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Using Proloquo2GoMarg Griffin, MA CCC-SLPSLP @ Kings Local Schools App Developer and co-owner of Golden Communications LLC

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GoldenComunicationsLLC.comTwitter @mggoldencom

www.facebook.com/EnchantedDictionary

+Resources

www.assistiveware.com

http://www.assistiveware.com/taking-pulse-augmentative-and-alternative-gfios

Proloquo2GoPrivate Groups Welcome Center of FaceBook

iTeach Special education group on FaceBook

SLPs Talk Apps group on FaceBook

Technology in Education FaceBook page

Moms With Apps FaceBook page

+ “The times they are a-changing” Bob Dylan Bob Dylan

In April of 2009, AssistiveWare released the first fully functioning assistive/augmentative communication (AAC) app to run on a mainstream mobile device (iPod Touch or iPhone)- Proloquo2Go.

As of April of 2012, there are approximately 115 AAC apps available in the iTunes App Store

+The pros and cons of this new “Wild West” of AAC…

Cheaper

Able to get access to AAC for first time

Easier to program

Easily configured in many ways for different users.

Faster to replace if broken

Cool

Concern about over recommending/using P2G because of cost/trendiness

Concern about language development and use of core vocabulary

Concern about leaving Proloquo2Go and going to other apps

Users may have a device but still not have access to skilled support for AAC

Emily, at start of 7th Grade

Minimal speech, some signs

Broken dedicated device

Good literacy skills

Low comprehension of verbal/auditory information

Growing agitation/aggression at school and at home

Using school’s Alphasmart

Parent was willing and able to buy less expensive technology

Emily, in high school using P2G

Typing questions she was asked and looking/listening to them multiple times to help herself process information.

Using buttons in categories to help her understand how to respond to a question.

Typing her responses and then "speaking" it.

Button size is medium, uses message window.

Making buttons to share information between home and school.

Accessing buttons with verbal routines of her day (asking for a key, saying the Pledge of Allegiance, saying her prayers at night.)

Using pre-made buttons to participate for a broader set of communication purposes.

Accesses a folder with all her Social Stories to listen to them as needed.

Meg: 8th Grade Student

Low content speech and signing that was not so much communicative as a part of her routine

Made requests for basic needs (potty, hungry, go home) but did not respond to communicate without hand-over-hand assistance when using picture exchange

Closed eyes or left group activities regularly

Meg with P2G Button size is large (9)

Options>Interaction>Vocabulary button>allow repeat>Repeat delay 1 second to eliminate repeated tap.

Message window + speak each item

Folders of symbols and pictures for school activities as well as for home.

Independently moves from screen to screen and folder to folder.

Explores new vocabulary independently, listening to and repeating words.

Remains in the group and engaged in communication.

Phrase and sentence buttons to ask questions of peers during communication group.

Communicates to ask questions, respond and request by using P2G as well as speech and signing.

Increase in speech and signing for different communication purposes.

Increased literacy

Alan: 7th Grade Student

No speech or sign

Parents purchased an iPad with P2G when he was in 5th grade to replace his Dynavox b/c they were unhappy with it.

Relies on routine and button location to scaffold his communication.

Limited symbol vocabulary.

Alan using P2G Moving from use of button/phrases to core board approach.

Building vocabulary and comprehension for “wh” questions.

Uses large button setting (9) and message window, with speak message only turned on.

Benefits from being able to have photos in addition to symbols.

Uses pre-programmed phrases to share information between home and school and to ask questions in Weekend Group.

Initiates use of device, opens app independently and navigates pages.

Pat at Start of 7th Grade

No speech or signs

Very social (greets, smiles, laughs)

No joint attention, no turn taking behaviors

Used picture exchange with hand-over-hand assistance

Pushed/pulled pinched to gain attention, threw/pushed to refuse items or activities.

No indication of choices or responses within teacher directed activities.

Pat with P2G Began with “Very Large” button size and limited to two

choices per screen. Progressed to 4 choices per screen. Progressed next to four choices per screen with each choice being a folder that opened to four more choices.

Uses photos of actual items for most buttons (except “more” and “stop”)

Options>Interaction>Vocabulary button>allow repeat>Repeat delay 1 second to eliminated repeat tap.

No message window Uses iPad for a variety of education/leisure choices.

+Using Proloquo2Go in Communication Groups

Accommodating different users (comprehension, attention, word retrieval, vocabulary, literacy, sentence building, topic maintenance, asking questions)

Using multi-touch gestures to switch from app to app quickly during group activities (examples: P2G and Pictello, P2G and News2You)

+Important Skills:

There are 2 types of vocabulary back up. One backs it up on your mobile device, the other backs it up on your desktop/laptop computer. To be safe you MUST back it up on your computer.

There are step by step instructions at http://download.assistiveware.com/proloquo2go/files/Proloquo2Go_TutorialMaking_and_Restoring_Backups_with_iTunes.pdf

Backing up Vocabulary

+Important Skills:

If you have multiple devices that you want to put the same vocabulary set on, such as in a school setting, you can do this by saving the vocabulary on the computer, saving that file and then emailing that file to the person you want to share the vocabulary with. They open the file and save it in their iTunes account and then select that vocabulary to put on their mobile device.

Step by step instructions are found at https://support.assistiveware.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=43

Sharing Vocabulary

+Important Skills:

If you have a photo on your mobile device, chose “add a photo or symbol”, and then “chose a picture”, select the photo and press “add” or “add as new category”.

If you want to get an image off the internet, use Google Images or another search engine, right click the image and save it. You can then use that image as you would any other photo to make buttons.

Adding Pictures/Photos

+Important Skills:

It is easy to make back-up paper copies of important P2G pages to use in situations where you could not have the device (at the pool) or when the device as not available.

Go to the page you want to save. Hold down the home key and then “click” the on/off button. Your screen will blink and an image will be saved in your photos.

To print it, go to Photos and find the screen shot. It the upper right hand corner, tap the arrow button and select print if you have Airprint or email the screen shot to yourself and print from your computer.

Taking screen shots of pages