February / March 2022 Closing The Gap Solutions Magazine

Closing The Gap Resource Directory Solutions e-Magazine, 2022 February / March - Volume 40 - Number 6

Closing The Gap Assistive Technology Resources for Children and Adults with Disabilities February / March, 2022 Volume 40 - Number 6 Solutions ANNUAL RESOURCE DIRECTORY

A guide to the latest assistive technology products for children and adults with disabilities. It is the culmination of an extensive search for the latest software, hardware and other assistive technology products that are on the market today, as well as their producers. 2022 Edi t ion

EDITOR’S NOTE: There is no charge for inclusion in the Resource Directory. Listings are based on editorial questionnaires, phone interviews and materials provided by producers. Listings are not advertisements nor is their inclusion in the Directory an endorsement or guarantee by Closing The Gap. Descriptions are edited materials submitted by producers. They are not product reviews. Information provided is as current as possible at publication time.

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contents volume 40 | number 6

february / march, 2022

Megan Turek ......................................... PRESIDENT Marc Hagen ........................................... VICE PRESIDENT MANAGING EDITOR Becky Hagen.......................................... MEMBERSHIP MANAGER REGISTRATION MANAGER Mary Jo Barry......................................... MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Literacy, Letters, & Language: Embedding Opportunities for

30 Upcoming Live Webinars

32 Product Spotlight

Students with Complex Communication Needs By Laura Sheehan and Ashley Larisey

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38 RESOURCE DIRECTORY A guide to nearly 1,500 Assistive Technology Products! 39 Producers 52 Hardware Product Matrix 60 Hardware Product Listings 80 Software Product Matrix 91 Software Product Listings 127 Other AT Product Matrix 137 Other AT Product Listings 170 Membership Information

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14 Our Experience with Robot- Assisted Intervention at MOVIA Impairment? By Timothy Gifford

22 Making Play Possible with Easy AdaptATions By Judith Schoonover

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instruction, literacy & inclusion Literacy, Letters, & Language: Embedding Opportunities for Students with Complex Communication Needs Summary: Comprehensive literacy instruction for learners with significant disabilities is a critical component of the formal instruc- tional years and beyond. This article will highlight embedded instructional experiences that teach alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness, so learners can apply knowledge gained during explicit instructional experiences to the world around them. It is critical that language and literacy are the foundation for students to achieve independent, autonomous communication.

A SHARED VISION ALL learners can learn to read and write.

When we have a shared vision of what our students are capable of learning, we believe in their ability to learn to read and write. We believe our students are entitled to high quality instruction that occurs across instructors and environments. We put no limits on their ability to learn literacy and language. We believe that their access to high quality instruction is not only their right, but one of the most important factors in achieving independence and autonomy in their adult lives.

Comprehensive literacy instruction MUST occur for ALL learners with complex communication needs. If you educate and support learners with significant disabili- ties, you play an imperative role in their literacy development. You are a part of something special. You are a member of a life- changing team!

LAUREN SHEEHAN is a special education teacher with over fourteen years experience working with learners with complex communication needs. Currently, Lauren teaches in a public high school and also works as an adjunct instructor. Lauren has an undergraduate degree in special education, and dual master degrees in special education and curriculum and instruction. She also has a certificate in assistive technology. Lauren’s experiences include providing comprehensive literacy instruction, supporting learners who use AAC, alternative access and assistive technology use. Lauren has presented at local and national conferences on multiple topics in special education, literacy instruction and assistive technology. ASHLEY LARISEY is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and clinical educator. Ashley’s work experiences over the past 11 years include public and private therapeutic day schools, speech/language clinics, and early intervention. Ashley also serves as an adjunct clinical supervisor at Saint Xavier University and teaches a module specific to the use of technology in the field of Speech/Language Pathology. Ashley has extensive experience working with children and adults who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, and has presented at local and national conferences on AAC.

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EMERGENT VS. CONVENTIONAL LITERACY INSTRUCTION

When working with emergent literacy learners, it is recom- mended that instructors spend 90-135 minutes daily using strategies, including shared reading, predictable chart writing, alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness, indepen- dent writing, and self-selected reading. Of this, 20-30 minutes should be spent focusing on alphabet and phonological aware- ness skills. EXPLICIT VS. EMBEDDED INSTRUCTION When focusing on alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness, it is critical to ensure that we include both explicit and embedded instruction throughout the day. Explicit instruc- tional strategies are those which follow a specified scope and sequence and are relatively short in duration (about 15-20 minutes). Explicit instructional strategies for alphabet instruc- tion include the explicit alphabet instructional routine (Jones, et al, 2013), which focuses on letter identification, letter sound identification, recognizing the letter within text, and producing the letter form. Letters are targeted throughout six instructional cycles (e.g. alphabetic order, frequency of use, order of sound acquisition). However, embedded instructional strategies, which will be the primary focus of this article, provide learners with context and meaning. It is often the application of embedded instruc- tional strategies where we see students make connections between what they are learning and its practical use within their immediate lives. We know from experiences within our instructional settings that learners require ongoing exposure, embedded instruction, and repetition with variety. Embedded instruction often occurs outside of the confines of tabletop classroom activities, which is what makes it so powerful.

While all students are entitled to receive comprehensive literacy instruction, implementation will vary depending on the current skill set of the learner. When determining what instruc- tional strategies will be most effective in teaching literacy, we defer to the following four questions taken from Comprehen- sive Literacy for All (Erickson & Koppenhaver, 2020) to guide the decision making process. • Does the student understand that print has meaning? • Does the student know most of the letters, most of the time? • Does the student actively engage during shared reading? • Does the student have a means of communication and interaction? (Erikson & Koppenhaver, 2020) If answers to the above questions are all “yes”, then the student’s literacy instruction will include conventional literacy instructional strategies (guided reading, independent writing, independent reading, and word study). Additional information regarding conventional literacy instruction can be found in the resources section. However, if the answer is “no” to any of the above four ques- tions, emergent literacy strategies are recommended to estab- lish a solid foundation of skills. This will foster further literacy growth as students transition from emergent to conventional instruction as literacy skills continue to develop and evolve over time.

WHAT IS ALPHABET KNOWLEDGE AND PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS?

Letters and language naturally occur during comprehensive literacy instruction. Knowing how we define alphabet knowl- edge and phonological awareness is necessary to identify what instruction your learners may need. Educators must know what skills are targeted within each. Just as we use the most common ingredients to bake a cake, educators must know the elements of alphabet instruction and phonological awareness. Alphabet knowledge is, “the ability to name, distinguish and produce the shapes, and identify the sounds of alphabet letters.” (Erickson & Koppenhaver, 2020) This includes: • letter identification • letter sounds

• recognizing letters in text • producing letter forms.

Jane Farrall’s emergent literacy graphic organizer

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Phonological awareness are, “skills that include recognizing and cognitively manipulating units of oral language such as word, syllabes, onsets and rimes.” (Erickson & Koppenhaver, 2020) This also includes rhymes and alliteration. When focusing on emergent literacy, our focus is often on shallow vs. deep phonological awareness skills. Deep phono- logical awareness skills examine the ability to recognize and manipulate the smallest units of spoken language, which are speech sounds (e.g. decoding and spelling), while shallow skills focus on greater units (e.g. words, syllables, onset, rimes). For the purposes of this article, we are focusing on shallow skills (Schuele & Boudreau, 2008). GETTING STARTED Learning environments are active, busy and curious. In order for embedded instruction to occur naturally throughout your setting, educators should consider the following: Purpose- Remember why your learner(s) need alphabet knowledge or phonological awareness instruction embedded into their day. Many learners need ample opportunities to work on targeted skills outside of the blocked, explicit instruction period. Emergent literacy learners need repetition, authentic learning experiences and access to literacy across environ- ments. Without purpose, we have no direction for what we do. Plan- Outline how you will embed alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness into your daily instructions and routines. Identify learner strengths and consider areas to strengthen. Use your trusted planning tool or lesson template and plan for embedded instruction to occur. We know there are many opportunities for impromptu and “on the spot” teaching to occur, however, we suggest you identify set times within a lesson, during the day or week when you can plan for embedded alphabet and phonological awareness instruc- tion. This will also help other staff understand when instruc- tion will occur. Working with other educators and related services? Co-plan with members of your team to maximize time, resources and targeted areas of need. This could look like weekly co-planning time between the teacher and speech-language pathologist (SLP) to identify letters and letter sounds to embed into instruction and therapy. Both educators can work on specific letters (teacher) and letter- sounds (SLP) that a learner may struggle with. Both educators then plan for embedded opportunities to target these skills to increase exposure in various contexts and purposes. During the planning process, you might identify instances in which multiple strategies would be appropriate for a learner. For instance, during a shared reading activity, you might iden- tify several examples of the letter of the day being used within the text. Examples of embedded instruction could include

pointing to the targeted letter within the text, counting the syllables within target words, or counting the number of words within a sentence. Despite the differences in overall focus, we often find in literacy instruction that our work does not exist in a silo. There is a high level of overlap between skill sets and instructional strategies that are used to develop literacy skills. Prepare- Consider what materials and tools you will need. Individualize learner materials to provide alternative access, communication and positioning needs. Materials with high durability will provide for long lasting use. You want to spend less time creating materials and more time using them! Consider materials that can be used in a variety of settings and with multiple learners. Many settings have paraprofessional staff who can help with preparing materials. You can also look for help from parent volunteers or individuals looking to fulfill service hours. Learners can also be part of the process; this allows for learners to understand the purpose of the materials and tools if they are part of the development, creation and organization. Learners can then customize materials to increase engagement and excitement for their use!

Alphabet materials on learner desk.

Placement- Identify where you will store your materials that you have prepared. We recommend having quick and easy access to your prepared materials. Storage options can vary and having your tools ready increases the likelihood of others using them on a consistent basis. This can include physical items such as clear bins, rolling carts, command hooks, pocket charts, desk storage, clear page protector, whiteboards and much more. Place materials in locations where embedded instruction would occur naturally! You should also consider placement of digital materials. This can include shared Google drives, Jamboard, Book Creator and other technology-based resources.

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ALPHABET INSTRUCTION (EMBEDDED LEARNING EXPERIENCES) A variety of strategies can be used to support embedded alphabet instruction. ALPHABET BOOKS Alphabet books bring a variety of options into embedded instruction. They provide opportunities to highlight letter names, letter-sounds and upper and lowercase letters in print. Use learner data from your explicit instruction to drive your selection of books. A learner who is challenged with the letters g, p and q would benefit from alphabet books that provide multiple opportunities to read those letters, locate in print and hear letter-sound relationships. If a learner needs more access to uppercase and lowercase letter instruction, select a text that has multiple proper nouns that provide increased access to uppercase letters on each page. Alphabet books can be created with a student using their preferences and interests. There are many apps that allow for learners to create their own, such as Pictello, Book Creator or Story Creator. Other platforms include Google Slides, Jamboard or Powerpoint. Learners can add their own photos or select photos and images online. A learner who struggles to identify the letter p could write a book using photos from a cooking experience. A photo of them pouring the pancake mix can be added with text under the image. Other photos and text you can add include a pan or plate. This provides multiple purposes for a text to be read, all while creating opportuni- ties for embedded alphabet instruction. You can also access readily available alphabet books on Tarheel Reader (https:// tarheelreader.org/) by searching for a targeted letter. You can create your own account and write your own books that can be accessed using a variety of methods (switch, touch screen, keyboard) and across multiple settings (school, home, commu- nity).

We have found that having access to both paper-based and digital tools, at any given time, ensures for flexible implementa- tion.

Alphabet cards on command hook.

Letter board next to smartboard.

Alphabet book targeting the letter i using Google Slides with an animated polar bear GIF.

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GAMES Learners of all ages enjoy game-based learning. Embedded instruction can occur in familiar games (Bingo, Monopoly, Wheel of Fortune) or by creating your own games. Survey your students to identify preferred game experiences. Some games require adaptation to make accessible but the overall idea is to allow for embedded instruction to occur naturally within the context of a game. Your learners may not realize you are working on letter identification or recognizing specific letters in print during all the fun!

Chain Reaction game on Powerpoint targeting the initial letter g.

If you have a learner who enjoys computer-based games, you could use a PowerPoint game template such as Chain Reac- tion (https://www.rusnakcreative.com/gameshows) to identify action words that begin with the letter g. Providing embedded experiences with the use of first letter cueing is a helpful repair strategy for individuals who use AAC. NAMES Learner names provide authentic and personalized embedded alphabet instruction. Think about your current setting. How many times do your learners read, identify or spell their names? Erickson and Koppenhaver (2020) share, “there is no other single word that is more personally relevant” for our learners to have access to in print. Use names to point to letters as you read (both individual, peer or staff names), identify the uppercase letter at the beginning or initial letter-sounds. The number of opportunities we have access to leaner names can provide endless access to embedded letter identification.

Bingo game targeting uppercase letters using template from Lessonpix.

Interactive name graphic using Canva.

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Add some fun into the mix by creating personalized letter posters, name cards or graphics using Canva (www.Canva. com). Creating opportunities to write their name for a variety of purposes (attendance, volunteer choices, lunch orders and more) increases embedded instruction. Standard writing tools or alternative pencils can be used. To learn more about alterna- tive pencils, visit the Center of Literacy and Disability Studies, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (https://www.med. unc.edu/ahs/clds/alternative-pencils/).

to plan for scavenger hunts during therapy. Use fun tools such as clipboards, sticky notes, stickers or occluders. Scavenger hunts also create collaborative learning opportunities.

Learner using stickers during a letter scavenger hunt within a Dynamic Learning Maps familiar text.

Volunteer sign-up board using alternative pencils.

ENVIRONMENTAL PRINT Letters are everywhere! So much variety of print can be found within our educational environments and community settings. Environmental print appears on signs, labels and logos. When our learners bring their attention to environmental print, we model that letters have a purpose in our world. We are actively involving our learners in these experiences, rather than rote instruction in isolation to simply match a picture to picture. We draw attention to the letters we see, to the sounds letters represent and to the context in which we read print. Draw attention to the letters in the EXIT sign when you walk in the hallway, point to letters on the logo of a pretzel snack at lunch or read student created posters advertising the Home- coming dance. SCAVENGER HUNTS Allow students to actively explore and seek letters. Scavenger hunts provide a similar approach as environmental print, but instead, target individual letters, groups of letters, letter-sound representations or uppercase and lowercase letters. Scavenger hunts can be used to provide movement breaks during the day. Consider working with your Occupational or Physical Therapist

Leaners reads a Readtopia (Building Wings) graphic novel, from Working Together/ The Gold Bug unit, while identifying uppercase letters (LessonPix bookmark) within a text.

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Having access to tools and materials that support alphabet instruction is imperative. LessonPix (www.lessonpix.com) is an online resource for custom made learning materials for educa- tors and parents. Lessonpix templates support a wide range of literacy learning. Learners read a page within a Readtopia graphic novel to identify the letter B. The bookmarks are used for scavenger hunts within a text. Many times, we think learners must move and “go” on a scavenger hunt, but consider ways you can embed this strategy quickly into your classroom. (Read- topia, by Building Wings, is a comprehensive literacy curriculum that is designed for learners with complex needs. To learn more about Readtopia, visit the Don Johnston website at www. donjohnston.com.) PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS (EMBEDDED LEARNING EXPERIENCES) RAPS AND RHYMES Songs are a great way to bring awareness to rhyming words, but it can also be challenging for educators to identify songs that are age respectful when targeting these skills with older learners. Raps can be used in place of nursery rhymes to teach phonological awareness skills like syllableness, rhymes, and alliteration. One of the biggest challenges with using music is that we cannot control the tempo - when listening to a song with higher beats per minute (BPM), educators can have trouble bringing attention to some of the aspects of phonological awareness within a song. However, when we create our own music and raps, we can control the pacing to slow the tempo down and increase emphasis on a specific aspect of phono- logical awareness.

The iPad iOS apps Rap Maker and Auto Rap by Smule offers background music that can be used to create custom raps. Within the previous example, the focus is on the letter I (embedded alphabet knowledge), with additional attention being given to the rhyming words bold, cold, and old. A bitmoji of the classroom teacher is used with the letter I in ice to high- light letter sound correspondence.

A Thanksgiving poem from Animated Step by Steps (Dr. Carol Goossens)

Poetry can also be used to highlight the connection between rhyming words. One of the benefits of focusing on rhyming words within text is that students can see the similar visual features between rhyming words (e.g. rime -ell is highlighted through markup tools in the words shell and well .

I am cold/bold/old rap created within google slides.

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SHARED READING When we review the strategies used to support learners in emergent literacy instruction, shared reading has a distinct focus separate from alphabet knowledge and phonological awareness. The focus within shared reading is interaction , and helping students learn to actively engage throughout the shared reading experience. There are many helpful trainings available to support educators in guiding students during shared reading (CAR and CROWD models: https://www.share- dreader.org/professional-development/).

Epic Books (www.getepic.com) is a resource that is free to educators which contains a large library of books, videos, and audiobooks which can be filtered by age, reading level, genre, language, and more. Using the search tool, books can be located by focusing on a specific aspect of phonological awareness. While your comments about the text might initially be student led and driven, you can then expand upon those to include targeted comments focusing on aspects of phonolog- ical awareness (e.g. “I hear four words that start with “l” (focus on the sound it represents versus the letter) Ü Leroy, lizard, long, leap.” PREDICTABLE CHART WRITING Predictable chart writing, while a separate instructional strategy, can be used in conjunction with both alphabet knowl- edge and phonological awareness activities.

Unite for Literacy (www.uniteforliteracy.com) is a free online and app based resource that contains a large library of short picture books that come in more than 50 languages. Many of the texts within Unite for Literacy contain repetitive lines (e.g. “Where do ______ sleep?”“I can help _____.”) Repetitive lines can be helpful in providing learners with repetition with variety and allow focus on the fill-in phrase. For example, syllableness can be targeted for the different words used to fill-in the repeti- tive text (e.g. “Do you like crickets?”). Learners can pat, clap, fist bump, or high five the number of syllables with each fill-in word. A sample text from a book within Unite for Literacy. A cricket appears on the page with the text, “Do you like crickets?”The word “crickets” is underlined in red.

A predictable chart with the sentence stem “I found all the _____”

Day two (re-read the chart) is a great time to review the chart with a particular focus in mind. This might be a letter, word, or concept of print. This step can be easily overlooked in practice, but in our experience, can be one of the most important steps within predictable chart writing in terms of honing on specific skill sets. When we review the chart which contains a similar sentence stem (e.g. Bugs are ____), we can take these opportu- nities to focus on aspects of phonological awareness including counting the number of words in each sentence, identifying the number of syllables within the fill-in phrase, looking for rhyming words, or highlighting instances of alliteration. Raps and chants can also be used to re-read the chart. Note: While the above examples are specific to phonological awareness, shared reading and predictable chart writing also provide multiple opportunities to embed alphabet instruction. Within both components of comprehensive literacy instruc-

A sample text from a book within Epic books that focuses on alliteration.

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tion, educators can identify options for embedded instruction targeting letter identification, letter sounds, recognizing letters in text and producing letter forms. During shared reading, atten- tion can be drawn to an uppercase letter C in a character’s name or the initial /c/ sound can be articulated when read within the text. We can highlight this by saying, “I hear that /c/ sound for c in the word catch ,” as we point to the letter, or word, in print. During predictable chart writing, an abundance of opportuni- ties are available as we write the chart, re-read the chart and write our book. Multiple exposures to the chart provide for various work with letters when write the chart (“We can bring money , money starts with m ,”) letter-sounds when re-reading the chart (“I hear an /m/ sound in money ,”) or producing the letter by typing on a keyboard when creating a book. CLOSING THOUGHTS: In our experiences teaching older learners in high school, many of whom are considered emergent literacy learners, we hear time and time again from parents and students alike that one of the most important goals they have is to learn to read and write. We have also seen far too often that teams have “thrown in the towel” on teaching literacy by the time that students enter their high school years. However, we know that when given comprehensive literacy instruction using a team- based approach, that students CAN learn to read and write, despite their age, disability, or diagnosis. It truly is life changing. RESOURCES AND REFERENCES: Erickson, K. A., & Koppenhaver, D. (2020). Comprehensive literacy for all: Teaching students with significant disabilities to read and write . Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.. Jones, C.D., Clark, S.K. & Reutzel, D.R. (2013). Enhancing alphabet knowledge instruction: Research implications and practical strategies for early childhood educators. Early Child- hood Education Journal , 41, 81-89. Schuele, M., & Boudreau, D. (2008). Phonological awareness intervention: Beyond the basics. Language Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, 39, 3-20.

Rusnak Creative, Powerpoint Game templates: https://www. rusnakcreative.com/gameshows) Don Johnston, Readotpia: www.donjohnston.com Apps: Pictello: (https://www.assistiveware.com/products/pictello) $19.99 Book Creator: (https://bookcreator.com/) $2.99 Story Creator: (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/story-creator- easy-story-book-maker-for-kids/id545369477) Rap Maker/ Auto Rap: free trial and subscription based https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rap-maker-recording- studio/id1478616650 https://apps.apple.com/us/app/autorap-by-smule/ id524299475

WEBSITES:

Canva: www.canva.com DLMPD: www.dlmpd.com

Tarheel Shared Reader: www.sharedreader.org AAC Intervention: www.aacintervention.com Animated Step by Steps: www.animatedstep-by-steps.com Epic: www.getepic.com Tarheel Reader: www.tarheelreader.org Unite for Literacy: www.uniteforliteracy.com Lessonpix: www.lessonpix.com UNC Chapel Hill, Alternative Pencils: https://www.med.unc. edu/ahs/clds/alternative-pencils

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LITERACY SUPPORTS : FOR A VARIETY OF LEARNERS

LITERACY SUPPORTS : FOR A VARIETY OF LEARNERS LITERACY SUPPORTS : FOR A VARIETY OF LEARNERS

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autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Our Experience with Robot-Assisted Intervention at MOVIA Summary: Providing successful interventions to children with ASD is very challenging. Robotic-Assistive Technology is showing promising results in this area. MOVIA Robotics has developed tools to provide Robot-Assisted Intervention to the special needs community. Timothy Gifford, founder of MOVIA Robotics describes how RAI works and how it is beneficial to neuro- diverse individuals and the supporting community. This article details results, and lessons learned from RAI’s use in over 60 schools and by over 50 families.

MOVIA Robotics is committed to helping those in the special needs community to achieve their potential. We want to help them gain skills and confidence to be able to be successful at home, in school, and on the job. We provide tools for teachers and specialists for use in the classroom. Our tools also help clinicians provide therapeutic interventions. These benefits are also available to families in the home as well.

Robot-Assisted Interventions (RAI) makes this all possible. With the HomePal, a family can provide RAI to their child with an economical package. The Teacher’s Aide provides the educational community with a sophisticated training intervention for their students. With our latest product, the TheraPal, the clinical community can provide therapeutic benefits to individuals within their practice. It’s all in an easy-

TIMOTHY GIFFORD is the founder of Movia Robotics Inc and is a researcher at the University of Connecticut. Gifford has consulted and presented internationally on Robot Assisted Intervention Autism, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Collaborative Robotics, Human Perception and Assistive Technology. Gifford’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health among others. Gifford has several publications and has been cited multiple times. Gifford and UCONN were jointly awarded a patent for a novel therapeutic technique utilizing robots. Gifford held the position of Director of the Advanced Interactive Technology Center at the University of CT. and was the Scientist in Residence at The Connecticut Science Center. Gifford is a serial entrepreneur who has created several companies in robotics, artificial intelligence and virtual reality. He has an IP portfolio including licenses with UCONN and other entities. Gifford is active in international business development and is a founding member of Hartford Health Works as well as being a member of the Global Business Council. Gifford’s companies have done work for NASA, IBM, Biogen, Bank of Boston, The World Economic Forum and GTE among others. Gifford has won awards for business development, virtual reality implementation, filmmaking and animation. Gifford led the team that built the first Virtual Reality Exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution. Movia Robotics received the Business Champions Award and the Gold Award for Social Impact.

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to-use form. These tools are now being used in schools, homes, and clinics worldwide.

by interacting with the robots. Children and adults with ASD respond particularly well to the robots. The robots are animate like people, but they are simpler. They are less confusing or distracting than a person. The individuals treat the robots as a social entity. This social status is an opportunity to use the robot as a social trainer, leading the children and adults through interactions and activities that teach them about social skills and give them an opportunity to practice. These social interactional activities give the children a safe opportunity to test behaviors and to experiment. The robot’s voice is non-judgmental, enabling individuals to be more at ease with their interactions and their behaviors. A safe, non-judgmental environment allows for confidence-building in the learning and practice of social skills. The individual can then take the skills they have learned and try them with their cohorts at home, in the classroom, and on the job. Robots don’t get tired or bored, they provide consistently repeatable performance. The actions of the robot are dynamic yet predictable; this consistency is very helpful and comforting for people with ASD. The robots are infinitely patient. They’ll repeat the same interaction repeatedly and never get impatient. This is very calming for the children. Children and adults are well-motivated to interact with the robots and go through the different types of interventions. The robots are both the training and the reward. With RAI, in most cases, there is no need to provide additional rewards for doing the work of the lessons. Research shows that working with robots is beneficial. Working with a robot is more effective than learning from an animated character on a tablet. Being in the same physical space with a robot, interacting socially stimulates more of that individual’s brain and nervous system. This has been shown to lead to better learning and retention. The robot’s humanoid form stimulates mirror neurons which fire when we see another person do an action that we can do. This activation of the mirror neurons helps the individual to better understand and connect with the robot. The robots and the RAI system provide many benefits for the individual with special needs and for the facilitator. The individual with ASD is motivated and engaged by the robot. The simple yet dynamic structure of the robot is socially accessible for the individual. The technical aspects of the RAI tool provide labor-saving intervention delivery and data collection benefits for the facilitator. The individual with ASD finds RAI calming and enjoyable. The robot is providing the lesson delivery and the focus of the individual is on the robot. The facilitator is freed up to monitor the session, providing inputs as necessary and assessing the progress of the individual. The support that RAI provides to the facilitator lowers their stress as well.

ROBOT-ASSISTED INTERVENTION With Robot-Assisted Intervention (RAI), the robot leads the child through the activities designed to teach skills, provide social practice, and interact in a therapeutically beneficial way. The facilitator- who may be the parent, the teacher, a therapist, or other caregivers- initiates and oversees the session. The child or adult who is receiving the intervention interacts with the robot naturally by speaking with the robot, through gestures, and by tapping on the tablet. Individual sessions with the robot are made up of several activities, each tailored to the child’s needs. There are a variety of activities that can be delivered with RAI including lessons, stories, and games. RAI is an engaging tool that has been shown to be able to reach typically developing individuals, people with ASD, as well as those with other disabilities such as Down Syndrome, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and ADD. This assistive technology helps the facilitator deliver content using proven methodology. The paradigm works one on one and with small or large groups. The RAI system reduces the workload for the facilitator by providing the interactions, engaging the individual in the intervention, freeing the facilitator to monitor the progress and assess the individual’s progress. MOVIA’s RAI system is a tool to help the individual and the facilitator, who is providing the intervention. The facilitator and the robot work together as a team to deliver the interventions. The robot is semi-autonomous, meaning it works on its own while collaborating with the facilitator. The facilitator is always in control, making sure that the individual is understood by the robot, and it is acting appropriately as it responds. Some instructional and therapeutic systems available today are controlled entirely by artificial intelligence (AI). The long- term effects on children of AI-driven interventions have not been fully researched. This is one of the reasons that our system always has a person in the loop to provide control and oversight. We have found that having the therapist, teacher, or parent working together with the robot as a team is the safest and most effective method for providing interventions. During the sessions, the robot takes on different roles, depending on the context of the interactions. Sometimes the robot is a playmate, a teacher, or even a therapist. The robot moves back and forth between these different roles, depending on how the individual is responding and what’s needed for the different interactions. WHY A ROBOT? Most children and adults love robots. Both typically developing individuals and those on the spectrum are engaged

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MOVIA FAMILY OF ROBOTS The Robot-Assisted Intervention (RAI) system works across many different kinds of robots. This allows us to provide the appropriate robot for a specific situation. Our complete curriculum will work with all the robots. The NAO robot, which has been a stalwart of the educational and research community for many years, is a very sophisticated robot and provides for a very high level of movement and interaction. The Misty, too, is a cool robot that is often chosen by older kids because it has more of a science-fiction feel to it. Often schools like to use the iPal, which is a taller robot to work with groups. Families often choose the Kebbi robot, which is smaller and more economical. SYSTEM OVERVIEW The Robot-Assisted Intervention (RAI) system is designed as an appliance. It is a turnkey solution that is easy to use. There is no programming or other technical skills needed to operate the system. In addition to a robot, the hardware includes a tablet and a laptop. All the equipment is configured and ready to go when the customer receives it. The software is very easy

to use. It has been tested and refined through several iterations in collaboration with teachers, specialists, and parents. The software ensures simple consistent lesson delivery. The MOVIA team provides full training and support. The MOVIA system has automatic data collection to track the progress of the individual. All the data is stored following HIPAA, COPPA, and FERPA compliant practices. All the curriculum is developed by professionals with experience in early childhood education and special needs. MULTIPLE EVIDENCE-BASED TECHNIQUES The robot interactions and the structure of the activities are based on evidence-based techniques. Many of the interactions follow the tenets of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) which is the accepted standard for ASD individuals with autism in many school and therapeutic settings. Our ABA-compliant activities include discrete trial procedures, reinforcement, prompting, and skill shaping. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) cultivates not just children’s academic skills, but their whole development and

Ethan and Kebbi - How Robot-Assisted Instruction Has Impacted The Life Of A 15-Year-Old With Autism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gS08RAaqi0

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integration into classroom and social settings. Our SEL is aligned with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) bringing together activities in self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, relationship skills, and social awareness. Embodied Cognition views social and cognitive abilities as grounded in bodily nervous system structures and capacities. Appropriately coordinated movement helps the individual to achieve appropriate interaction. Our embodied social communication content includes Social, nonverbal communication skills (joint attention, gaze shifting), imitation, coordination, postural control skills, and interpersonal coordination. CURRICULUM Our curriculum focuses on four main areas. The first is learning readiness skills. These are skills to help the individual to be successful in the learning environment. These include joining a group and staying focused, and it overlaps with social skills. Next are social skills. The third is activities for daily living while the fourth is basic academics. All the different types of skills are necessary for an individual to succeed. With the engagement ability of the system to keep the child motivated and to keep them on task we find that it’s a very effective educational tool. It works not only for the areas of deficit but across the board for many kinds of skills and tasks. This makes it a very effective tool for teaching academics. We have several lessons and activities that teach calming techniques. The intention is to give the children the ability to deal with their emotions and stress. These include sensory breaks, breathing, and counting techniques. RAI FOR SOCIAL PRACTICE People with autism want to be successful socially, but they often do not have the tools to do it. RAI can provide very specific skills training around each of these social skills. Importantly, the system offers the opportunity to practice these skills in a safe environment. The robots will not be offended. Robots never get bored, nor react negatively; this is very positive for the child to have a chance to practice these skills and then take them back to use when they are with their cohort. Often children with autism will become very tentative and reserved and lose confidence because they may do something which is very off-putting to a friend and that friend may back away. This is distressing to the child with ASD, particularly if they do not quite know why it happened. Each time they practice with the robot, however, they are having a successful social experience. This can be quite significant for the individual who may not have many successful social interactions on a regular basis. RAI provides the opportunity to not only teach

the individual about social skills but to give them confidence through practice and familiarity to use those social skills.

RAI SUPPORTS COLLABORATION Robot-Assisted Instruction is a great support for collaboration. Training in social skills related to joining a group, turn-taking, imitation, and apologizing are examples of basic skills that help the individual to be successful in collaborative situations. Another area that RAI is uniquely suited for is theory of mind, with activities to help demonstrate and educate about perspective-taking. Perspective-taking is particularly difficult for people with ASD. The individual has difficulty seeing the world from another perspective. In fact, they often have an expectation that everyone has their individual perspective. We are developing activities to demonstrate that another person may have a completely different perspective on a situation. These exercises may also help to improve the individual’s empathy, joint attention, and joint action. These are all key to helping the individual to be successful socially. RAI can be used to facilitate inclusion by having the robot interact with groups where some of the members are neurotypical and some of the members are neurodiverse. In this situation, the robot can communicate to the different members of the group with different levels of complexity. Each of the individuals can follow the interaction appropriately and still have a group interaction. The robot acts as the leader and mediator between the children. The focus is not on any one individual, but rather on the robot and the interaction. This takes the focus off of the particular child who may have special needs and may not be able to do specific types of activities at the same level as the others. Inclusion activities are also very important for the typically developing community to have experience with individuals with special needs in a positive way. Each of these activities promotes and supports success with their friends. Every successful interaction leads to more self- confidence and long-term gains. Our goal is to provide the child with benefits that can change their trajectory. We can help them early on by helping them to attain skills and opportunities to build their confidence. This has the potential to improve their performance throughout their academic career. This can make a tremendous difference for a child. One of the main goals of our company and our long-term vision is to help these individuals become helpful members of society. Our goal is to help them have more independence and to acquire skills that are beneficial and valuable within the community. RESULTS FROM CLINICAL TRIALS AND FIELD TESTING The multiple components of the Robot-Assisted Intervention (RAI) system have been tested in controlled trials and in pilot

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