New Partner/Plus!

Not only are the Partner Pluses a wonderful communication tool for beginners, they have proven to be very useful in other aspects of daily therapy and class-rooms activities. Some great uses for the Partner Plus include using them to form a classroom visual schedule. Created with mounting brackets, they can easily be clipped together and mounted on the wall. Place icon representations of classroom activities in the chronological order they occur and then remove the icon from the device or flip the icon over revealing a “finished” symbol to indicate when the activity is completed. With the message output, you can have students announce subject changes with the touch of the device. Also, for those unable to reach the devices when they are mounted due to stature or position, simply plug in the switch to allow access. For those students who have difficulty transitioning and may be in need of more cuing, add an object cue to each event using the Velcro strip and hand that object to the student to provide additional help in transition. For example, if it is circle time a small plastic ring could be used along with the symbol to represent circle time. When it is time to begin circle time the Partner Plus is activated by a student and the message “Time for Circle time” is played. The teacher can then hand the student needing additional object cuing the plastic circle to provide additional assistance.

AMDi Quick Tip:

A “Communication and Sensory Wall” can also be created using the devices by mounting several Partner Pluses on a wall all within reach of students but not necessarily all clipped together. Record interesting messages, requests, and sounds on the devices coupled with interesting tactile icons. The icons placed on the devices can be soft, rough, smelly, etc. and messages can provide language stimulation, encourage phrase building, or simply be attention getting funny sounds. Taking advantage of the output jack, some of the Partner Pluses can also be attached to tape recorders, lights, or switch toys to teach cause and affect concepts or just for fun. The symbol icons can also easily be changed and the device messages reprogrammed to allow for various other activities including phono-logical awareness activities, “find the rhyming word” activities and so much more. The versatility for the Partner Plus has really allowed for the creation of so many wonderful activities.

For more information regarding the activities mentioned above or if you would like to get more activity ideas using the Partner Plus please contact us at alli@amdi.net.