Janice Light once said, "Communication is the essence of human life." But how many of us take that for granted? Communication, to many, is something we've just done naturally. Our first word came, then our first phrase, and then sentences. But what happens if it doesn’t? How would your life be different if the thing that is the essence of human life became your greatest hardship? My students experience this hardship first hand. I work predominately with students with varying exceptionalities, including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and learning disabilities.
Many of them are nonverbal or have significant speech/language impairments so they utilize augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) including speech generating devices (SGDs) and communication boards.
They are visual learners, so many communicate with picture symbols and visuals are used throughout their entire school day to learn new vocabulary and concepts. As visual learners, my students would greatly benefit from a printing resources and an iPad to support their communication and learning in a unique and motivating way.
My Project
I am a Speech Language Pathologist at two culturally diverse middle schools in New Castle, Delaware. To help my students with significant speech/language impairments, I craft visuals and activities that guide them to find their voice and communicate their needs.
Students with limited oral communication abilities often find success in communication with visual supports such as picture boards that I create with printed pictures on cardstock and Velcro.
In order to do this, my students need a color printer so I can print and create interactive books, social stories and other activities. I also need to be able to print a variety of different lessons to reach all of my students' expressive and receptive communication needs. Color printing is critical for making these supplies. The students are often locked in their own world and color printing creates an invitation for them to communicate.
My students would also greatly benefit from an iPad. There are numerous applications that nonverbal individuals use to communicate such as LAMP, Proloquo2Go, TouchChat, etc. Access to an iPad would mean the option to trial these apps with my students to determine whether a high-tech communication option would best support their needs. An iPad would also give my students access to amazing applications to work on social skills, executive functioning, reading abilities, articulation and more. These apps would be a great supplement to what my students are learning in speech and in their classrooms.
Lastly, an iPad would be an extremely motivating reward for my students after our therapy sessions - especially for those who come from low-income families and don’t have access to such technology.
My students truly need printing resources and an iPad to meet their daily communication needs and to expand their world. The benefits are limitless as everyone deserves a voice.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. M. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.