5/31/2017 8:02 PM
As a teacher for students with multiple disabilities, encouraging peer to peer interactions can be a major challenge. I have found that many of my students prefer to communicate with staff rather than with their own peers. Students need to be presented highly structured opportunities in order to engage in purposeful interactions with each other.
During our morning meetings, I have students practice writing letters to one another using their language on their AAC device (Touch Chat for the majority of my students). They choose their communication partner on their device and write a message or a comment related to a picture. They will then engage in a communication exchange with one another where they read their message to their partner.
It is also equally important for our students to interact with their typically developed peers. Throughout the school year, I have had a local high school student come to my classroom 3 times a week as part of their teacher prep program. This high school student needed to be trained in how to communicate with our students. Your typical high school student has most likely never even heard of Touch Chat or other similar AAC programs. I had to train her in how to communicate using each students AAC device. Many typical peers may be too timid to interact with their peers with disabilities only because they do not know how to effectively communicate with them. The more they can be accustomed to the different types of communication devices that our students use, the better communicative exchanges can occur between our students with disabilities and their typical peers.
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The only way I know that he wants something is because he fusses or whines when he's unhappy or uncomfortable, and he smiles, makes noises or calms down when he's happy and comfortable. Does this statement describe your child?
She doesn't come to me to let me know what she wants, but it's easy for me to figure out, because she tries to do things for herself. She knows what she wants, and her behavior shows me what she wants. If she runs out of something to eat, she will just try to get more, rather than trying to get me to give her more.
Does this statement describe your child?
He knows how to get me to do something for him. He uses some of the kinds of behaviors below to communicate:
Does this statement describe your child?
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging
– Does this independently most of the time when the opportunity arises
– Does this in a number of dierent contexts, and with dierent people
– Does this inconsistently
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Only does this when prompted or encouraged to do so. Only does this in one or two contexts or with one person.
Each question you will see is related to a certain message that your child might be able to express using a variety of behaviors. Read the question and decide whether your child is able to express the message described using any of the listed behaviors. If the answer is YES, then you must also decide whether your child has mastered the use of each behavior or whether it is still at an emerging stage. Check either the mastered or emerging box next to any behaviors your child uses to express the message. Use the following definitions to decide whether a behavior is mastered or emerging