AT Professionals What Could Their Education Be

Closing The Gap Solutions e-Magazine, October / November 2024 Volume 43 - Number 4

AT Professionals What Could Their Education Be alternative augmentative communication (AAC) Summary: This paper is about how to get more people into the field of assistive technology. It will explore what the k12 system could do to support all students who might be interested in the field. The author will give his thoughts and ideas for anyone to follow. As the field gets older, we will always need to find a younger generation of assistive technology professionals. This paper will talk about people who have a disability and could go into the field too if they want to.

When I was finishing up with my high school, the teachers talk- ed all of the time about attending college. They would say things to my classmates and I, college is your ticket, college is the next step, and everyone with your abilities attend college to show peo- ple that you can do it. In addition, I had someone in my life who really wanted me to go to college. I didn't know what I could do because of my disability. I knew that I wanted to help students and their family live their best life, but how to do this. I heard and knew about the field of assistive technology, but I thought that it was only for speech therapists, physical therapists, and occupa- tional therapists. I didn't know about any teachers who just do assistive technology and help school teams with assistive tech- nology needs. I believe this needs to change and lucky for you I will give you some ideas and thoughts on how it can be done. MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN START Yep, you read it right. This can start when students are in Mid- dle School. Tech ed is a phenomenal way to introduce students to the world of making assistive technology tools and devices. I am

sure that everyone reading this will know about AT maker day or an event, these are phenomenal ways to introduce the field of as- sistive technology. You can ask the school's tech ed, if they would be able to make a cubby that you can have in your classroom or a bench to put outside so students can sit if they need to. Make sure that the class will know that they are making things to help their classmates who have a disability. Maybe invite the class to see your classroom, from that they might get ideas on what to build next. In language arts they might be reading a book with a char- acters or characters with a disability, ask the teacher if you want me to come in to talk about people who have a disability. If the teacher says yes I would love that, please stay positive and bring one of your students with you. I have gotten to speak with middle school classes before and these are my favorite group to talk to, because these students are just starting to think about what do I want to do for my job. If we can get on their mind working in the assistive technology field is a real job that will be great.

MIKE HIPPLE his a young adult with cerebral palsy and uses a communication device. He has been using a device for 24 years and he has been using different assistive technology tools since he was a kid. He founded the Wisconsin AAC Network. He founded Wisconsin Augmentative Alternative Communication AAC Network. The network mission is to bring Wisconsin state holders for AAC together to have and one voice and to share the knowledge that we have. He is a proud member of Special Education and assistive technology communi - ties. He is a member of Wisconsin Autism Society, Wisconsin CEC, United States Society of AAC [USSAAC] and International Society for AAC [ISAAC]. He enjoy writing about anything to do with assistive technology and education. When he isn't learning or writing, you will find him watching baseball, Law and Order, Netflix, taking walks, or volunteering with his Kiwanis club.

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HOW TEACHERS CAN HELP TYPICAL STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE A DISABILITY GET INTO THE FANTASTIC FIELD I have been asked to come to speak to a class called future help occupation. This class is for students that are interested in the helping occupation of students that want to be a doctor, nurse, and police officer or fireman. The teacher asked me to do this a few years ago and I look forward to this each year, because I am educating the class about assistive technology. Most students who are taking this class, it is most likely that they won't have a class on the topic. when they will be in college. I bring all kinds of communication boards and I say this okay for this hour you can talk, but you need to use these tools to talk to us. My hope with this that students understand how hard it is for someone to communicate with only using a few words. I tell the person with me that please feel free have fun with them, saying things like I don't understand what you want we need to move forward, your speech therapist just want you to work on feelings, or you aren't interested in using this we will quit trying. I make sure that we will have time for discussion when anyone can talk on what was going on and what are your thoughts. Some things that I always get are this never happen, I feel sad because teachers and speech therapists don't believe in their students, and this one interest me, what can we do to stop this from hap- pening. These are the future people who will be working in the field with us someday soon. Most high schools also have computer classes and woodshop classes. What if you ask the teachers, if they will make communica- tion symbols, a desk for a student who uses a power chair, a bench for people to go to when they don't have someone to talk to, or a switch that students can use. Maybe you will find someone who they don't know what they want to be and they might say I think the field of assistive technology looks interesting, I might look into that. Again ask the language arts teachers if they are reading a book with a character with a disability can you come in to speak to their classes and please bring a student to their classes. I believe that if students see someone that they go to school with, they are more willing to listen to you. And they will be interested in going into the field! Students with a disability can work in the field and we should talk about this with these students. This was me when I was a stu- dent. My parents and school team believed in me so they chal- lenged me to be the best so I can write blogs, give speeches and workshops, and work to help the community. High schools have a class for students with a disability and without a disability about life skills and how to work with people who have a disability. This class is excellent for everyone. Let's look at some of the benefits for both groups. First we will talk about students with a disability: being in a regular class, the willingness to work with anyone, following di- rections that a peer gives, and working together. So I bet you are thinking this class only helps students with a disability? I think no, actually I think this class will help more students without a dis-

ability. Let's look at their benefits: they will be understanding of people with a disability, they will have a different viewpoint on life, they will include their friends in clubs and at lunch time, and hopefully when they are adults and owe a business they might hire someone who has a disability. I will ask you which group wins and will get more from this? Most people will say students with a disability get more out of this and I understand but please consid- er this. We are giving someone who they don't have a disability, no one in their family, or they have no friends with a disability; an opportunity to step into the disability community. Maybe just maybe it could be a start of something and they might be inter- ested in it. We don't know what will start their career and life's passion. This part of the paper I'm going to be discussing what comes next for the people who might be interested in coming into the field. We need to welcome them like people did for us. I remem- ber going to my first Closing The Gap in 2017. I have only been interested in working in the field for only two or three years, but people like Kelly Fonner, Joy Z, and Caroline Musselwhite were so welcoming to me and wanted to talk to me. It was an amazing feeling and I am so thankful for that! We need to get more stu- dents attending these conferences, so they can start networking and learning from these amazing people. When I am talking about students, I mean students at all levels and all abilities. If you are a tenth grader and you know that they are interested in assistive technology ask them hey do you want to go to a conference with me, but please make sure that they know that it isn't a vacation from school. Have things for them to do like go to the QIAT work- shop, visit with a family member or someone who uses assistive technology, and start their professional network. Now most high schools won't have money to send a technology class or future helping occupation class to a huge assistive technology and spe- cial education conference and I understand that. But states might have a fair on assistive technology and or a conference and you can take your students to it. That way they are starting to explore the assistive technology world and starting to build their network up Sadly in college we have just a few programs just on assistive technology and I believe that it is wrong and sad, but a lot of as- sistive technology learning is on your own. Why not start their love and learning about assistive technology in middle school or sooner. In closing I will ask you the readers a question. Why don't we have a lot of professionals who use assistive technology in the field? Maybe we don't have an answer to this, but I think that some people in the field believe that you need to go to a college to be a professional. Why do they think that you might be asking yourself? Remember at the start of this paper, I told you that I had people in my life that wanted me to go to a university. For the lon- gest time I wanted that myself, but my school team and my family looked and explored with me what college would be like for me. After we looked at it some more, I told them that I didn't think that college wasn't the right step for me. They listened and supported

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ON BEING SARAH is geared for fifth grade and up. The au- thors are Elizabeth Helfman and Lino Saffioti. This book uti- lizes Charles Bliss symbol system throughout the book. The book zones in on Sarah's feelings and frustrations with her thoughts(which are set in italics). Sarah finds a true friend Mag- gie who learns her symbol system. PRIVATE EYE ROMEO RILEY-THE BOY WHO SAW TOO MUCh is geared for first grade and up. The author is April M Whitt. The book is a three book series with a boy who has CP and uses a communication device. He goes around solving mys- teries so calls himself private eye Romeo. This is a great book to read to a new device communicator or their class. I love the way it addresses mishits on a device. HOW KATIE GOT HER VOICE is geared for first grade and up. Author is a speech therapist, Patricia L Mervine. Katies is start- ing at a new school where everyone has a nickman, but Katies are different. She can’t walk or talk. The book is great for a class discussion with its twelve tips on how to talk with someone with different abilities. Another great book for a new communicator and their class. RULES is geared for fifth grade and up. Author is Cynthis Lord. Catherine, the main character, has a brother who has au- tism. She writes rules for her brother to live by so he knows how the world works. She likes to come to his occupational therapy sessions and meets Jason who is in a wheelchair and uses a com- munication book to communicate. She creates new cards to ex- pand Jason’s world. They become friends, and their friendship helps her with feelings she has toward her brother’s disability. Note: honest feelings of siblings explored. CINNAMON FRECKLES book series for preschoolers and up. Author is Sarah Leal. The picture book series is written to help her daughter through hard times in her life. What I like about these books is you can email Sarah to get a book put on a stu- dent’s communication device and they can read it to their class- mates themselves. GHOST BOY biography of Martin Pistorius’s journey. It is geared for eighth grade and up. Martin was 12 when he was sick and lost all cognitive and physical abilities. A caregiver rec- ognized his potential. First he used his eyes and body parts to communicate then after hard work and years he became one of the best known AAC communicators in South Africa. SAY WHAT YOU WILL is geared for high school students. The author is Cammie McGovern. Amy, who is in ler last year of high school, has CP and used a communication device. She’s extremely smart, gifted, and wants to have a typical senior year. She recruits peers to be her helpers so she can have a typical

me. I hope this paper gave you some insight and perspective on what assistive technology education can look like starting in mid- dle school and that people who use assistive technology, they can be in the field too. I made this list a few years ago. Please feel free to use it when a language arts teacher is looking for a book to read. If they or you find a different book with characters who need to use an assistive technology tool, please let me know so I can add it. Book list with characters who use AAC BOOK REVIEW LIST WITH A CHARACTER WHO USES AAC This is a list of books with a character or story line relating to complex communication needs or communication devices. I read all the books and put this summary together so adults and kids who use a device can feel connected to others by reading about charac- ters that use devices like them. So read a book to them or let them read themselves. School staff: please share with your libraries. If these types of books are in the library and available to classmates to read it may increase classmate’s awareness and understanding. Mike Hipple WINDOW BOY is geared for seventh grade and up. The au- thor is Andrea White. The book is about a boy who has CP grow- ing up in 1968. It was rare for a student with a disability to be included. Sam’s mother convinces the school to let Sam enter sixth grade. Sam gets to go to his local school for the first time. His caregiver Miss Perkins is a caring and loving lady who will do anything for Sam. She oftens spends more time with Sam than his mother. Miss Perkins is from England. She spends hours reading to Sam about Winston Churchill. Sam loves Winston and has imaginary discussions with Winnie. These discussions help Sam cope with his disability. His favorite sport is basketball. The title of the book comes from him sitting in his wheelchair look- ing out the window of his apartment where he watched kids play basketball. Once he got to go to school, he met friends, but everything changed when his mother met her new boyfriend. The book addresses many prejudices, old beliefs about what people with disabilities can do. Some parts of the books are sad and emotionally charged but Sam does win in the end. Read the Afterword sections too. OUT OF MY MIND is geared for fourth grade and up. The au- thor is Sharon Draper. The character Melody Brooks who has CP. She’s 11 and so smart but no one knows that because she can not speak. She finally gets a communication device and is now able to really be a part of her school. When she got a commu- nication device everyone learned about her amazing memory. She tried out the quiz team and surprised her classmates with how much she knew. The team qualifies for Nationals and she is all set to go with her team but….read on.

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experience. Note: talks about sex, alcohol and peer relationships

DANCING DAISIES is geared for high school students. Au- thor is Sarah Pyszka. It is about a teenage girl who uses a com- munication device and she wants to go to a regular summer camp. She broke it off with two friends who betrayed her. She was so sad. Even though she was hurting she decided to go ahead with her camp plans. At camp she met new friends and a boy. They changed her summer. She gets in trouble at camp, will she get sent home? STUCK IN NEUTRAL is geared for mature readers and is not for everyone. Author is Terry Truman. Note: if you have a stu- dent who has a sibling who has CP/severe disabilities, let par- ents know they are reading this. Emotionally charged, question the value of life. The dad, an author, deals with his emotions, grief by writing poetry about his son who is disabled. He does not know his son is cognitively bright, a secret genius who re- members everything he ever hears. Dad cannot cope, he ref- erences his “vegetable son” in his Pulitzer prize winning poem. His son thinks his dad is trying to kill him because of the poetry he writes. The book tells the story of them trying to understand each other. I thought about leaving this book out but I think people need to understand that the thoughts talked about in the book are still being talked about today on the internet, tv shows and in the news. We need to tell people not to judge people based on their ability to communicate.

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