Flip Cam for Speech Language Therapy Sessions and Homework

My Students

Can you imagine what school is like for a student who can't ask questions? How about a student who can't follow classroom directions? This is what every day is like for my speech and language disordered students. When struggling to improve their communication skills, a flip cam could be invaluable!

I currently serve 55 speech and language disordered students in two schools.

My students range in age from 5-15. Each one of my students presents with a unique set of disabilities ranging from difficulty with one speech sound, such as "s", to profound communicative difficulties resulting from Autism Spectrum Disorders. All of my students are enrolled in special education services as a result of their disabilities. Both of the schools I serve are Title 1 schools, and have a high percentage of English Language Learners. Invariably, my students are willing to work hard in speech sessions, and always participate to their fullest ability. They are excited to share their new skills both in and out of the classroom. Often, I find my students bursting at the seams to tell me about exciting events in their lives. They frequently wait to share it with me because they lack the ability to find the words independently, and they know 'speech class' is a safe space to try out new language skills.

My Project

The flip cam will allow me to greatly improve my students' progress. My articulation students will be able to see how their mouth moves to make speech sounds in comparison to mine. My language students will be able to watch videos of themselves telling stories, and correct their own grammatical or narrative errors. My students working on their social skills will be able to critique their own body language, facial expressions and intonation, as well as compare their skills to other models. I will also be able to e-mail homework videos to their parents. This will likely have the biggest impact as it will allow for increased contact between myself and the parent, as well as increased carryover of learned skills. The use of the flip cam will also allow me to be more certain that my students are practicing their new speech skills correctly at home. Finally, all my students will be able to see how much they have improved each year through use of before and after videos.

The students I serve are the neediest students in the district.

Unfortunately, our state provides the 3rd lowest amount of educational funding in the United States. This leaves many of our students with far less services than they actually need to be successful. This project will help fill that gap by providing students clear directions for homework and family activities to support their communicative growth.