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Money Smarts: Using Scene Speak to Teach Monetary Values

8/30/2013

1 Comment

 
Scene Speak is one of our most versatile, multi-purpose apps. In addition to creating social stories, digital scrapbooks, etc., it can also be used to teach everyday concepts, like money recognition and management. 


If the individual has not mastered basic monetary concepts, you can always begin by creating VSDs to define and identify different types of currency.
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Show front and back of each denomination to help the individual be able to recognize it in everyday situations.
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Highlight the name of the coin or bill by capitalizing it. This will help it stand out and will help with word recognition.
You can also combine different types of currency to help the individual learn how to count change, payments, etc.
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Showing the money up close, but in tangible situations will help the individual relate to the act of exchanging currency.
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Whenever possible, try to find clear and large images to highlight the size difference in appearance among coins and bills.
Once each denomination is mastered, you can show the value in practical settings.
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Start by introducing highly motivating and familiar activities that the individual will easily relate to.
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Showing money being used in real time can help the individual generalize it across environments.
Now, to work on spending wisely!
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Using Visual Schedule Planner for Bill Payment Reminders

8/23/2013

0 Comments

 
Need Assistance Remembering to Pay Monthly Bills?

For some of our clients and loved ones, one of the most difficult things about living independently can be the multiple responsibilities that must be juggled...maintaining the home, cleaning up, paying bills, etc.

To help with this, try using Visual Schedule Planner to import in your loved one/client's bills, letting them know when they are due, how much is owed...any details that will assist them in being able to complete this task as independently as possible. You can even set up reminders to give them an audio prompt that the bill is due and must be paid. It would be a good idea to give as much time/leeway as possible when doing this, and even planning these reminders around pay days to avoid the "overwhelm factor" that can come with having more bills than your income will cover at the time. 

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Set a specific icon for each type of bill for easy reference. You can also set up reminders that will alert the individual when it is time to pay the bill. If it is possible to set up online bill pay, this may make the process faster and easier.
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You can get the individual in the habit of checking Week View to see whether any bills are due that week. If each bill is set for a specific date and time each month, it will make this referencing process much easier.
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Using a specific time of day for "bill paying" on due dates will help the individual get into the habit of checking to see when/if a bill is due on that particular day. In this example, the due date for the electric bill can easily be seen in Month View.
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Notes can also be added to track payment dates. This will avoid double paying, and will give the individual a written record of transactions in case a payment dispute arises.
Independence is a beautiful thing, no matter how you go about achieving it!
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Following Recipe Steps Using FTVS HD

8/19/2013

1 Comment

 
For an easy, functional activity that encourages both family time and independent living skills, try using our First Then Visual Schedule HD app for recipes. 

To do this, find a simple recipe that is concrete and easy to follow, with minimal steps. Take pictures of each step and create a template for the individual to follow along with. At the end, you can either allow the food item itself to be the end reward, or you can choose another small token to encourage participation. 

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Create a schedule dedicated to the preparation and/or cooking of the recipe.
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Make sure the title is concrete and the corresponding photo represents the activity.
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Add as many items as you need to create steps that the individual can follow easily.
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Give the final step a motivating image, sound, or other "reward." In this case, the cookie itself would be the reinforcer, coupled with a preferred character.
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Once the schedule has the desired steps/appearance, enable timers and set them according to bake/cooling times, prep time, etc.
You can develop more complex recipe "schedules" as the individual learns to follow along with the steps and becomes more familiar with cooking tools. Happy eating!!!
1 Comment

Navigating and Learning About New Environments With Scene Speak

8/15/2013

1 Comment

 
If your loved one or client will be attending a new school or program this year, try locating pictures of the campus or building compound (taking your own is ideal, but many can be found online) and use our Scene Speak app to create a virtual "map" for the individual to learn about their new environment. You can include locations of restrooms for those who may need to make frequent trips, drinkingfountains for those who may require extra hydration, and key places like offices, administrative buildings, classrooms (for those in school)...the possibilities are limited only by your imagination!
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Many schools have generalized maps of their campuses available for viewing online. Use the Internet image search feature of the app to import in one of these images for reference.
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To help the individual find their classroom, try using it in proximity to another familiar area of the school. This can be done by adding captions and/or hotspots.

For those who may be starting middle or high school, this can alleviate much of the stress that comes with trying to navigate class changes (if applicable), learning teacher names (these can be added as captions to the images), and juggling class schedules (which also can be imported into the app and labeled for easy reference).
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Most schools, from elementary to college, now offer the capacity to view your class schedule online. Take a screen shot of the schedule and import it into the app, or take the hard copy and scan it for easy access.
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Adding captions to images of new teachers can help the individual distinguish teachers of separate subjects and help them learn important details, like the teacher's name.
Start the year off smoothly by incorporating Good Karma Apps into your daily life experiences!
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New Program? No Problem!

7/23/2013

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Will your client/loved one be starting a new placement or program this fall?

Easing anxieties over a new placement, classroom, or program is essential for both short and long term success. Our apps can come in handy in this capacity as well. 

Try giving your loved one/client some input over what they will wear, bring for lunch, etc. on the first day of their new program or class by using My Choice Board to offer them the ability to make these choices for themselves. This will give them a feeling of confidence as they enter into the new environment/situation. 

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Providing choices can give a measure of control to an individual who may be apprehensive about a new placement or program.
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Make sure that all choices offered are readily available to avoid meltdowns, disappointment, or confusion.
If you have access to images of the new placement/classroom or can visit to take pictures yourself, use Scene Speak to create a social story/book of facts about the new program, including information about the teacher/supervisor, staff, classroom/building, and anything you notice that may capture their attention and hold it (if there's a bus yard close by and the individual loves buses, for example). The anticipation of entering into a new environment can become a positive thing if the individual has something interesting to look forward to.

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Providing facts and details about new teachers or staff can make the individual more comfortable when entering a new situation.
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Cater to the individual's interests if possible. Find items of interest in the new program/placement that will foster a sense of excitement as they enter the new setting.

If possible, make sure the schedule for the first day of attendance is iron-clad, to avoid the chaos that can accompany lack of structure. The more clear the individual can be about what will be happening, the easier it will be to accept the new placement/program. First Then Visual Schedule HD is excellent for this purpose, and once the regular structure of the program/classroom is established, Visual Schedule Planner can be used to form a more long-term schedule of daily events and activities.
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Take known activities and create a schedule for the first few days of the new program or placement to ease anxieties about the new setting.
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Once routines are established and familiar, expand upon the basic schedule to use with Visual Schedule Planner. This can always be added to/amended later, if necessary.

Also, if any major changes will be occurring (for us, the program is not changing, but the teacher is getting married over the summer, which means her name will be different when school resumes), you can get your client or loved one accustomed to those changes before they return. Concepts like name changes, or even something as small as a haircut/color change can be distressing, and making sure those differences and changes are addressed before the individual goes back to the program/school can make for a smoother re-entry.
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Levels of Friendship & Bullying

7/22/2013

1 Comment

 
Discussing Levels of Friendship and Bullying:

Scene Speak can be used to create social stories and other exercises that address the issue of bullying. This is an important issue for many of our younger individuals (and adults too, in some situations). 

The concept of "levels of friendship" is hard for many individuals to understand. Sometimes the most damaging bullying occurs in less obvious scenarios. Teaching these individuals how to advocate for themselves, when to report a situation to adults/higher authorities, and the difference between "acquaintance," "friend," and "toxic person" can help protect the individual from emotional and/or physical harm in the future.

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Use caps to create emphasis on the concept being taught/expressed.
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Use images that clearly convey the desired target emotion.
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Focus on real-life scenarios that the individual may face.
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Use a variety of images to accentuate the theme being discussed.
1 Comment

Some Assembly Required: Using FTVS HD to Follow Instructions

7/21/2013

1 Comment

 
Helping individuals to follow written instructions:

Take a picture of each step in the instructions with your device (if your device has a camera function, older devices do not). You can then use each image in sequence as "steps" in your schedule, paired with an audio prompt like "Insert Part A into Part B." Adding video will further enhance the experience, as it may help the individual work through a particularly challenging part of the instructions. 
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You can either choose to use real pictures of the items, or take individual pictures of the assembly instructions.
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Numbering steps in the instructions will help the individual with sequencing.
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Attach a video for further modeling of the assembly.

If one step may be more complex/difficult than another, you can also use the app to break that one step up into a couple (or multiple) steps for the individual, to adapt the instructions to their level of capability or understanding, perhaps using the same photo of the step itself, but giving further instruction. 
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To further break the task down, use a separate schedule to create individual steps within a particularly tough/involved step.
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You can also use the separate schedule to create a list of needed items that can easily be displayed in checklist format.
This works with everything from furniture instructions (for older individuals) to Lego/other toy assembly, model planes/cars, and anything else that may come with instructions that may not always be so easy for the individuals we love, work with, and care for to navigate. 

Any tme you can set your loved one/client/student up for success and create a feeling of independence and accomplishment is a WIN!

1 Comment

Surviving Vacation Transitions

7/20/2013

3 Comments

 
Summer Trip Survivial Tip:

If you're taking a big trip to a theme park or other large area requiring many transitions this summer, try using our apps to alleviate some of the stress involved in changing activities. 

Scene Speak can be used to give your loved one complete visual access to the entire facility/area, and hotspots can be created to allow them to have input over where you go next and what comes next. Simply label the desired area with a hotspot, make several "places" available, and allow the user to touch the space they wish to visit next. This will foster an excitement and involvement in the chosen activity, and give them the power of choice during an activity.

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Easily upload a map into the app, add hotspots, even link to another VSD of individual places within the theme park.

You can also simplify it for an individual who may already be familiar with the vacation spot by using My Choice Board to offer them a choice between activities, rides, etc. To avoid indecision, it may be helpful to offer one preferred and non-preferred place. That way, the individual still feels they are having a "say" in the day's activities, and pictures can be taken and used quickly.

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Create an individual choice board with rides, restaurants, etc.
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Give the individual as many or as few choices as they are able to use.

For lunchtime, toileting, and any other shorter activity, First Then Visual Schedule can be used to create a step by step guide for your loved one to know exactly what is coming next within a specific activity. For users who are good at generalizing, you can also use the app to plan out each activity beforehand, and offer choices (or even a video of a rollercoaster or other applicable activity) to further enhance the experience/choice making. 

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FTVS HD can be used to compliment the other two apps by providing an outline for the day's events & activities.
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Try to create a schedule that is clear, contains all possible events in the day (including toileting and meals), and has an ending/departure time.
3 Comments

Creating Chore Charts Using FTVS HD

7/18/2013

2 Comments

 
Encouraging completion of chores/household tasks:

Looking for a creative way to encourage your loved one/client to complete chores at home, or even maximize efficiency in a vocational setting? Try using First Then Visual Schedule to provide a motivating and concrete set of instructions for completion. Here's how!

For individuals who are good at generalizing, you can create one master "chore list," with images that correspond to the required task. Audio prompts can be added, and videos of the individual completing the task can also be attached to further personlize the schedule. At the end of the chore list, try adding a motivator (a token, monetary amount for older individuals, or a preferred item/video) to signal that the chores are all completed and they can have their reward. 


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Create a daily responsibilities list/chore board with a list of all tasks to be accomplished.
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For added incentive, use the most preferred presentation method and have a tangible, measurable reward.

For those who may need more prompting to complete tasks, try breaking each chore/task down into multiple, easy-to-follow steps. an example of this would be an individual who has a difficult time cleaning their room, or keeping it organized. You can create a schedule solely for "Clean Your Room," and break down that task into each step required to fully complete the chore...keeping in mind those "fine details" that some individuals may miss. The schedule can then be further adapted to their level of understanding/individual capabilities. 
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For individuals needing more assistance with executive functioning skills, breaking down chore charts into individual tasks can be extremely effective.
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If the individual is easily distracted or frequently off-task, you can add a timer function to any (or all) steps that require extra prompting.
This can be a great way to show the connection between task completion and "payment," which not only promotes a good work ethic, but also sets the individual up for success in keeping their environment clean and organized and potential future success within a job-type setting.
2 Comments

Potty Training/Prompting Using FTVS HD

7/17/2013

1 Comment

 
Potty Training/Prompting Tip:

Make toilet training/toilet reminders fun by using our First Then Visual Schedule app as a reinforcement tool. Take a picture of a toilet or other symbol and another of a highly preferred object (food, fidget, activity, etc.) Use the split screen mode to display them, and turn the labels on in the Settings menu (remember, these label names can be customized in FTVS HD). This will show the user that they must first use the toilet before they can have/do the preferred photo, working toward future toileting independence! Since it's fully portable, you can take it with you on public outings and long trips, making generalization to public toileting facilities much easier.
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Create a two-step schedule for your toileting reinforcement First/Then chart.
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In User Mode, view the chart in Split Screen View.
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Add a choice board to the reward/reinforcement step with a variety of preferred/highly motivating choices.
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When the choice is made, the chosen reinforcer will flip around and become the second step in the schedule.
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You can change the "First" and "Then" labels to reflect your preferred wording/language. You can access this feature in the Settings Menu.
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