Time to get Steppin’!
It is a new year and for many of us we are already struggling to keep our resolutions. The New Year always causes me to reflect on the path I’m guiding my students down. Half the school year is over. Have they made adequate progress so far? Are we on the right track or is it time to step in another direction and try something new? AMDi has several new products available to provide solutions no matter where an individual is or is going on the augmentative continuum. One of the new products available is the Partner/Plus Stepper. Its’ versatility help spark staff imagination and the students are excited and ready to use their steppers to participate in all kinds of new activities. The Partner/Plus Stepper allows for multiple messages to be programmed on one single button, each time the button is pressed a new message is said. The stepper has 60 seconds of record time therefore instead of a predetermined number of levels; one can recorded numerous messages until all 60 seconds are recorded. Like its counterpart, the Partner/Plus, it also has an input and output jack. This allows the stepper not only to be accessed by an alternative switch but also provides for the use of switch toys or other environmental control units. This feature is especially helpful to help provide contextual relevance and meaning to the multiple messages. A fun activity and wonderful example of the new Partner/Plus Stepper is its use during music time. When singing the 5 little duck song, the song is broken up into several levels on the stepper. A duck switch toy is then plugged into the stepper. While “stepping through” the levels on the device, when the chorus is activated (which is “mother duck said quack, quack, quack”) the switch toy is simultaneously activated and the toy duck begins to quack. I am finding with my students, activities like this not only help promote better understanding by providing contextual relevance but also promote awareness and distinction between the various messages. However, by far the favorite feature is the steppers ability to “clip” together. The Partner/Plus Stepper can be connected to other steppers or other Partner/Plus single message devices in various configurations to create unique custom devices for individuals. One example of the use of connected devices that has been extremely motivating to younger students is Old McDonald. This activity consists of one Partner/Plus Stepper which contains the chorus of Old McDonald connected to four Partner/Plus single message devices containing various farm animals. Each of the Partner/Plus single message devices also have the corresponding switch toy farm animal plugged into the output jack. This activity is not only fun and interactive it really has proven helpful to increase symbol discrimination and multiple activations of various cells. So as for this New Year, my resolution is to get Stepping! |
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Going to ATIA Orlando 2009?Please come by and visit us in the exhibit hall booth 621 Interested in learning how AMDi’s devices are being used with students? We would love to see you at one of our presentations!
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