Tag Archives: inclusion

Special Needs Children and Circle Time

Posted on by

 

5 ways to increase engagement in morning meetings

31 days of morning circle activities for the child with special needs

Adaptive circle time for children with autism

Circle time activities for a special education classroom

Circle time routine and daily schedule in a pre-k inclusive classroom

Creating and implementing an interactive inclusive circle time

How to run a special education morning meeting

Making a circle time accessible for all students

Making the most of the morning meeting

The importance of circle time for children with special needs

What is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)?

Posted on by

According to the American Speech Language Hearing Association, there are over 2 million people with significant expressive language impairment who use AAC. AAC users including people with the following disorders; autism, cerebral palsy, dual sensory impairments, genetic syndromes, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, hearing impairment, disease, stroke, and head injury.

According to the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Organization. AAC is a set of tools and strategies that an individual uses to solve everyday communicative challenges. Communication can take many forms such as: speech, a shared glance, text, gestures, facial expressions, touch, sign language, symbols, pictures, speech-generating devices, etc. Everyone uses multiple forms of communication, based upon the context and our communication partner. Effective communication occurs when the intent and meaning of one individual is understood by another person. The form is less important than the successful understanding of the message.

The types of AAC includes both low-tech and high tech. Low tech AAC includes symbol charts, PECS,  and communication boards, while high tech AAC include electronic devices such computers, tablets and devices.

The following information provides resources, articles and tips on using AAC:

3 sets of AAC goals for interactive books

5 quick and easy games that build AAC skills

50 simple switch or low tech activities

AAC and Echolalia

AAC for caregivers manual

AAC Quiz

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for students with CVI and multiple disabilities 

How to make an AAC symbol library

Language opportunities to use AAC at home

Low-Tech AAC Ideas

Promoting inclusion and participation for people who use AAC

Reducing prompt dependence in AAC learners: 5 things to try

The periodic table of AAC

Using AAC more in the classroom

Using LIST in PODD communication books

What does it take to implement AAC

 

Teaching Visually Impaired Students

Posted on by

According to IDEA’s definition, visually impairment is defined as including blindness means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness. There are 3 types of blindness including The types of vision impairments are low visual acuity, blindness, and legal blindness (which varies for each country): Low visual acuity, also known as moderate visual impairment, is a visual acuity between 20/70 and 20/400 with your best corrected vision, or a visual field of no more than 20 degrees.

The following articles and links provide resources on teaching students with visual impairments.

Teaching Strategies

The following are articles that provide tips and resources on teaching students with visual impairments.

10 tips for teaching blind or visually impaired students

Classroom strategies for regular education teachers who have students with visual impairments

General tips for teaching visually impaired students

How to teach a blind or visually impaired student

Inclusion teaching: Vision impairment and blindness

Teaching languages to blind and visually impaired students

Teaching strategies for vision impaired students

Teaching the blind and visually impaired

Strategies for helping children with visual impairments to develop listening skills

Visual impairment in the classroom

Teaching Activities

The following links provide activities that can used to teach students with visual impairments.

Adapting materials for visually impaired students

Create a restaurant book with tactile symbols

Durable braille flashcards

Tips and tools for teaching beginning braille skills

 

How to design a neurodiverse workplace – simple tips from inclusivity experts

Posted on by

Source: Telegraph
Written by: Sian Phillips

For a significant minority, including those with ADHD, autism and dyslexia, background noise and bright lighting in the workplace is a problem. But there are ways to improve the working environment

Maybe it’s a colleague’s booming voice, a garish, ill-chosen mural or the persistent pong of garlic from the canteen, but every workplace has its irritating quirks.

While most people can ignore such annoyances, for a significant minority it is impossible and keeping them out of work.

Background noise is commonly a problem for people with dyslexia, ADHD and autism – so-called neurodivergent conditions – while bright lighting can also be a source of stress that can be particularly acute for some people. Click here to read the rest of the story.

 

Smithsonian Exhibit Puts Focus On Accessible Design

Posted on by

Publisher: Disability Scoop
Written by: Shaun Heasley

From clothing to utensils and computers, a new exhibit is showcasing the varied and increasing ways that today’s world is adapting to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.

The display at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum dubbed “Access+Ability” includes over 70 works that highlight how design is making a broad range of experiences more inclusive.

Divided into three sections — moving, connecting and living — the exhibit features the latest in cane technology, clothing with magnets and other accessibility modifications, eye-controlled speech-generating devices and more innovations.

Click here for the rest of the story