sentences.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: Michael each person has to discover how to support you on their own. they have to feel it. but in order for them to discover that you need to let them type with you. what do you say to that?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: I want to say that I want to let them type with me but it is irritating when they do not know what they are doing I get you to give them help but they don't under stand what you are telling them and I get even more angry help the because I can not explain it to them at all and I get so mad that I want to hit them you are able to under stand where i want to go on the iPad so it is easy for me to type with you right the way you hold and right the way you move with me I like to type with you because it is right to say what I want to say and I get to finally talk after all these years.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: That was quite a series of statements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>what is the reason you have not taken your iPad to school the last two days?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: I easy type say you and Tony is not easy to type with he pushes too hard and I can not type what I want to type you need to help him and he needs to type the way you type with me not to go to school with iPad until he gets help fast learner Tony is tony right to type with me like you me easy not hard you are getting even better at typing with me so you are the teacher for the others.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: you are getting better at typing. you are becoming more coordinated. this means that in time you will be able to type with others and you will be able to type independently ... on your one. do you have any more to say about?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I want to and you to go to school with me tomorrow. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">I’m going to Michael’s school tomorrow at 2:15, and Michael promised to take his iPad so he and I can help Tony support him to type with less pressure.</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-55452132753850710102010-10-19T09:54:00.001-07:002010-10-19T09:54:44.898-07:00Michael’s IEP Meeting<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Annie’s Coming Out,” an autobiography, was written by Annie McDonald with the help of her facilitator, Rosemary Crossley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It tells of Annie’s struggle to be allowed to leave a mental retardation institution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has cerebral palsy and couldn’t speak nor could she coordinate her body to point – let alone point to letters to spell words – until Rosemary Crossley, a speech therapist, believed in her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, when Rosemary first met Annie, she was barely responsive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The staff assumed Annie would die within 6 months.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Even after she began to express herself with support from Rosemary and made it clear to those who believed she was the one spelling her own words (not Rosemary), Annie had to prove herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had to pass several validation tests before she was permitted to leave the mental retardation institution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Annie went on to receive a Humanities degree in 1993. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_McDonald">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_McDonald</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">“Unless someone makes a jump outside the handicapped person’s previous stage of communication, there is no way the speechless person can do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Failure is no crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Failure to give someone the benefit of the doubt is.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I met Michael’s mom and grandmother at his IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting last Tuesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael wanted me to advocate for him to be able to bring his iPad to school so his aide, Tony, could facilitate his typing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael typed that he wanted to talk at school many times during our sessions together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This IEP meeting was going to determine if that would be possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This IEP was significant to the school system, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the last one before Michael leaves public school at age 21. The meeting was creating a document that described Michael’s strengths and abilities, and the document would follow him into the adult programs available in the state of Maryland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It came time for Michael’s teacher to report what she’s learned about him over the years, and she came to the topic of Michael’s communication skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Essentially she said, “Michael uses picture symbols to communication and he will follow voice commands.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that was the official story according to his IEP.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I raised my hand and asked if I could add more about Michael’s ability to communicate, and his teacher agreed to hear what I had to say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read a few of Michael’s typed transcripts about how he told us his lungs weren’t clear (blog entry called: He can now tell us when he’s ill.) and how his astute understanding of evil (blog entry: I want to have a full life.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never used the words Facilitated Communication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just said he described how Michael needs varying degrees of support to type words and sentences to communicate his thoughts and feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told the IEP team that Michael was able to type a few words independent of my support, too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Surprisingly and without question or confrontation, Michael’s teacher agreed that Michael should bring his iPad to school and that she expected Michael to use it to communicate with her and Michael’s aide, Tony.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Tony, who was seated next to Michael at the IEP table, also happens to work part time afterschool with Michael as one of the employees of The Whole Self Center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony works with Michael at Michael’s home and he is aware of Michael’s progress with typing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony is still in the process of learning how to gauge the amount of support to give Michael as a facilitator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tony has never received consistent training in the process, but he does know the principles of FC.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael’s teacher asked Michael to type with Tony help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t step in because I didn’t want the meeting to be about Michael proving himself or to lead the team to suspect that Michael could only type with me… and that therefore, I might be guiding Michael’s wrist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it turned out that Michael did okay with Tony’s level of support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael was able to type that Tony was his friend and he asked for some candy from the bowl in the middle of the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The process of assuring Michael could bring and use his iPad to school to communicate was effortless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of the IEP members present objected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, a representative from one of the adult services encouraged us to see to it that Michael’s staff be trained in helping Michael type to communicate once he became part of an adult program.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My next step is to spend some time at Michael’s current school to give Tony training in how to support Michael to type more effectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-69650214728248581522010-10-18T09:07:00.000-07:002010-10-18T09:07:50.776-07:00“I want to have a full life.”<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In January 2010, during one of his first Facilitated Communication typing sessions led by Marilyn Chadwick a speech therapist from Syracuse, New York, Michael typed, “I want people to talk about interesting topics with me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing his family had collected hundreds of Thomas the Tank Engine videos and DVD’s for him over the last 20 years because Michael demanded them, I asked Michael whether Thomas the Tank Engine was an interesting topic we should talk about with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He typed: “Don’t pay attention to the requirements of my autism.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that moment, we knew Michael had insight and reason ability none of us gave him credit for.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To me, one of Michael’s most significant statements lately has been, “I want to have a full life.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I recently learned from Michael’s grandmother that his school psychologist diagnosed Michael as mentally retarded at age 5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The psychologist told Michael’s family that he would need to be institutionalized as an adult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that Michael can reveal his thoughts, feelings, opinions, and desires to us by typing, it’s obvious he has a future outside of an institution.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now that he types to talk, Michael is minimally aggressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He recognizes it’s his anger that gets in the way of his thinking more clearly – albeit with an autistic brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly though, Michael can now communicate to us that he’s interested about life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Last weekend, he and I went to the movies and his mom made sure he had his iPad with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had asked that I see the latest Thomas the Tank Engine movie. It would have been my first experience with 90 minutes of Thomas on the big screen.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Among the many cool things about the iPad is that I can email my conversation with Michael to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes it easy for me to post these blog entries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve discovered that it helps Michael focus his thoughts if I type my words on the screen, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That way, my statement is right there for him to read again if he gets distracted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also believe typing my words is respectful to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, it’s the method he uses to talk with me.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With the iPad in front of him, Michael had the opportunity to make conversation right there when it counted the most.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">S: I have an idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since you already saw Thomas and Friends, do you want to see the Owl Movie (Legends of the Guardians)?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">M: yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: that means you have chosen something new and different and that's the way to have a fuller life. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: Thomas means I want Thomas because it's what I am used to. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">Michael bought his ticket at the ticket counter and said thanks.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: owl movie</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: thanks</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">Michael ordered his movie snack</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: popcorn large soda large have</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: pepsi</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: is this seat okay or do you want to sit somewhere else?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I want to sit here</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: is it ok that your soda is on that side so we can talk if we want to?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: the soda is fine</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: cool</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: I'm having a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>are you?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I want the movies</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: I just thought of a question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>do you know anything about this owl movie?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: movies yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: what about the owl movie? have you heard anything about it?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: need</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: need what?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: movies</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: ok</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: these are the previews. we need to be patient. it will start very soon.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I only</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: you only want what?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: kindness</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: ok</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">During the movie, I checked in with Michael</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: are you ok?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: do you have to go to the bathroom or can you wait to the end of the movie?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I can wait</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: do you like the movie</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">I noticed Michael fidgeting</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: bathroom?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">We walked to the bathroom and came and saw the rest of the movie.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">Michael hasn’t seen a movie with this much intensity before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the characters were animated owls, there was a battle and talk of evil… a concept I thought I’d better discuss with Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So while the credits rolled…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: there are people who make mistakes and who want to learn to do better and then there are evil people who don't care about anyone but themselves and who want to rule other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the evil owl died in the end. what do you think?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: I think the evil owl was feed. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: feeding what?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: feeding his feeling.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: I agree. too bad he didn't discover he could have a different feeling.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">what do you think?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: I want to me to do better</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">S: you are doing terrific at expressing yourself. this will help you!</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-42302055593241772392010-10-17T12:19:00.000-07:002010-10-17T12:19:06.102-07:00He can now tell us when he’s ill.As soon as I sat down next to Michael at his iPad, Michael extended his arm to me to signal he needed to start typing right away. <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: I want say you are please I really really really have about to breathe </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: explain more about you have to breathe.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: I have breathe my lungs look not the way they should. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: how should your lungs look?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: I thought they should be clear </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: have you been sneezing?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: yes </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: have you been coughing?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: yes </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: is your throat sore?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: no </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: do you feel sick?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: no </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: so do you just have trouble breathing?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: no </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: you just have a cough?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: yes</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;">S: are you upset about having a cough?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">M: no </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">We continued with the rest of the session, but we didn’t talk any more about Michael’s “breathing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admittedly, sometimes it feels to me as though I’m playing 20 questions with Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know now that the worst thing is to get caught up in a string of yes and no questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They often don’t reveal much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still learning how to make statements that require Michael to answer at least with a word or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">When I returned for our next session four days later, Michael’s mom greeted me at the door and told me that Michael had a sinus infection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grandma decided that she thought Michael was trying to tell us something during our last session, so she took him to the doctor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom was relieved to be able to help Michael because she never would have known about the infection if he hadn’t been able to tell us.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">So after 20 years of silence, Michael now has the ability to tell us when he’s not feeling well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t have to suffer with an illness alone.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-66815613283920267772010-10-12T10:36:00.001-07:002010-10-12T10:36:48.902-07:00“Autism takes over every part of my life.”<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">S: Write a sentence about you, Michael: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">M:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>am the one with autism.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">S: Write a sentence about autism: </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: autism is shit. autism is shit</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">S: In what ways is autism shit? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: because it takes over. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">S: What does it take over? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;">M: it takes over my life. it takes over each part of my life.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s not easy to describe Michael.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s best to meet him in person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a unique way of connecting with people because he can look into your eyes and conveys a feeling that he acknowledges who you are -so much for the assumption that all people with autism lack the ability to make eye contact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time he types to talk, his sentences reveal more ways we’ve judged him wrongly based on his diagnosis of autism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Because he hasn’t spoken in all of his 20 years, people have people assumed he couldn’t think either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is I made the same leap until Michael began typing to talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He surprised me with his ability to think, but more so with his astute capability to reason. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the first statements Michael typed when we asked him what he needed from us was: “I want people to talk to me like I’m smart.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Something shifted in me as I got better at supporting him to hit the correct letter on his keyboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, Michael cannot type without my support yet, but I’ve met other adults with autism who do type on their own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to believe in Michael’s ability to type, read, and spell in order to sincerely take on the task of being his facilitator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I became a better facilitator, it became easier for Michael to be consistent with hitting the keys he wanted to hit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s as if his eye sees the letter – the target - he wants to type, but his brain can’t coordinate his body to hit target.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has taken the two of us a while to figure out how to “move” together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to let go of all control of anticipating which letter Michael is going to hit next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time, I have to stay in control of how much pressure I am using to hold Michael’s arm up and steady so he can feel where his arm is in space… relative to the keyboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also have to adjust the force I use to pull his wrist away from the keyboard between each stoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to learn how to bring Michael’s wrist back to a neutral position so he can count on me to take his wrist back to a starting point between each stroke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It takes skill to become a facilitator, and I had to be trained.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael has the harder job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael has to learn how to counterbalance the tension I give him so he can reach his targeted letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may seem easy, but it is not for someone with an autistic brain which often and unpredictably misfires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moreover, the autistic brain has the tendency to operate as if body functions are separate and disconnected from each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Michael has to practice using his autistic brain to coordinate the process of thinking a thought, putting the thought into words, and then moving the muscles in his arm to aim for hitting one letter at a time to spell his words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As someone who doesn’t speak, Michael hasn’t discovered how to coordinate his thoughts with the muscles in his voice box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For now, we can support him to discover how to coordinate the muscles of his arms with his thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that I understand the process more clearly, I can see now why it is true that for some individuals who have been supported to type, these same individuals later start to speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What isn’t clear to me is why so many educators of students who do not speak allow their misunderstanding of Facilitated Communication take over their ability to reason ad explore its usefulness for certain students. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-48463559117470412802010-10-07T07:25:00.000-07:002010-10-07T07:25:10.748-07:00Facilitated Communication means “freedom.”<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I wrote the following statement as a fill-in-the-blank question in order to guide Michael to think of his answer. “The word that comes to my mind when I think of Facilitated Communication is _____.” And Michael typed: “freedom”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve met other Facilitated Communication (FC) users who learned FC as adolescents or adults, and they told me that before FC, they felt they were in a prison – a prison of silence.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael wants to take his iPad to school and have his teacher’s assistant facilitate for him while he types to talk. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael has typed that he wants to be treated like he’s smart… not like he’s useless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, the school system does not support FC as a resource to help a non-speaking individual communicate even if there’s evidence that it’s working for a particular student. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I’ll admit, before Michael was given the opportunity to type using FC, I assumed Michael had minimal intellect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in his late teens, and like all people with autism, surely he had to be trained to accomplish things his brain couldn’t comprehend on its own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, he would forever need people around him to perform behavioral strategies to make him act “more appropriately.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, he could become extremely aggressive and destroyed property in his home and at school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been educated and trained in the same behavioral theories as school personnel have been taught across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael looked like what I was trained to see.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now Michael behaves differently than I would have ever expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Michael is ready to type to talk, he sits at his iPad and puts out his arm to indicate he’d like a facilitator to support him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The facilitator holds up Michael’s elbow and forearm and “moves with” Michael towards the letters Michael has chosen to type with his index finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I explained to Michael that he and I would need to practice together more, and that he would also need to continue to let his Grandmother, mother, and our home care staff support him to type.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael will have to go to his IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting and show the people in charge of how his day is spent at school, that he can communicate his own thoughts and needs by typing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We haven’t gone to his school meeting yet, but I told him there was a chance the staff wouldn’t believe he was typing his own words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That day, he was quick to respond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He typed, “Of course they will believe me.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I hope so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael has been silent for 20 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants his freedom.</div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1271829345189773613.post-8938428732384508052010-10-04T12:24:00.000-07:002010-10-04T12:24:43.240-07:00“I hate that I cannot talk.”<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I wrote the question, “What do you hate most about having autism?” and Michael copied the question by typing with his index finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Continuing with his answer, he typed, “I hate that I cannot talk.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Michael is 20 years old. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although he doesn’t speak, he has developed ways to communicate what he needs –things like DVD’s and episodes of “Thomas the Tank Engine” on YouTube . He also points to pictures of places he wants to go and foods he wants to eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Michael, this has been a very limited communication system; but he was sharp enough to come up with other ways to get his messages across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would attack our home care staff assigned to him, and he chased after then repeatedly hit his mom if she couldn’t get the computer to restart – or if the electricity went off in a storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I learned that Michael could use his Alphasmart (a portable keyboard with a screen) to type out title of episodes listed on YouTube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d type the title without any help, and then he’d take the Alphasmart to his mom to show her which episode to download.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she couldn’t get the download to work, Michael went out of control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He punched holes in his bedroom walls, slapped the flat TV screen in the living room, and worse, threw his computer monitor across the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went through a lot of computer monitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In June 2009, I learned something else about Michael’s typing abilities when I mentioned to his family that I was attending Syracuse University’s Facilitated Communication Summer Conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Michael was 8 years old, some of the teacher’s assistants in his classroom were giving Michael physical support to hold his arm up longer so he could type sentences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The school questioned Michael’s ability to type so they hired a Speech Therapist from Rutgers University to assess Michael’s skill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That Speech Therapist concluded that the teacher’s assistants were moving Michael’s arm for him and typing their words, not Michael’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The school stopped allowing the staff to support Michael while he typed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So for 11 years, Michael was left without his voice – a voice that likely could have been developed much further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wonder Michael’s been so angry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We don’t know what is in store for Michael, but now at 20 years old Michael is again an FC User. By giving him physical support while he types, he now expresses his thoughts, feelings, opinions, and desires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is holding conversations with me, his mom, and his grandmother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little by little he is showing us he has a lot to say and that he’s eager to practice his typing skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has an iPad now, and he relies on it to communicate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently he typed, “My computer is the best thing I have.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are days he practically runs to it when I ask him, “Are you ready to type to talk?” </div>Voices Foundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17693041654242734387noreply@blogger.com11