Agenda. Communicative Intent: The Challenges Faced by the Student with Deafblindness and Motor Problems

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Marjorie Gilbert
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1 Communicative Intent: The Challenges Faced by the Student with and Motor Problems Dr. Linda Mamer Program for Students with, Deafblind Specialist Seacote Road, Richmond, BC, V7A 4B2 Agenda Resonance Imitation Morgan and the Talking Rocks Video Analysis - Michael Additional Strategies with for Individuals with deafblindness and motor problems Key Phrases References and Resources Video Analysis - Victor (if there is time) Communicative Intent of Students with and Motor Problems Many of our students now present with additional disabilities and needs, including motor difficulties, necessitating the use of wheelchairs, hand splints, foot splints (A.F.O.s), eating challenges, (may need tube meals ), and toileting needs. We believe that the Deafblind Methods and Techniques, (including trained Intervenors), we have been using for over thirty years in Canada are successful and apply to all individuals who are deafblind, regardless of level of ability or level of perceived cognitive ability. Creating a trust bond with the person who is deafblind is critical Utilize all the senses - vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, kinesthetic movement and proprioception 1

2 Involve the Learner in the whole process of any activity. This is the Start to Finish principle The individual learns by doing. The motor activity involved in any action is very important for the learner to experience - DO WITH NOT FOR Use of Routines Hand-under-Hand Techniques with very slow, gradual movement, including shared experiences, exploring objects, joint attention, co-active movement, gestures, directed pointing and signing moving towards the shaping of signs Feedback / Confirmation - this is such a crucial part of the learning process. Does the learner realize the impact of their actions? Do they know when they are successful? Generalizing skills - as skills are learned, the active and planned transfer of those skills needs to take place. The Intervener needs to build in many opportunities in a variety of settings for this to occur 2

3 Control over their environment - the learner needs to have an organized space in which to work so that they can easily find what is needed Encouraging Self-Reliance - the learner needs to gain increasing independence within activities TIME - it takes a long time for a learner with deafblindness to gather information, process the information and then to use the information. It may take longer with the learner who has additional motor needs. Time is the one variable in the world that we cannot predict - something may take days, weeks, months, years to learn Use of a Total Communication Approach is critical and is the foundation on which all learning takes place and moves forward. Total communication includes the use of sign language, fingerspelling, gestures, touch cues, environmental cues, picture-symbols (board maker), photos, braille, voice, object cues including a multi-sensory approach Resonance in Dr. van Dijk s Theoretical Principles, he says: Resonance takes place at a pre-conscious level (reflexive reactions to stimuli, a reverberation of physical, vocal, and/or affective behaviors) Resonance activities encourages the learner to move from self-stimulatory behaviors to ones that can include others and objects The adult follows the child s behavior and moves toward turn-taking.trust then begins Resonance Co-active movement begins and the child learns that they can have control Resonance can be considered as a precursor for imitation (from MacFarland, 2003) 3

4 Imitation (Hart, 2006) Paul Hart describes helping an adult with congenital deafblindness become a communication partner. The young man was not responding to the agreed upon objects of reference that the staff were using (p. 267). So while Colin s actions clearly showed responses, they were not what the staff was expecting. So Paul began interacting with him - just to connect - he followed Colin s lead of building a tower and Paul imitated whatever Colin did - his sounds, actions and they began an exchange of a shared experience. Key Functions of Imitation (Hart, 2006) to attract attention - then you can introduce novel activities, themes, communication to stimulate turn-taking allows the partners to recognize each other to allow the crafting of morality - this is aspect that we are similar to each other Morgan on the Honour Roll and The Talking Rocks Michael Michael is in grade seven, in a new school He has cortical visual impairment, profound hearing loss, several seizures a day usually first thing in the morning, does not walk, uses a wheelchair, has some head control, and his left side is his stronger side IEP Goals What are the standard goals /areas of development for a student like Michael? 4

5 Video analysis - Michael is exploring his school hall In the trip down the hall, what does the Intervenor bring to Michael s attention? Video analysis - Michael How is Carol taking Michael s sensory, communication, and conceptual development into consideration? (or note what Carol is trying to do, through the discussion on the tape) Video analysis - Michael This walk takes about 20 minutes do you think this is a reasonable amount of time for this activity? Why? Why not? 5

6 Next Stages for Michael How can we build on Michael s current level of ability and participation (within this activity) in the following areas? Vision Tactile / touch Orientation and Mobility Hearing Communication and Conceptual Development Additional Strategies Shared Experiences / Joint attention - exploring what his interests could be or are Count-down timer Communication through computers / power point stories Sensory Diet / Sensory Integration 6

7 Key Phrases Resources and References Hart, Paul (2006). Using imitation with congenitally deafblind adults: Establishing meaningful communication partnerships. Infant Child Development 15: MacFarland,S. (2003) in van Dijk, J., Nelson, C., & van der Heer, T.,(CD-ROM) From Russia with Love and care for children with sensory impairment and challenging behaviours. From Joe Franken, 4619 Spyglass Drive, Dallas, TX Be a Communication Partner Communication is a two way process. It is not enough to merely tell the person you support what you want them to do, You also have to listen to what they have to say, through their words but also through their body language, the tension in their muscles, their behaviour, etc. Communication can be as subtle as a glance at someone or something. A good Intervenor will watch for these attempts at communication and respond to them. ( I have learning the importance of observing, waiting, and giving time. Intervention really is a dance between the Intervenor and the individual,where the dance changes subtly everyday, even though most of the steps stay the same. Ellen Faustman - Intervenor, from British Columbia, Canada 7

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