Communican Program Part 2: Implementation

So it's been a year now of running our Communican program and I am so glad that I came to the decision to allow the students to sit in supported seating for their communication and academics. As a teacher it has been the most amazing experience for me, I have gone from teaching a severely restricted curriculum with closed form choices for answers and multiple choice responses; to enabling the students to answer open ended questions and formulate their own independent thoughts and ideas and then successfully express these to the class.
It has been a year filled with hard work, professional dilemmas and a steep learning curve and it has been one of the most productive academic and communicative years I have ever had the privilege to teach!
We now use our communication book throughout the entire morning session with class 1 and the entire afternoon session with class 2. We then integrate the book as and when we can through the CE portion of the day.

The communication book (actually 3 books in total) mimics the way that a high tech communication device works. The student scans through the book with the help of their communication partner.  When the student hears and sees the icon they want they activate a voice output device using a switch or if they are not in supported seating using a 'best yes' (this is a movement or sound of their choosing that represents 'yes').

The communication partner is basically simulating the computer/communication device and does not  (if at all possible) direct the students choices.

Many icons or choices lead the student to different pages in the book until they get to a phrase or statement they wish to make. 

As well as conversation the communication book allows the student to spell words using the entire alphabet, create numbers using a number line, as well as write sentences using sentence starters (I see, I want, I am going, etc), little words  (a, to the, with, and. etc) and core words (I, he, my, she, me they, you, we etc).

Using the core words the students are learning to read simple primer and pre-primer reading books.  They read the books silently and then navigate to the core word pages where they can select the words they have just read.

I am continually amazed by the students knowledge of the communication book. They are navigating the pages with increasing confidence and are finding multiple paths to the same choices.  The students have picked up the book far faster than the adults in the class!!

Now as we enter year two of our curriculum we are able to focus less on how the book is used and more on the academics and curriculum we wish the students to learn.  They are beginning to construct grammatically correct sentences, write short paragraphs, books and projects. As well as answer questions and make independent comments. 

I am almost learning to get to know my student all over again as the book allows them to express themselves in ways that have never been open to them before.  Their personalities are showing through in new and exciting ways as they are able to express their sense of humor, their individual views as well as their fears and concerns.

I am more excited than ever to see where this years curriculum will take us and as we introduce more high tech communication devices into the classroom, what new possibilities await these amazing students.

Communican Program Part I - The stuggle to accept what may be seen as 'giving up on our principles'.

Sorry to have been away for a while, work and illness kept me from keeping up with the blog that I promised myself I would not ignore!!!  Right so that worked out great LOL

But here I am almost fighting fit and thinking it's about time I got back in the saddle.

I was asked for more information about the communication program that we have been developing here in NYC and how we are melding it with the more traditional CE program that was here before....I use traditional it a fairly looses sense as this program services a population of severely multiply disabled students, all of whom are non-verbal, many of whom have seizure disorders and multiple medical issues combined with CP, developmental delay and the usual undiagnosed conditions.

With a completely non-verbal population communication has always been prominent in our environment and over the past 5 years we have seen it develop using traditional symbol systems, low tech devices such as step-by-step switches and devices such as the Techtalk.  Access was always an issue we struggled with.  The physicality of the CE program and the desire to have the students out of their wheelchairs and at the plinths with minimal support increased this challenge and meant that we reached a certain level of achievement and then we hit 'the wall'.  Without bringing in more supportive seating and allowing the students the best opportunity to access their communication systems we were limited with how much further we could lead them.

This is where we were last year!  The our school board of directors invited Pati King DeBaun to come and work with us.  She worked with us on access and did everything in her power to help us maintain our conductive environment while maximizing the access and communication opportunities for the students.  It was several months into the new program before I began to feel the strain of trying to keep the children out of their supported seating and at the plinths and still allow them maximum success with their communication system.
I felt as though I was letting myself down, letting down the principles of CE and more importantly that I was some how failing my students.  It was a stressful and tough couple of months where I wrestled with my conscience and my fellow conductors as to what we should do.
That was nearly 6 months ago and since then we have made concessions which when seen out of the context of our school would seem like (excuse the phrase) 'spitting in the eye of CE'.
The students are sitting in whatever is the most secure and best positioning for them in order to allow the the opportunity to use their communication system as easily and as effectively as possible.  My justifications for this are numerous and I believe worth sacrifice of CE method as I truly believe we are still holding true to the principles of CE.
The students we serve in NYC come to us to learn independence, both physical, emotional, social and cognitive.  By refusing to allow them to sit in wheelchairs or adapted seating I had realized I was preventing them from achieving this independence in all but the physical aspects!  What right had I to refuse to let these students access to their environment through communication, social interaction and academic learning?

And so our 'hybrid' program began to take shape.  The students were split into two groups by academic levels and in order to maximize use of conductors and the one part-time special educator on staff the groups alternate their daily routine.  One group does their CE programs in the morning while the other group has academics and communication and then in the afternoon the groups switch.  It seems to be working...but we are always looking for ways to make the program more effective.

So maybe we no longer look like the 'traditional' CE program...but I for one believe we have found a more effective way to service the needs of our students.  We are achieving a high level of functioning, greater confidence, more independence and an increase in motivation from all the students.  If nothing else that shows to me we are doing something right!  And while we will continue to look for improvements I intend to see this program continues and that our students benefit from all aspects both CE and communication related.

I'll bring you more details of how the Communican program is structured soon!

What are the limitations of CE?

So I was chatting away with a colleague this week after completing another consultation with a child who while may not have been considered 'typical' of the clientele we see in CE could be a possible candidate for our school and the point came up as it frequently does these days...where do we draw the line?
Can CE help anyone with motoric challenges?

The the question becomes can we in good conscience turn anyone away from our doors, especially knowing the quality of educational establishments currently available to this particular population? (I wish to stress here that I am not criticising other schools or philosophies but I do feel that CE can offer many unique qualities, all within one unified setting).

The clients I am currently seeing come to our doors (especially children) are certainly not the clients CE would have seen 40, 20 even 10 years ago.  This is of course mainly due to medical advances, but I would also like to think it is because of an increased optimism for the abilities and prospects for these children, and also because or an increase, however slight, in the general visibility of CE around the world!

So back to the original questions..what are the limitations of CE and can we help anyone??

I like to believe the answer to this is yes!  I like to believe that CE is such an effective method and philosophy that while limitations will obviously exist, we have the ability to be able to help any individual become more orthofunctional.
Now to the crux of the matter...how will integrating or not integrating these individuals into our environment impact the CE environment???? 
And here is the sticking point for me. 
Do we give these individuals one-on-one sessions?  Not idea by our methodology.
Do we integrate them fully and if so, is it even possible to provide enough differentiation to keep the group cohesive and yet provide sufficient facilitation for all within the group??

I am thinking on my feet here people!!!!  But tell me in all honesty can you truly look a desperate parent or caregiver in the face and tell them it is hopeless!  That there is no helping their child! That CE an education renowned for finding an individuals strengths, when no one else can, and developing their skills from that base, cannot handle their child!??

I understand that there are limitations to CE..but I do not have a crystal ball!  I am unable to predict where any individual will be in 2, 5, 10 years.  I could never have predicted that I would be here 10 years ago and who knows me better than I do???

And so I sit, pouring over this consultation report..seeing this child's strengths.  Their determination, their positive attitude and the spark in their eye which hints at the intelligence and understanding trapped inside and I can't for the life of me say no!  Am I wrong???

Which door leads to certain doom?

With the introduction of a new component to the conductive program in New York I am left with questions of the direction in which a program currently labelled as a CE program is taking.
The addition to our program comes in the form of a communication program titled Communican. This program is designed by Pati King DeBaun and is for non verbal children with physical disabilities. It focuses on finding access methods and allowing students to communicate as easily as possible. In order for them to be successful communicators however requires seating and positioning that is not generally seen within a CE environment.
And so the dilemma!
I have seen with my own eyes the success of this program. Children who have been struggling for years to communicate the simplest needs and wants are now able to not only do that but also initiate conversations in social settings.
Who am I to place their physical needs above their social, communicative and even academic skills! Surely being able to interact with your environment is as important if not more so that being able to physically explore it!
But now what do we call our program?? Yes there are definite CE components still in place. Each day consists of a 2-3 hour CE session. Lunchtimes and transitions are conductive.
Academic and social communication times are conducted in best seating and best access positioning and (heaven forbid!) this is often in wheelchairs!
Are we wrong?
I believe we are producing an amazing program which is already demonstrating fantastic success. But in the interest of false advertising it needs a new title! Hybrid program was one suggestion. Special Education and Communication Program using the philisophy of CE could be another is slightly long winded idea. Possibly a communication program with sessional CE??
I don't know the answer and while the program is here to stay we need to consider the view from the outside world and not be a part of the co tinned campaign to muddy the waters of the CE world.

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