Receptive Communication

Receptive Language is the facility to listen and comprehend communication. Children and individuals with a receptive language disorder struggle to process language, written or spoken. A receptive language disorder may result from a traumatic brain injury, stroke, however most causes are still unknown. While children may suffer from a receptive language disorder this does not denote low intelligence, most children have average to above-average intelligence. Symptoms of a receptive language disorder may cause problems with communication, academic activities, and social interactions but can also include:

• ·      Trouble following directions
• ·      Confusion when faced with complicated or long sentences
• ·      Difficulty with abstract language
• ·      Difficulty responding to questions
• ·      Requires extra time to process information
• ·      Trouble differentiating between sounds

Therapy is provided to help improve the child’s ability to follow directions and increase their listening comprehension skills. Additionally support can be given to help differentiate similar sounds, sentence structure, and word recovery. Furthermore, scenarios are set up to help build vocabulary development and language in social situations. 

Completed Visual Daily Schedule:

Many teachers, whether they have students with special needs or not, are turning to visual aids in their daily schedule to help their visual learners. By attaching a picture to each part of the daily schedule allows a student who may not be able to read to follow the schedule, know where they are in their day and what is to follow. This is a GREAT tool to help students feel independent in an area where they may struggle the must.

 “No” Symbol:

By using the “NO” symbol students can see what is not allowed or ok in different environments without needing to read. The most common symbol for this is a red circle with a diagonal red line through the circle. Different examples of this and where they would be found include:

1.     “NO PEANUTS”                      (Peanut Free School/Lunchroom/Classroom)

2.     “NO CAMERAS/PHOTOS”    (Museum)

3.     “NO FOOD”                             (Museum, Clothing Stores)

4.     “NO SMOKING”                     (Airplane, Shops, Hospitals)

5.     “NO PETS/ANIMALS”           (Restaurants, Grocery Store)

6.  “NO PARKING”                       (Bus lane, Fire Lane, Loading Zone)

Specific Activity/ Mini Schedule:

Mini schedules are a type of visual aid used to help break down and sequence routines into more manageable steps. They are most often found in the location in which they are used for convenience.

            Example 1: Bedtime Routine

            Example 2: Morning Routine

Sequential Step Direction:

           Washing Hands:

           Brushing Teeth:

           Getting Dressed:

Change Symbol: 

Activity Termination Signals:

     

IEP Consideration & Assistive Technology

IEP, Individual Education Plan, consideration is the process in which the IEP team members use information analysis to determine student needs for assistive technology (AT). The team members use a student centered, task-focused, and environmentally relevant process to consider a students need for assistive technology. 

Below is a list of questions that can be asked when determining what AT device would best support the  individual or child:

• What does your child need to do but is unable to do because of his/her disability?
  
• What are your child’s customary environments? 
• What are your child’s biggest educational challenges
• What assistive technology tools are available to help your child overcome these challenges? 
• What criteria will be used to later determine if the AT has been successful in helping your child in his/her educational program?
• What are your child’s preferences in areas such as color and style? 
• What are the specific features of the AT device that can help your child?
• How long will this device or program remain a suitable AT device for your child?
• What tools or devices are readily available from the school, the district, or a loan library?
• Who will need to be trained to ensure that your child gets the maximum benefit from the AT device?

Form Used:

The Family Center on Technology and Disability- Assistive Technology and the IEP (Questions asked) 

AT IEP Considerations (Source that provides AT solutions that can be considered for students with disabilities with a focus on area of need not disability.)