of the CBI program for community work experience. This class- room was within an elementary school. Low-tech AT solutions were provided, including a visual checklist of work activities to be performed. A job coach, working in collaboration with the Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services (DARS), helped with task initiation and task completion. Simulation ac- tivities were used to teach functional living skills such as sweep- ing the floor, using a spray bottle, wiping down tables, opening lunch boxes, and helping children put on coats and hats. A low-tech visual choice board was created with self-man- agement and self-monitoring strategies. It was upsetting when the noise level increased. The choice board allowed tool choice for self-regulation. With success in the preschool class- room, the internship moved to the larger kindergarten class- room where similar tasks were performed with AT supports but with more children. After a year in the kindergarten classroom, a goal to work in the cafeteria was self-identified (self-deter- mination). The internship provided invaluable social skill and workplace behavior development. These skills were practiced at the high school with the speech language pathologist using visual scripts and then generalized to the internship. The internship in the cafeteria required new skills and AT supports to include: • Simulation and visual supports to stock condiments and utensils • Simulation and video modeling to learn how to wipe down the tables and dry them off • An adapted handle on the trigger to help with hand fatigue • Video modeling to demonstrate how to perform ADL tasks or functional living skills such as how to put on a hairnet, how to wear a mask, how to put gloves on and how to put on an apron • A low-tech visual checklist for hygiene checked off daily (Figure 37)
of Advanced PE class, all students wiped down and cleaned the gym equipment. Because of hand strength, squeezing the spray bottle was challenging. The trigger was adapted with an extension making it longer and easier to squeeze. The jobs continued to be used as writing prompts (Figure 36). Child Life/ Child Development was taken for occupational course expo- sure and CTE courses with a requirement to volunteer in the preschool at the high school in 9th and 10th grade. Low tech visual supports were provided to learn the preschool routine. School jobs included being part of the high school’s morning news show where the daily weather report was provided using visuals. Success in high school settings led to an internship as a teacher’s assistant at age 16 in an off-campus preschool, part Figure 35: A digital book that was typed by this student that was then shared through a link to the parents who then shared with other family members creating a great deal of pride and engagement.
Figure 36. Using a cartoon from Storyboard That to show her response to cleaning the gym equipment after taking an Advanced PE class in high school.
February / March, 2026 | https://www.closingthegap.com/benefits-of-membership/ 15 Closing The Gap © 2026 Closing The Gap, Inc. All rights reserved.
BACK TO CONTENTS
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator