Chapter 12...Questions 3-6

Chapter 12 Focus Questions

Strategies Teachers Can Use to Overcome "Learned Helplessness"

According to Assistive Technology In the Classroom by Dell, Newton, and Petroff, there are several strategies that teachers can use to help students overcome "learned helplessness."

- "Build a daily expectation of communication through specific activities such as choose the activity during recess, picking a book to read, or identifying where to eat at lunch."
- "Construct a brief daily report to parents that is communicated by the student."
- "Allow natural consequences to occur and provide avenues for repair. This includes setups that alter the environment to provide less support or sabotage."
- "Provide powerful phrases on the device for students to reject or protest something."
   
How Augmentative Communication (AC) Can be Integrated Into the IEP
- AC must be considered for all nonspeaking students
- Specify components
- Specify USE of components
- Incorporated into goals, as a way to accomplish the goals
- Include list of the AC services to be provided by related service personnel
- Include identification of the people responsible for maintaining and operating the device  


Importance of Supporting the Use of AC Systems at Home and in the Community
- Communication demands of home and community can be very different from those at school
- Parents and family members must be included in AC planning and implementation. This will help them support the child's attempt to communicate in other environments.
- Reinforces skills learned in school  

How a Student's AC System can be Designed to Meet the Communication Demands of Home and the Community

HOME
- Consider family involvement, culture, and places/activities that students frequent
- Teachers must be actively involved
- Provide training to families
- Provide direct instruction on the use of the system
- Identify vocabulary that is relevant to the home
- Teach family members to provide opportunities for communication and to wait
- Provide sample data and evaluation sheets for home and community
- Give parents permission to expand the child's communication
- Keep it simple!

COMMUNITY
- Teacher can plan field trips in the community and special activities with devices that have been programmed to ask specific questions
- Practice interacting with unfamiliar people     

How to Monitor the Progress of a Student Using AC for Rate and Quantity of Progress in the Development of Language and Communication
- Monitor for progress in increasing communication skills
- Monitor for progress in developing communication skills
- Instructor's behavior must be monitored as well, to document and/or adjust the support they provide