Switch Access

This afternoon we viewed students using different forms of switches to communicate or produce a desired effect. We revisited Tyler, the amazing student in the South Shore who uses his tongue as a switch for his iPad. We looked at the progression of the assistive technology implemented with Tyler as he grew older and technology became more advanced. I thought it was so cute that he asked the Principal if he could skip class, haha. 

Successful switch operation depends on many things, including:

• motivation 
• suitable activities 
• practice time 
• lots of encouragement 
• position of the switch 
• type of switch 
• reward

There are three stages in the learning of using switch access:

cause and effect --> switch timing --> choosing with switches

We then looked at a demonstration on PowerLink4 access switch. This is a switch that teaches cause and effect, so would be ideal for students starting out with switch access. We thought of many different objects that could be plugged into the switch for the student to control. Just a few are the Listening Centre, electric pencil sharpener, fan, heater, and the score board at a basketball game. Here is the demo we watched in class. 

We viewed a girl named Nicole at home with her Mom. She uses a switch access that lays on her pillow and operates it with the use of her head. This would take a lot of muscle control for her to be able to do this. Here is the video we watched of her in class. 

This is a woman who has ALS and uses a switch to communicate. She manages all the bills online for her and her husband, her mail, and shops online for groceries, clothes and Christmas presents. She and her husband also communicate to each other online. She activates the switch by making small jaw movements - amazing. I thought it was pretty funny to see her husband typing with two fingers and her being able to type so fast, haha.