Trisha

[Trishasmom]

I just wanted to share what to me is a very exciting milestone for us.

The other day I went to Trisha's room to take her some tea.  She looked at me and said/signed Mama Carol and then signed I love you.  That is the very first time she has ever signed that to me before on her own with no prompting and out of the blue like that.  She has been verbalizing more and signing much more since the Sign Assistant  has been working 30 mins direct 1-1 with (her in addition to her 4 hours of indirect working with her daily as in showing her signs when needed, interpreting for her as needed etc.) She is also using 2 word utterances most the time now and even 3-5 word sentences more and more often.  I also created an interactive board (page) on her laptop called "My Classroom" where she can go to check the time, choose her lunch, check her schedule, or request her communication notebook, tell if her hearing aids are not working, if her glasses need cleaning, if she has to go to the bathroom, needs a tissue etc.  While the school has been working more on the device they are still using it like a pre-made program in other words at this time we will work on the board so I am trying to get them to use more functionally and naturally.  When I added the My Classroom they loved it and now encourage Trisha to go there more often it also has a link to other boards so she isn't limited to just the few things I have put on so far.  What I think made a difference is 1.  it was simplified enough for them to use it, 2.  they loved how it looked like the classroom, 3.  the clock was in real time which just amazed them for some reason and finally I think the visual scene is as important to the TAs as it is to Trisha.  I will be adding more visual scenes as we go along and get more pictures.  They thought it was so cool when Trisha clicked on herself and it said I want and then she clicked on ham-cheese-sandwich.  I guess Trisha isn't the only one who likes the special effects for want of a better word.  So, if we make the boards interesting for our kids and the ones working with them we may have been chance of them using it. The TA recently saw a play that had interpreters for the whole play and that also helped her to understand how important all modes of communication is.  She said she was excited when she would watch the interpreter and realize she understood some of what was being signed.  The staff working with Trisha get the advantage of learning more signs since the signing assistant is there all day with Trisha and her team.  At the old school they always had her turn her device off if they used it at all instead of leaving it  on  and I am happy to say that at the new school they have finally re-trained her to leave it on all the time now so it's faster to interact using her device now.  Slow progress but progress all the same.  

Carol
Trishasmom
If we always do what we've always done, we'll always get what we've always gotten

[Robin Hurd]

what an awesome update!!  I am so excited that Trisha is blossoming!  hearing a spontaneous I love you is a present for a mom :)

 

how funny that the visual scenes are helping the STAFF to understand the device better.  Whatever works :)

It's also great that Trisha has been able to be re-trained to keep her device on.  It's hard to break a habit.

 

I'll be smiling a lot today, thinking of how wel things are going for you and Trisha.

 

Robin

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From: Trishasmom <csvi...@gmail.com>
To: AAC Parents <AACPa...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Sun, December 20, 2009 1:34:42 PM
Subject: Trisha

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[Ebunny59]

AWESOME! I always say, it just takes the one thing, that gets their
attention, to get them to use it.

The past two weeks, it has been VERBS for Kendra. I just sent in a
paper, asking them, hey, while you are looking up the verbs, tell me
the adjective and nouns you see while on the same page. I figure, if
she learns the 40 verbs they have been working on, and all the verb
forms, and an adjective and adjective form on the same page, and the
noun and plural noun, they, as a group, will have learned approx 400
new words in Minspeak. It adds up fast, without much more effort!

Merry Chrismtas Trisha and Carol.

[Dawn Caldwell]

What a wonderful Christmas gift you've been given early!  Great work on everyone's part.  Dawn