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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Interesting post. And welcome back to the blogsphere. I have been to the program in new York before. The program seemed to me very good even a lot of adaptions from a usual Ce program had to be made to suit different the needs of the attending children. I do like your idea to change the name to keep a more clearer picture of Ce. Has this ever happened before?
ReplyDeleteI will think a bit later of a better name and let you know if I come up with something.
Aenna
Thanks Aenna I appreciate the support! I look forward to hearing any ideas you may have for new program labels!
ReplyDeleteHi there.
ReplyDeleteSo I didn't come up with anything creative. Sorry. I think you are right with calling it something like specialized education with conductive components. I'm definitely not as creative as I thought. Sure you already came up with something brilliant.
I was wondering if you could explain more about communican, maybe even as a blog. It did catch my interest as I know a couple of kids who by the sound of it, could benefit. I do realize there might be some copy right issues. But maybe you could explain why and how it's so successful. Most other communication equipment and strategies I usually find rather useless. Especially because usually they are not consistently used everywhere. Or its to complex and complicated. Would consistently using one strategy or equipment do the same? How do you use it consistently in the Ce classroom or do you? And is it something that could work in all the Ce programs.
Anyway. Would love to hear some more of it, if you don't mind.
Aenna