2012 Spring Newsletter
Pennsylvania Deaf-Blind Initiative
2012 Spring Newsletter OUR NEWSLETTER IS GOING GREEN! The Quarterly Newsletter from the PA Deaf-Blind Initiative will be going green by the Summer Edition. This Newsletter has been mailed to Pennsylvania families that have a child or youth, birth to 21 years of age that are on the PA Census for Deaf-Blindness. This will be our last hard copy of the newsletter. If you wish to continue to receive the Quarterly Newsletter electronically, please email Patti McGowan [email protected] and you will be added to the list to receive the newsletter electronically. If you do not have access to email and wish to have a hard copy, contact Molly Black [email protected] and we will have a hard copy mailed to you.
The Communication Matrix for Early Communicators By Juli Baumgarner There is a wonderful assessment tool for children and youth who are deaf-blind, The Communication Matrix, is used to assess expressive communication, and to plan and monitor intervention. Developed for individuals who are at the earlier stages of communication, The Communication Matrix is organized according to the behaviors that someone uses to communicate, the messages being expressed, and the level of communication. Communication Behaviors Children who are deaf-blind may use a variety of behaviors for communication (e.g., vocalizations, facial expressions, body movements, gestures, and object cues). Identifying and describing communication behaviors to everyone who interacts with the child is important, because we want communication partners to recognize when communication happens, so we can respond and interact! The Communication Matrix can be used to document communication behaviors. The presence of vision and hearing loss impacts on the types of behaviors that a child uses to communicate and interact. First, we must have a clear understanding of how the child uses her vision and hearing. The environment, the child’s level of engagement, and the familiarity of the routine can also impact on access to sensory information. We may need to use tactile strategies for intervention, and the child may need to use touch to clarify information, to communicate and to maintain interaction. The Communication Matrix includes the use of 2- and 3-dimensional tangible object symbols, that can be used very effectively with children who are deaf-blind. Communication Messages The Communication Matrix organizes the messages or reasons for communication into four major categories, with additional items in each category. Here are the four basic categories for types of messages: to refuse things that we don’t want; to obtain things that we do want; to engage in social interaction; and, to provide or seek information. It is important to identify the messages that the child uses. If the variety of communication messages is limited, consider the opportunities that are present for communication. Are we only providing opportunities for the child to obtain objects? You and I comUpcoming Events: municate for a variety of reasons, make sure there are many different reasons for the child to Ask the Expert Conference Call communicate. Our conversation as adults is not limited to responding to questions, or makWednesday, April 18, 2012 ing choices, yet this is often the primary focus of communication intervention. Make sure that everyone who interacts with the child shares an understanding of the types of messages Team Institute: Communication being expressed by the child, and that the child uses a variety of communication messages! Strategies to Support Communication Levels Students with Deaf-Blindness There are seven levels of communication that are assessed with the Communication May 15, 2012, PaTTAN, Harrisburg Matrix. We need to identify the child’s level of communication, for two reasons. The first reason is to build upon the current level, by expanding the forms and messages of Family Learning Conference communication. The second reason is to systematically provide intervention to establish the June 29-30, 2012, Hershey next level of communication for the child. The seven levels of communication range from Pre-Intentional to Abstract Symbols. PA Low Incidence Institute Bringing it All Together August 8—12, State College, PA Communication intervention must integrate the communication behavior, message, and level. Goals that focus on all three of these components will promote communication develSPARKLE Boot Camp opment. If we work on one component in isolation, such as only focusing on the communiFall 2012. Western Region cation behavior, our success with intervention will be limited. Continued on Page 2
Continued from Page 1 Who Can Complete the Communication Matrix? The Communication Matrix can be completed by speech-language pathologists, Early Interventionists, educators, and parents. It is a matrix of the levels of communication and the reasons for communication. The seven levels of communication range from preintentional behavior (e.g., a spontaneous movement that signals a child’s state) to language (the combination of two symbols according to grammatical rules). How Can You Learn More and Start Using the Communication Matrix? Consult with other team members, such as speech-language pathologist, who may have experience using the Communication Matrix. Attend the May 7 workshop on the Communication Matrix, which will be hosted at various locations in Pennsylvania. The use of the Communication Matrix and intervention planning will be the focus. Participants will learn how to use the Communication Matrix to learn about the child, and will plan intervention with a specific focus on how to increase presymbolic communication skills, and how to teach children to use “tangible symbols” (2-and 3-dimensional symbols). This is a great strategy for children who are deaf-blind! Contact the PaTTAN Deaf-Blind Initiative, to help your team utilize this tool for assessment and intervention planning. Visit the website for the Communication Matrix. It is available at no-cost online. The website is http://www.communicationmatrix.org, and there is a free downloadable manual at http://www.communicationmatrix.org/CommunicationMatrixHandbookCR.pdf. Resources: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (2008). Practice perspectives: The path to symbolism. Available at: http://www.nationaldb.org/NCDBProducts.php?prodID=97 Rowland, C. (2009). Communication Matrix for Parents and. Portland, OR: Design to Learn Projects, Oregon Health & Science University.
New President—PPDB
ASK THE EXPERT:
Hello, my name is Sue Shaffer and I am the newly appointed President of the Pennsylvania Partnership for the Deafblind (PPDB). I live in Shippensburg with my husband, Steve, and two children, Amber, a junior at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, and Daniel, a transition student at Western PA School for Blind Children. We enjoy camping, travelling, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.
On April 18 the PA Deaf-Blind Initiative will host a conference call from 7:30-8:30 PM, titled “What’s New in CHARGE Syndrome?” Our Expert Speaker will be Sheri Stranger, M.A., M.Ed., the parent of an 18-year-old daughter with CHARGE syndrome. Sheri is a certified school counselor and worked with children with vision loss and deaf-blindness at the Jewish Guild for the Blind in the 1990’s.
My first conference about deafblindness was the 1998 National Technical Assistance Consortium/National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB) Parent Workshop in St. Louis. Both my husband and I attended, and the experience had a huge impact on where I am today in my efforts to support families. I worked as a family liaison for the Pennsylvania Deaf-Blind Initiative for a few years, and currently I volunteer as a Parent-to-Parent mentor through referrals from several different agencies. I enjoy learning about the field of deaf-blindness and being able to share the information with others. I am looking forward to continuing to do so through the PPDB and its affiliation with NFADB.
2012 Family Learning Conference Look for the brochure in your mail. Application Deadline: April 15!!!
She has served on the board of the National Family Association for Deaf-Blind for 14 years and is a Past- President. Sheri also serves on the board of her local Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA). She currently works for the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation as the Director of Outreach and facilitates a national CHARGE tele-support group, sponsored by the Jewish Guild for the Blind, for parents of children with CHARGE syndrome. Toll: 1-719-955-1371 Toll Free: 1-888-450-5996 Passcode: 9839393
Contact Information Two state-wide Educational Consultants and two Family Liaisons will work with you to identify resources and/or develop a training plan to meet your needs and build local resources: Kristen Parsons, Educational Consultant [email protected] 717-541-4960 Juli Baumgarner, Educational Consultant [email protected] 717- 571-3073 Molly Black, Family Liaison, State-wide [email protected] 724-863-1283 Patti McGowan, Family Liaison, State-wide [email protected] 724-864-2553
2012 Spring Newsletter OUR NEWSLETTER IS GOING GREEN! The Quarterly Newsletter from the PA Deaf-Blind Initiative will be going green by the Summer Edition. This Newsletter has been mailed to Pennsylvania families that have a child or youth, birth to 21 years of age that are on the PA Census for Deaf-Blindness. This will be our last hard copy of the newsletter. If you wish to continue to receive the Quarterly Newsletter electronically, please email Patti McGowan [email protected] and you will be added to the list to receive the newsletter electronically. If you do not have access to email and wish to have a hard copy, contact Molly Black [email protected] and we will have a hard copy mailed to you.
The Communication Matrix for Early Communicators By Juli Baumgarner There is a wonderful assessment tool for children and youth who are deaf-blind, The Communication Matrix, is used to assess expressive communication, and to plan and monitor intervention. Developed for individuals who are at the earlier stages of communication, The Communication Matrix is organized according to the behaviors that someone uses to communicate, the messages being expressed, and the level of communication. Communication Behaviors Children who are deaf-blind may use a variety of behaviors for communication (e.g., vocalizations, facial expressions, body movements, gestures, and object cues). Identifying and describing communication behaviors to everyone who interacts with the child is important, because we want communication partners to recognize when communication happens, so we can respond and interact! The Communication Matrix can be used to document communication behaviors. The presence of vision and hearing loss impacts on the types of behaviors that a child uses to communicate and interact. First, we must have a clear understanding of how the child uses her vision and hearing. The environment, the child’s level of engagement, and the familiarity of the routine can also impact on access to sensory information. We may need to use tactile strategies for intervention, and the child may need to use touch to clarify information, to communicate and to maintain interaction. The Communication Matrix includes the use of 2- and 3-dimensional tangible object symbols, that can be used very effectively with children who are deaf-blind. Communication Messages The Communication Matrix organizes the messages or reasons for communication into four major categories, with additional items in each category. Here are the four basic categories for types of messages: to refuse things that we don’t want; to obtain things that we do want; to engage in social interaction; and, to provide or seek information. It is important to identify the messages that the child uses. If the variety of communication messages is limited, consider the opportunities that are present for communication. Are we only providing opportunities for the child to obtain objects? You and I comUpcoming Events: municate for a variety of reasons, make sure there are many different reasons for the child to Ask the Expert Conference Call communicate. Our conversation as adults is not limited to responding to questions, or makWednesday, April 18, 2012 ing choices, yet this is often the primary focus of communication intervention. Make sure that everyone who interacts with the child shares an understanding of the types of messages Team Institute: Communication being expressed by the child, and that the child uses a variety of communication messages! Strategies to Support Communication Levels Students with Deaf-Blindness There are seven levels of communication that are assessed with the Communication May 15, 2012, PaTTAN, Harrisburg Matrix. We need to identify the child’s level of communication, for two reasons. The first reason is to build upon the current level, by expanding the forms and messages of Family Learning Conference communication. The second reason is to systematically provide intervention to establish the June 29-30, 2012, Hershey next level of communication for the child. The seven levels of communication range from Pre-Intentional to Abstract Symbols. PA Low Incidence Institute Bringing it All Together August 8—12, State College, PA Communication intervention must integrate the communication behavior, message, and level. Goals that focus on all three of these components will promote communication develSPARKLE Boot Camp opment. If we work on one component in isolation, such as only focusing on the communiFall 2012. Western Region cation behavior, our success with intervention will be limited. Continued on Page 2
Continued from Page 1 Who Can Complete the Communication Matrix? The Communication Matrix can be completed by speech-language pathologists, Early Interventionists, educators, and parents. It is a matrix of the levels of communication and the reasons for communication. The seven levels of communication range from preintentional behavior (e.g., a spontaneous movement that signals a child’s state) to language (the combination of two symbols according to grammatical rules). How Can You Learn More and Start Using the Communication Matrix? Consult with other team members, such as speech-language pathologist, who may have experience using the Communication Matrix. Attend the May 7 workshop on the Communication Matrix, which will be hosted at various locations in Pennsylvania. The use of the Communication Matrix and intervention planning will be the focus. Participants will learn how to use the Communication Matrix to learn about the child, and will plan intervention with a specific focus on how to increase presymbolic communication skills, and how to teach children to use “tangible symbols” (2-and 3-dimensional symbols). This is a great strategy for children who are deaf-blind! Contact the PaTTAN Deaf-Blind Initiative, to help your team utilize this tool for assessment and intervention planning. Visit the website for the Communication Matrix. It is available at no-cost online. The website is http://www.communicationmatrix.org, and there is a free downloadable manual at http://www.communicationmatrix.org/CommunicationMatrixHandbookCR.pdf. Resources: National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (2008). Practice perspectives: The path to symbolism. Available at: http://www.nationaldb.org/NCDBProducts.php?prodID=97 Rowland, C. (2009). Communication Matrix for Parents and. Portland, OR: Design to Learn Projects, Oregon Health & Science University.
New President—PPDB
ASK THE EXPERT:
Hello, my name is Sue Shaffer and I am the newly appointed President of the Pennsylvania Partnership for the Deafblind (PPDB). I live in Shippensburg with my husband, Steve, and two children, Amber, a junior at Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, and Daniel, a transition student at Western PA School for Blind Children. We enjoy camping, travelling, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.
On April 18 the PA Deaf-Blind Initiative will host a conference call from 7:30-8:30 PM, titled “What’s New in CHARGE Syndrome?” Our Expert Speaker will be Sheri Stranger, M.A., M.Ed., the parent of an 18-year-old daughter with CHARGE syndrome. Sheri is a certified school counselor and worked with children with vision loss and deaf-blindness at the Jewish Guild for the Blind in the 1990’s.
My first conference about deafblindness was the 1998 National Technical Assistance Consortium/National Family Association for Deaf-Blind (NFADB) Parent Workshop in St. Louis. Both my husband and I attended, and the experience had a huge impact on where I am today in my efforts to support families. I worked as a family liaison for the Pennsylvania Deaf-Blind Initiative for a few years, and currently I volunteer as a Parent-to-Parent mentor through referrals from several different agencies. I enjoy learning about the field of deaf-blindness and being able to share the information with others. I am looking forward to continuing to do so through the PPDB and its affiliation with NFADB.
2012 Family Learning Conference Look for the brochure in your mail. Application Deadline: April 15!!!
She has served on the board of the National Family Association for Deaf-Blind for 14 years and is a Past- President. Sheri also serves on the board of her local Special Education Parent Teacher Association (SEPTA). She currently works for the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation as the Director of Outreach and facilitates a national CHARGE tele-support group, sponsored by the Jewish Guild for the Blind, for parents of children with CHARGE syndrome. Toll: 1-719-955-1371 Toll Free: 1-888-450-5996 Passcode: 9839393
Contact Information Two state-wide Educational Consultants and two Family Liaisons will work with you to identify resources and/or develop a training plan to meet your needs and build local resources: Kristen Parsons, Educational Consultant [email protected] 717-541-4960 Juli Baumgarner, Educational Consultant [email protected] 717- 571-3073 Molly Black, Family Liaison, State-wide [email protected] 724-863-1283 Patti McGowan, Family Liaison, State-wide [email protected] 724-864-2553
