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Following Recipe Steps Using FTVS HD

8/19/2013

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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!!!
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Navigating and Learning About New Environments With Scene Speak

8/15/2013

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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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Independent Study Simplified Using Visual Schedule Planner

7/24/2013

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Having a hard time getting your loved one/student to study independently?

Try using Visual Schedule Planner to "sandwich" study time between preferred activities. For example, if the individual has a project due at the end of the month, set a specific amount of time each day (or on specific days of the week) that are earmarked specifically for studying/research. To motivate the individual, try placing Study Time after a highly preferred activity (such as free time upon arrival home), and another motivating activity (like a snack, or TV time). 
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Set up a study time event for any days/times that will work well between two preferred activities.
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Make sure the two events on either side of the independent study time are motivating and enjoyable for the individual in order to ensure success.
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Using Week View can further highlight the frequency/duration of the event for the individual.
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Use Month View to view any day that the event occurs (or to see which days you may have available to add in more study time, if needed).

Placing a non-preferred activity between two motivating activities within a schedule can be extremely effective, especially for those individuals who respond well to "First/Then" concepts.

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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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Creative Tips for Long Road Trips

7/22/2013

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Taking a trip this summer? Whether it's a few hours or a few days, we've got apps to help maintain structure and make transitions on vacation much easier. 

For example, use Scene Speak to take pictures of car logos, then use the VSDs to create a book of cars to look for on a long road trip...or First Then Visual Schedule HD to create a travel itinerary, complete with stopovers. Our apps are so versatile, the potential uses are only limited by your imagination!

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Create books of VSDs with different things you can easily spot on the road for a fun road trip game.
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Find motivating and interesting images to import into your book that will keep the individual occupied while traveling.
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Create a travel itinerary for the individual to follow along with as the trip progresses.
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Knowing what comes next on the trip can alleviate a lot of stress from the unknown while traveling.
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Some Assembly Required: Using FTVS HD to Follow Instructions

7/21/2013

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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!

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Surviving Vacation Transitions

7/20/2013

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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.
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Creating Chore Charts Using FTVS HD

7/18/2013

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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.
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Addressing Repetitive Behaviors

7/17/2013

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Trying to break a loved one or client from engaging in repetitive behavior at inappropriate times? Do they have a passion or fixation that just won't seem to go away? There's a Good Karma App (or two!) for that:

Using Scene Speak to create social stories about when it is appropriate to engage in certain behaviors (this can work for ANY behavior, especially some that may come with puberty) or play with certain toys can be helpful. Rather than focus on why it's inappropriate, try flipping it to validate the function of the behavior (even if we cannot understand, every behavior has a purpose, and it is meaningful to our loved ones), then shape it into something more positive, appropriate, or productive. 
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Create VSDs for the social story that will be appropriate for the book you wish to create.
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Using the preferred object/behavior to gain attention and facilitate interest in the social story can be helpful.
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Whenever possible, try to validate the individual's feelings. Every behavior has a purpose, even if that purpose is unknown.
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Set clear parameters when it comes to how long, how frequent, etc. the individual is premitted to freely engage in the activity.

It may also be helpful if the individual is permitted to engage in the behavior/play with the toy/etc. in controlled measures of time. This will help them satisfy the need, but also keep the behavior within tangible parameters so that there is anticipation of the event, a set amount of time to engage in the activity, and a closed end to the event. Scheduling in this type of "break" for the individual can help alleviate anxieties for them and save you from constantly redirecting the behavior. Our Visual Schedule Planner app is great in this capacity. Maybe when your loved one/client gets off the bus/arrives home, they can have a 30 minute block of time scheduled in to engage in whatever activity they choose (think VERY unstructured free time!). 
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Add time for the behavior/activity by creating an event to add to the individual's daily schedule.
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By creating a set time for the activity, the individual has something to look forward to, while also understanding that the activity is closed-ended.


We may not always understand the "why" behind a behavior or activity, but there are creative ways to address behaviors that respect the individual's feelings while also maintaining order and focus throughout the rest of the day.
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Potty Training/Prompting Using FTVS HD

7/17/2013

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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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