Making Sense of Multi-Sensory Communication Multi-Sensory

Making Sense of Multi-Sensory E-mail me at: Communication [email protected] or [email protected]

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GSHA Convention, 2014 Atlanta, Georgia

Financial Disclosure Statement: I am employed by the Gwinnett County Public Schools for which I receive a salary; I do Jessie Moreau, M.Ed., NBCT contract work for the Georgia Department of Education for which I am paid hourly. No payment of any kind is received for Gwinnett County Public Schools, Georgia the use of any devices, software, or materials utilized as part of this presentation.

Objectives: • “Thus adequate (multisensory) input during the first months of life seems to be a prerequisite in 1. The participant will be able to combine speech with tactile, visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and proprioceptive senses to humans…for the full development of cross‐modal increase receptive and expressive communication skills. interactions.” Nature Neuroscience 10, 1243 ‐ 1245 (2007); Published online: 16 September 2007 | doi:10.1038/nn1978.

2. The participant will be able to modify curricular activities to incorporate the senses to increase communication. • “There are limits to the distance at which speech is 3. The participant will be able to compare & contrast the various audible, and visible behaviours such as gesture, gaze sensory communication components to determine best strategies or facial expressions are perceivable. Furthermore, for communicating new information. these natural communication behaviours are 4. The participant will be able to describe ways in which use of the ephemeral and do not persist over time. Given these senses can assist students’ communication skills in a variety limitations, we must rely on some form of mediation, of settings. if we are to communicate at distance and across time.” “Theories and Methods in Mediated Communication”; http://dis.shef.ac.uk/stevewhittaker/CMC‐review02.pdf

Revised Quote with Sensory Communication Slant: Multi-Sensory Communication: Who Benefits? Individuals… • “ For persons with communication issues, there may • be limits to the intelligibility and/or comprehension of … with speech impairments speech, and visible behaviours such as gesture, gaze or • … with hearing impairments facial expressions may not be perceived. Furthermore, • …with auditory processing disorders these natural communication behaviours are fleeting and do not persist over time. Given these limitations, • … with cognitive impairments we must make use of all of the senses, if we are to • … with visual impairments communicate effectively with others.” • … on the autism spectrum Jessie Moreau’s adaptation of the paragraph from “Theories and Methods in Mediated Communication”; http://dis.shef.ac.uk/stevewhittaker/CMC‐review02.pdf • … with physical impairments • … with multiple impairments… …ALL INDIVIDUALS!

1 Multi-Sensory Communication In Addition To Communicating Through Speech, • Receptive Communication ‐ requires hundreds of hours of language input We Need To… ‐ must be modeled for the learner ‐ all senses need to be considered

• Expressive Communication - there is something to say about EVERYTHING ‐ must have access to appropriate and individualized communication mode ‐ more than one sense can be used simultaneously

Symbol from SymbolStix by News‐2‐You

Stop More To Hearken The Senses Multi-Sensory Communication: (Smell, Move, Taste, Hear, Touch, See) Receptive • Auditory – Natural speech – Environmental sounds – Nature’s sounds – Audio files – Music – Sound effects

Mnemonic adapted from: http://www.rovingbandofmisfits.com/2011/04/storytelling-for-the-five-senses/ Symbol from SymbolStix by News‐2‐You

Multi-Sensory Communication: Multi-Sensory Communication: Expressive Expressive • • Speech Augmented Speech – Natural voice output – AAC with voice output (VOCA) – Record speech – Use microphone

Picture used with permission

2 Multi-Sensory Communication: Multi-Sensory Communication: Expressive Receptive • Visual – Viewing world around us – Facial expressions – Body language – Gestures – Sign language – Objects

“I asked Connor, ‘Who do you love? Who is your http://www.topnews.in/health/differently‐developed‐retinas‐make‐ deaf‐people‐see‐better‐212281 Valentine?’ This is what he typed on his device: ‘Elizaida I love you.’ Contributed by Melanie Abad, Gwinnett County Public Schools

Multi-Sensory Communication: Multi-Sensory Communication: Expressive Receptive • Visual • Visual – Tactilized pictures – Facial Expressions – Pictures – Eye gaze – Symbols – Gestures (iconic text) – Sign language – Logos Become friends – Text Leslie is lonely Jess is lonely http://storify.com/Signcasts/rocky‐mountain‐deaf‐school‐move‐is‐opposed – AAC

Communication Strategies Communication Strategies • Use of sign language • Use of sign language ‐Use signs acceptable to the Deaf community (ASL, ‐Signing Time Series: fingerspelling, pidgin English signs ‐Online ASL resource for learning/reviewing signs: ‐uses auditory, visual http://www.aslpro.com/cgi‐bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi & proprioceptive senses ‐students work on speech through use of the music

Picture used with permission

3 Multi-Sensory Communication: Expressive Communication Strategies • Visually represent a difficult concept • Visual – Written / Typed – Pictures – Symbols (iconic text) – Logos Which number is smallest? – AAC Which number is largest?

Overlay created by Jessie Moreau using Boardmaker Tech II 32 template by Mayer-Johnson, LLC.

Communication Strategies Communication Strategies • Visually represent a difficult concept • Use of picture symbols / iconic text ‐ Avoid symbols for small words, e.g. it, the, am, etc. Students should learn to read most frequently used words. ‐ Students generally can understand a variety of symbol sets.

Boardmaker / Picture Communication Symbols Symbolstix (PCS) (News-2-You) (Mayer-Johnson)

Communication Strategies Communication Strategies • Use of photographs • Use of photographs ‐ Find clear photos through internet browser, ‐ Use pictures with clear/simple backgrounds e.g., Google Images (eliminates figure/ground problems) ‐ Keep in mind Educational Fair Use policies

http://nyachii.wordpress.com/tag/graphic-art/ http://nyachii.wordpress.com/tag/graphic-art/

4 Communication Strategies Communication Strategies • Graphics / drawings / logos • When creating materials ‐ Can edit/revise with Microsoft Paint or ‐ Limit number of pictures per page other editing software ‐ Keep illustrations as simple as possible ‐ Find via PowerPoint Clip Art; internet, e.g. Google Images ‐ Animate graphics to communicate specific concepts

Multi-Sensory Communication: Multi-Sensory Communication: Receptive Receptive • Olfactory • – One of the strongest senses Gustatory – Elicits memories –Taste food items – Be cautious with scents as –Touch to tongue may trigger seizures/allergies – AAC including food items

Communication Strategies Communication Strategies • Gustatory • Food items used for concept development – Following picture recipes – Using AAC to read recipe

5 Multi-Sensory Communication: Multi-Sensory Communication: Expressive Receptive • Proprioceptive • Tactile – Music & Movement – Touch – Motions for Curricular Concepts – Touch cues (formal/informal) – Sign Language – Temperature – Environmental factors e.g., wind, rain, wet

Overlay created by Jessie Moreau using Boardmaker Tech II 8 template and PCS by Mayer-Johnson, LLC.

Tactile Communication Strategies Multi-Sensory Communication: • Air Movement & Temperature Receptive – Use foam blade fans to demonstrate wind • Tactile – Use blow dryer to show hard wind, warmth – Objects – Use ice to indicate cold – Partial objects – Tactilized pictures – AAC

Multi-Sensory Communication: Communication Strategies Receptive • Tactilized Picture Symbols • Tactile – Enlarge for ease in adding tactile items – Schedules – Cut around the picture with ¼” white border – Print on cardstock when possible; laminate – Add tactile items with Velcro®, hot glue, tie on

6 Multi-Sensory Communication: Multi-Sensory Communication: Expressive Expressive • Tactile • Tactile – AAC devices – Braille – Tactile signing Step by Step (Ablenet, Inc.) – Objects/partial objects – Tactilized pictures All materials created by materialsAll by created ©1995-2013 Moreau, Jessie

Teaching science information through use of tactilized Teaching science information through use of tactilized picture sets, AAC device and tactilized “table/chart” picture sets, AAC device and tactilized “table/chart”

Expressive & Receptive Communication: Expressive & Receptive Communication: Visual, Tactile, Auditory, Proprioceptive Visual, Tactile, Auditory, Olfactory, Proprioceptive