Cynthia Feist and Karen DietrichAssistive Technology Trainers

Loudoun County Public SchoolsVSTE 2009

Cynthia.Feist@loudoun.k12.va.us

Karen.Dietrich@loudoun.k12.va.us

What is Literacy?

Includes the processes of reading and writing

Provides a tool for communication, self-expression, and social interaction

Promotes personal independence and self-confidence

Provides an important key for inclusion and participation in varied environments:HomeSchoolWork Community

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snorrrlax/303058260

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicemariedesigns/306663973

Factors Influencing Development of Literacy Skills

Motor skills (gross motor, fine motor, visual motor)Sensory and perceptual function (visual, auditory,

tactile, proprioception)CognitionLanguage and communicationAttentionExposure to oral and written English language

What are Visual Supports? Make language visible using pictures,

photos, drawings, symbols, and/or objects for: Adapted books and story boards Writing assists, such as story starters

and editing tools Adapted activities and worksheets for

students’ different abilities and learning styles

And much more!http://prekese.dadeschools.net/BMD/storysymbols.html

www.news-2-you.com

Visual Supports and Universal Design for LearningProviding print access to all learners supports

Universal Design for Learning principles:•“Multiple means of representation, to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge, •Multiple means of expression, to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know, and•Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation.” http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html

Question…These individuals are struggling

with their reading and writing skills:

Mary has dyslexia.John has a cognitive

impairment.Jose is an English second

language learner.

What visual strategies and resources are available to support them in reading and writing activities?

Visual Representation Systems

Real objects: 3-DMiniature real objects: 3-DTrue Object Based Icons (TOBIs

– picture/photo with foam core or cardboard backing, cut out in shape of object): 2-D

Photographs: 2-DReal drawings: 2-DLine drawings: 2-DWritten text: 2-D (Susan Stokes, M.A., CCC-SLP)

Concrete

Abstract

Selecting Visual SupportsA photo or picture may

contain too much information, making it more difficult to understand what it represents; avoid cluttered backgrounds.

Select photos or pictures that represent a single idea or concept that may be more easily understood.

Computer

Graphics from Boardmaker and Microsoft Clip Art

Visual Supports for Reading Enhance text with picture communication

symbols , photos, or 3-D props. Add textured materials to provide visual

and tactile POP! Scan or copy book pages to enlarge or

place in more user friendly format such as 3-ring binders with page protectors, laminate, clear contact paper, zip-lock bags, or photo albums (regular or talking).

Be consistent…place hook Velcro on back of visuals to place on tempo loop fabric, non-shag carpet square, or on loop velcro placed on adapted books or worksheets.

Place magnetic strips on back of visuals and place on cookie sheet.

Visual Supports for Reading

Picture symbols can be placed on communication boards or voice output devices that represent story characters, objects, events, comments, and questions to access when the book is read and discussed.

http://prekese.dadeschools.net/BMD/storysymbols.html

Visual Supports for ReadingStory ropes or story

bookmarks can support story comprehension and retelling :SettingCharactersStory beginningImportant events (3)Story ending

Created by LCPS AT with graphics from www.flickr.com

Visual Supports for WritingStory startersWriting promptsEditing checklistsSentence stripsAnd much more!

Why are we standing at the

Golden Gate Bridge?

Visual Supports for Writing

Graphic Organizers in MS Word Tables

Story organizer4-square with sound recorder

Inserting Photos into MS Word 2007 Tables

To easily insert photos into a Word document to create writing prompts and adapted worksheets:

Create a table: Click on the Insert tab > Table and either Insert Table or Draw table.

Click inside a table cell and drag your cursor across all of the cells. On the Table Tools menu, click on the Layout tab > AutoFit > Fixed Column Width. This will prevent cells from enlarging if the picture you add is too big.

Click on the Insert tab > Picture, and the Insert Picture window will appear. Navigate to the picture you want, and insert it into the cell. Or, you can copy and paste a picture from the Internet or another source into the cell.

Graphic Organizer Software Graphic organizer software programs provide

a visual tool with graphics to develop ideas and organize thinking through integrated diagramming and outlining features.

Graphics can be used to create interactive activities.

Inspiration and Kidspiration software have audio support to have text read aloud or to record narration. Free 30-day trial download or CD available at www.inspiration.com

Free downloadable Inspiration/Kidspiration materials at www.inspiredlearningcommunity.com

www.inspiredlearningcommunity.com

LCPS AT

Sample Inspiration and Kidspiration Templates

Kidspiration template Inspiration template from www.inspiredlearningcommunity.com

Boardmaker SoftwareContains thousands of picture

communication symbols and photos for creating symbol-based communication and educational materials

Includes hundreds of templates for creating worksheets, communication boards, and other activities.

Free 30-day trial download of version 6 at www.mayer-johnson.com Their website at www.adaptedlearning.com and other websites have free downloadable Boardmaker materials.

http://www.mayer-johnson.com/MainBoardmaker.aspx?MainCategoryID=5419

Boardmaker LanguagesEach symbol can be translated

into numerous languages and may be searched for and printed in any of the languages.

Symbols can include no text, one language, or two languages.

Great for creating materials for second language learners!

Boardmaker Symbolate ToolWhen using the

Symbolate tool in version 6, as you type the text, the appropriate graphic appears along with the text.

Boardmaker Symbols and Other GraphicsBoardmaker symbols can be

copied and pasted into Word documents or PowerPoint slides.

Graphics from other sources, such as the Internet and digital photos, can be copied and pasted into Boardmaker boards.

Text with Graphics Software

In addition to the Boardmaker v. 6 Symbolate tool , the following software programs also provide the text with graphics feature.

PixWriter: www.slatersoftware.com Writing with Symbols: www.widgit.com

Text with Graphics: Online ResourcesSymbol World at www.symbolworld.org Free! Includes

online magazine, stories, and other learning activities. Some are in Spanish, French, German, Dutch, and Italian.

News-2-You at www.news-2-you.com Subscription required. Includes online newspaper in English and Spanish and related activities, stories, recipes, worksheets and more.

Symbol World and News-2-You Samples

www.symbolworld.org www.news-2-you.com

PowerPoint BooksCreate electronic books incorporating graphics, digital

photos, scanned pages from books, videos, animation, narration, and sound effects.

The text in PowerPoint presentations (for version 2000 and higher) can be read aloud by using PowerTalk, a free download at http://fullmeasure.co.uk/powertalk.

Hard copies of PowerPoint books can be printed and adapted as needed.

PowerPoint with Animation

I see a red bird looking at me.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?

PowerPoint with Narration

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?

Boardmaker symbols I see a red bird looking at me.

PowerPoint with Animation and Sound Effects

cathttp://jc-schools.net/PPT/WordFamilies.ppt

Sound out this word.

PowerPoint Photo AlbumEasily insert photos from

home, classroom, or community-based activities using PowerPoint Photo Album.Free add-in for PPT 2000

download at www.microsoft.com/downloads

Included in more recent PPT versions.

These photos can be used for digital storytelling, story starters, and more!

PowerPoint Website ResourcesPowerPoint stories, lessons, and activities related to

language arts, math, science, social studies, and more are available at these websites and many more:http://jc-schools.net/ppt.htmlhttp://speech.jppss.k12.la.us Go to Language activities http://www.pppst.com/themes.html#M

If you do not have PowerPoint, you can download PowerPoint Viewer at www.microsoft.com/downloads. This allows you to view presentations, but you cannot edit them.

Other Sources for GraphicsDigital photosClip art and drawing

programsScanned images (must

own hard copy of source)Websites with free

graphics for non-commercial educational use (sources on next slide)

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart

Websites with Free Graphics for Non-Commercial Educational Use

Be wise! Cite the website source for the graphic and to ensure that you are following copyright laws, read any info on the website about using their graphics.

www.imaginesymbols.com www.flickr.com/creativecommons http://etc.usf.edu/clipart www.freefoto.com www.wisegorilla.com/clipart.html www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/clipart.htm www.awesomeclipartforeducators.com www.theteachersguide.com/Freebies.html http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart http://office.microsoft.com/clipart (must have a valid MS Office license) Adapted from

www.imaginesymbols.com

Websites with Free Literacy Activities with Visuals

The following websites have free downloadable adapted books, story boards, song boards, communication boards, and more. These are some of our favorites!

Baltimore City Public SchoolsTar Heel ReaderSET-BCPolk County Public SchoolsCAST Book BuilderMiami-Dade County Public SchoolsSpeaking of SpeechJefferson Parish Public Schools

Baltimore City Public Schools Adapted Library Website

The Baltimore City Public Schools website at www.baltimorecityschools.org/boardmaker/adapted_library.asp has picture symbols for more than 750 book titles, with 9, 20, or 56 picture communication topic boards. Search by title or author.

Boardmaker software and an unzip utility (eg. Winzip) are required to open the files.

If you have a copy of the book, you are permitted to use their symbols.

It also includes MS Word documents with story comprehension questions.

Sample topic boards are on the next slide.

Baltimore City Public SchoolsPicture Communication Topic Boards: The Deer In The Wood

http://www.baltimorecityschools.org/boardmaker/adapted_library.asp

The Deer In The Wood Adapted Activity: Story Comprehension Questions

The Deer In The Wood Adapted Activity: Sentence Strips

Place velcroed picture cards with answers to fill in the blanks.

Tar Heel ReaderThe Tar Heel Reader website at www.tarheelreader.com has

more than 2000 books with text and graphics that can be viewed online or downloaded as a PowerPoint presentation.

When viewed online, there are options to change the text or background color, or to have the text read aloud, with a choice of three voices (child, man, woman).

SET-BC WebsiteThe SET-BC website at

http://www.setbc.org/setbc/communication/communication_picset_resources.html has PictureSET, a collection of downloadable visual supports that can be downloaded and incorporated in stories or lessons.

Items are available in Boardmaker, Writing with Symbols, and PDF files.

www.setbc.org/pictureset/resource.aspx?id=136

Polk County Public SchoolThe Polk County Public

Schools website at http://www.polk-fl.net/staff/resources/ese/resourcesboardmaker.htm

has Boardmaker resources including adapted books , communication boards, and a variety of curriculum resource that are saved as Boardmaker files and also as PDF files.

CAST Book BuilderThe CAST Universal Design for

Learning Book Builder website at http://bookbuilder.cast.org has books that can be read online or downloaded.

Talking animated coaches provide content enrichment.

A glossary provides definitions of key terms in the story, often with pictures.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Website

The Miami-Dade website at http://prekese.dadeschools.net/BMD/activityspecific.html has downloadable picture symbols, story boards, interactive storybooks, communication boards, nursery rhymes, recipes, and more. Some are available in Spanish.

BELL (Building Early Language and Literacy) Shared Reading titles are available.

Boardmaker is required to open the files.

http://prekese.dadeschools.net/BMD/spanishboards.html

Speaking of Speech Website

www.speakingofspeech.com/PDFs/What_BingoQuestions.pdf

The Speaking of Speech website has a Materials Exchange at http://www.speakingofspeech.com/Materials_Exchange.html that has links to free downloadable materials for Literacy Skills and much more!

Jefferson Parish Public Schools Website

Jefferson Parish at http://speech.jppss.k12.la.us/aac index 1.htm has adapted stories and popular story symbols, saved as PDF files.

http://speech.jppss.k12.la.us/aac%20index%201.htm

Although this presentation in on using visuals, note that text-to-speech programs allow students to hear the text on the screen read aloud. Free text-to-speech programs include: http://www.readplease.com

http://www.wordtalk.org.uk

http://www.naturalreaders.com

Voice Over (for MACs) is pre-loaded on MAC computers

Represent! WebsiteCheck out our Represent! Using Visuals

to Support Literacy web page at http://tinyurl.com/lcpsatvste09 to access this PowerPoint presentation and additional visual resources.

Click on the link to Represent!

Loudoun County Public Schools Assistive Technology Website

Check out www.loudoun.k12.va.us/at and click on the Resources link to locate additional supports for reading, writing, science, math, communication, and more!

Question…RepeatedWhat visual strategies and resources are

available to support Mary, John, and Jose in their reading and writing activities?