We were hoping.
I had done so much research into the advantages of iPads for kids with special needs. Especially non-verbal kids with special needs.
A category in which Parker firmly sits.
Besides the health issues, what worries my heart the most is Parker’s inability to communicate. He can’t tell me what hurts, or even where it hurts. Instead I have to rely on my Mommy-sense to try to discern what is causing the pain.
Some days that Mommy-sense just doesn’t work as well as you’d hope.
In an unexpected sort of serendipity, the iPad has the power to open up the world for a kid like Parker.
Besides it’s obvious use with programs such as Proloquo2Go, an iPad also has the ability to engage Parker through the bazillions of other educational aps that are not only provide an interactive learning opportunity, but make learning fun.
Parker can be really hard to motivate. This is totally typical for a Hodson boy. Just like his two big brothers, there’s gotta be a reason for him to want to put forth effort to work. sigh.
We’ve found that Parker is highly motivated by computers. His reward with his speech therapist is a few minutes of his favorite Sesame Street YouTube videos.
He LOVES visiting Starfall.com as well as other interactive educational sites. Except, because of Parker’s lack of fine motor skills, a typical keyboard is beyond his ability to navigate. He’ll point and touch the computer screen in an attempt to be a part of the activities, so we know the iPad would be an excellent addition to his learning at home.
We wouldn’t use the iPad to replace our dreams of Parker one day having words to use along with a huge vocabulary of signs.
No, the iPad would serve more as a bridge. It would teach him the benefits that come with the ability to communicate. A MUCH better replacement to the head banging he still resorts to when exceptionally frustrated with not being able to express his needs.
It would give him the means to communicate while we are still working on sign and speech.
And we were hoping.
Parker’s beloved Miss Linda, his Kindergarten Provider, went to bat for him with Alpine School District.
And Parker lost.
Big time.
I’m not giving up though. I’m a Mama on a mission. And I know that a lot of you have been here and found a way to provide your kid with a way to communicate.
So, I’m asking for your ideas. Do you know of any programs in Utah that loans iPads out to kids with special needs? Anyone who offers technology grants for non-verbal kids with special needs?
I’ll collect any and all success stories and share them in a future post. Maybe together we can make it easier for kids to get the technology needed to enrich their lives.
Twitter: kadiera
Nov 18, 10
Try United Cerebral Palsy maybe – here in Michigan they have programs like that.
Kadiera,
THANK YOU for the link. While Parker doesn’t have CP, there are Moms of other kids who DO have CP that might benefit for this link.
Twitter: kadiera
Nov 18, 10
Our county has a lending library for schools to use, so you might talk with the state office that deals with special ed.
And like I mentioned elsewhere, at least in Michigan, you don’t have to have CP to get help from UCP….
We are hoping to get an Ipad for our Evie to use. If you find a way please share.
There is a blog that is giving 2 Ipads away.
http://marissasbunny.com/Marissas_Bunny/Marissas_Bunny_-_Infantile_Spasms_and_Epilepsy_Awareness/Entries/2010/11/9_Let%E2%80%99s_Do_It_Again_-_iPad_Giveaway_Part_2_and_3!.html
Thanks for sharing this link to Marissa’s blog. I need to add a link to the post above too!
You can’t get stuff from the united cerebral palsy center if you don’t have cerebral palsy
Twitter: kadiera
Nov 18, 10
Maybe where you are that’s true, but I know in Michigan it’s anyone with a disability. It states that pretty clearly on their website, and we’ve talked with them about several issues without a diagnosis of CP.
In Utah the UCP doesn’t have a affliate for the technology fund. But the Utah UCP only services cerebral palsy. The UCP in utah is not very active. Its sad. But maybe the downs syndrome association would help since he does have downs syndrome.
Nancy recently posted..Prematurity Awareness 2010
Hi I am Mom to a beautiful girl living with Cerebral Palsy and I know very well the challenges of helping a non-verbal child to acquire communication skills. Although there are many resources available the costs are astronomical and assistance seems difficult to come by. It is great that you have come to the global community for advice and ideas. I wish you the greatest success in getting everything that you need for Parker.
I thought that this website might be helpful:
http://www.ehow.com/list_6922003_assistive-technology-grants-parents.html
Staci,
THANK YOU for the link! Even if it doesn’t pan out for Parker, it may for another family!
Starfall and most educational websites will not work on an ipad tho
they require flash and apple does not support flash :(. There are some good apps tho!
Christie,
Thanks for sharing that! Good to know!
I know there are tons of iAps. I’ve been doing my research!
Okay. Stupid question here. If my Mac, that supports flash and those educational stites, works……how come an iPad doesn’t?
Same company, no?
Twitter: kadiera
Nov 18, 10
Apple wants it to be “safe” – whatever that means.
There are some android based tablets coming out now that do flash though…
I don’t know why they don’t – but they don’t
We would like an ipad for Jesse also. We can’t afford it though so we just make due with my iphone. Have you thought about just getting an ipod shuffle? It’s smaller, but it’s cheaper.
Sorry I meant ipod touch.
Erin,
Good ideas. The iTouch is too small for Parker to see things on clearly. As a matter of fact, we are looking into getting his eyes checked again. The homemade PECs we are using are actual pictures of things. But to make them small enough to use in a sentence strip, we aren’t sure if Parker can see them clearly.
Robert Rummel-Hudson knows a huge amonut about AACs and funding etc. He has fought for his daughter, who is also non-verbal, to have access to the right people and equipment, His website http://www.schuylersmonsterblog.com/ recommends http://www.aacfundinghelp.com/
http://natri.uky.edu/resources/fundamentals/laws.html for assistive tech legal mandates
and the aac institute
http://www.aacinstitute.org/index.html
you can also email him: robert@rummelhudson.com
Claire.
Thank you. This is incredibly valuable information. Thank you so much for sharing.
Tammy, which IPad do you think would be most appropriate for Parker?
Deborah,
We were thinking of the WiFi 16 GB or perhaps 32 GB. No G3.
I do think having the internet on it would be nice since we use a ToN of YouTube vids in Parker’s Homeschool. I wonder if the Sesame Street website requires FLASH to work properly.
ours just has wi fi – not the phone part (the tech plan – wayyy too spendy….) and it is perfect
TJmaxx is selling them for 399 if you can find a TJmaxx that is selling it.
The flash doesn’t work for a myriad of reasons. 1) the flash takes up a LOT a lot of space and it makes the ipad and other smaller operating systems crash. It works on your computer because the hard drive is bigger. HOWEVER, even on your computer if Flash crashes it will crash your safari or firefox instantly. AND apple and adobe have a love hate relationship and frankly Steve hates adobe.
Nancy recently posted..Prematurity Awareness 2010
Tammy we have been using the Ipad with Junior since early summer and we are amazed. He has the proloquo2go program and though he can’t move his hands he uses eye gaze to make his choices. His world has totally changed now that he can tell me what he wants/needs. In stead of sitting their screaming when something hurts he can show me exactly whats wrong. He even uses it to talk on the phone. I will never forget the moment we called my mom and I told her Junior wanted to talk. Our most recent trip to the zoo he had his ipad and directed us around the zoo. http://juniorsvoice.blogspot.com
Oh and starfall is working on an app for the ipad
Have you contacted anyone through Utah Assistive Technology Program? http://www.uatpat.org/ They may be able to help.
I don’t know about the schools in UT, but I know in DE they won’t fund iPads bc they can be used for multi-purpose and not JUST augmentative communication.
For what it’s worth, contact the Prentke Romich rep for your area. Go to prentrom.com and use the link to “Find Your Consultant” on the middle left side of the page. They are all SLPs and/or special educators who can come to your home and evaluate Parker to see if he could benefit from one of their devices, which one, and help you with the funding process. Getting Nik’s speech device has changed our lives. These devices, while more expensive than an iPad for sure, are at least classifed as medically necessary equipment; I can’t imagine Parker wouldn’t qualify!
Hey you! Good to see you here! Thanks for sharing your wisdom! Give Nik a hug from us?
Tammy, did you get my message last night? I need your mailing address…
Deborah recently posted..National Adoption Day
Our school district is getting them for some of the older kids. They are very cost effective when compared to other aug comm devices. There is a big issue about warrenty because many there really is none. I want to get one for Luke but we will have to use industrial strength velcro for it to be on a table/desk and/or some sort of a short zip chord (I think that is what they are called). With Luke it would only take one frustrated swipe and it would be $400 down the drain.
FYI — we are a large, suburban district w/ a new, young head of special ed.
Hi Tammy –
Your guy Parker and our Son Connor have many things in common it seems! We have had quite the week with increased O2 and Lasix and ALTEs due to pulmonary hypertension. That however is not why I am writing. I wanted to share our success with introducing the IPad to Connor in August. It has truly opened his world, he has been a PECS user since he was 2 but at 6 years old there is so much I know he would say if he just had the words. I was having trouble predicting what new vocabulary I should create PECS for and with the IPad this is almost no work at all. At his last Cardiology Appointment he grabbed his Ipad and said “I want to go Home” something I am sure he has wanted to say many times over!
We are using Proloquo-2-Go.and the symbol set it uses is SymbolStix. I just wanted to pass along in case you didn’t know that SymbolStix is also available in the TapToTalk application. I have not used TapToTalk myself however it is available for $99.95 and can be used on Nintendo DSi, DSi XL, DS Lite, DS; Ipad, Ipod; android devises or on the web. You may want to check it out.
I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and so I cannot help with funding options for you. I have however approached our School Board to buy an IPad for Connor and it turned out he was the first in our board to ask for one. We are lucky and the board is running a trial Connor will be a part of. If you have any questions about this or if I can help please send me an email, I am sure you already did so but i wrote a proposal comparing the options for AAC devices out there and reasons why it is the obvious choice for Connor. I am happy to share it with you if you like.
You are a truly incredible Mom and Parker is lucky with you as his Mom, advocate, nurse, personal support worker, teacher,….and the many many other hats you wear!
Lots of Love and Prayers from us in Canada.
Hello
I am a teacher in NYC / General teacher but I team teach with a Sp. Ed teacher in an Inclusion class. Please visit this web site and I am certain that you will be able to talk with someone and also find the best device for Parker.
Many blessings-
http://www.dynavoxtech.com/default.aspx
Hi again –
I read Madelene’s comment and wanted to pass along some info RE:dynavox. Our school district has approved Dynavox augmentative communication devices despite their high price. Do you know what devices your district has approved? You may want to look into the latest release of devices from dynavox. On October 8th dynavox released a smaller device that weighs less than their other devices (to compete with IPad I imagine). Unfortunately it comes with the same hefty price tag however if it is an approved device your district may pay for it. Just a thought.
Have you tried a local assistive technology center? Many have iPads. Feel free to visit our site at http://www.globalaugmentative to learn more about the upcoming release of SpeechTree.
We would be happy to provide you a free code for download when i is released.
try to see if your library has an ipad to check out. Our school got one iPad and as an slp, I checked it out and a found all a these great apps For free or 99cents. The iPod touch is great also and half the price.