In previous posts I have talked about using the Animated
Step-by-Step poems to conduct a ‘mini play’ in the classroom (06-08/15/22-15) .
If you have a ‘mixed ability’ classroom, you can appreciate how challenging it
may be to keep the group cohesive, when there are lots of accidental or
impulsive activations.
Let’s assume you have assigned a role of time-dependent repetitive line or slot-filler items to a child undergoing
training in accessing a head switch
using a lateral head turn. As it takes thousands of trials to establish motor
automaticity, accidental and/or impulsive activations can be the norm for some
time. It is little wonder that classroom staff often shy away from working on more
independent switch access within group activities, choosing instead to offer
the switch only when it’s time to add the message. Although necessary for some
students, it is important to move children to the point of adding voice-output
independently uncued by the ‘offered switch’. In the context of an individual
therapy room session accidental/impulsive activations may not be a problem …
but in a classroom group activity it can be devastating … causing all students
to lose focus.
The solution … use a Y-cord
A Y-cord is a pigtail
adapter with one male plug and two female plugs. The single male plug is inserted into a jack on the child’s voice-output device (e.g., BIGmack,
Step-by-Step Communicator). The other
two plugs will receive two switches: the child’s personal switch and a small
switch that will be controlled by a facilitator in the classroom. When an
opportunity arises for the child to add a message to the ‘mini play’, the
Facilitator presses and holds their switch; voice-output will only occur when the
student simultaneously presses their switch. After the message is inserted the
Facilitator would release their switch so that future accidental or impulsive
activations will not result in voice-output. Thus the facilitator is creating a 'time envelope' in which the child's switch will be capable of producing voice-output. It is important to note, if either the student or the facilitator press
their switch alone, there will be no voice-output. It is also important to note that the use of a Y-cord is only warranted when the student already has the notion of cause and effect.
I think of the process of using a Y-cord as being analogous
to putting training wheels on a two wheel bicycle. Over time the training
wheels are gradually loosened allowing the child to assume greater and greater
control over the balance necessary for riding the bicycle on their own.
A few years ago AbleNet sold ‘Y-cords’ under the more official
name of ‘series adapter’. Although Y-cords/series
adapters are no longer commercially available through AbleNet, you can easily
make your own using speaker wire, plugs (1/8in/3.5mm mono), solder, soldering
iron and electrical tape to bind the soldered connections. Radio Shack is a
great resource for the materials needed.
Regardless of whether you call it a Y-cord or a series adapter,
this pigtail adapter is a great tool for allowing classroom staff to address
the switch training needs of a single student, while simultaneously maintaining
a calm learning environment for everyone in the group. As an aside ...
’til the next post …
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© 2015 Carol Goossens’, Ph.D.
canadiangoosse@gmail.com
