ACCPC - Early Literacy Project - Background Information

Jenny
Jenny is a 4 year old girl who cannot speak. She is impatient and doesn’t enjoy listening to the stories being read, but she likes to turn pages. Her attention improves when there are only two to three words per page and when she can manipulate the pictures. The pictures also provide a support for language development. When Jenny’s attention wanders, the reader uses pull-off pictures to draw her attention back to the page. To see an example of this type of adapted story, click on the following link: Adapted Stories to Go by Pati King Debaun.
(Click "Sign In" and type "sample" for both the user name and the password. Click the "Sample" link and download a sample to view. Please note that you will leave this web site when you do this.)

Josh
Josh is a 5 year old boy who has autism. He does not enjoy participating in group activities and has difficulty communicating. Josh demonstrated an interest in books, and was drawn to the BookWorm in his classroom. His teacher used this interest to support his developing communication and literacy skills. The Ablenet web site presents a video showing Josh being supported in his literacy and communication development by adapting stories to work with the BookWorm. Click here to see a video clip of how this technology was used to support Josh’s comprehension of stories, his vocabulary development, his communication skill development, and his social interaction with peers. To skip directly to the case example and bypass the technology demo, click on “SKIP INTRO” and then on “A BookWorm testimonial”. Please note that you will leave this web site when you do this.

Billy
Billy is a 5 year old boy who has cerebral palsy. He does not have the fine motor control to hold a book and turn pages with ease, or to point to small pictures or text on a page. He is also unable to use crayons or markers, a standard keyboard or mouse. His teacher has adapted the pages of the storybooks she reads with him, by clipping foam to the corners of the pages. This allows Billy to place his hand between the pages to turn them when an adult holds the book. For self-selected reading she has made electronic versions of the stories that Billy can independently access by using an expanded keyboard at the computer. After reading the story Billy is able to use the expanded keyboard to engage in story retelling and other early writing activities that relate to the story. In this photograph Billy is using an overlay on an Intellkeys keyboard to retell the story in the correct sequence.

What is AAC?

People who are unable to speak because of severe physical disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, autism, traumatic brain injury etc.) may use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to convey their messages. People who use AAC may understand and hear everything that is said. They cannot control the muscles to produce speech and rely on AAC methods to communicate. Some people also use AAC tools and strategies to support their understanding of spoken or written language.

AAC includes picture or letter boards, computers and voice output communication devices.

People use these systems by pointing to or typing the items they want to say, by using their eyes to look at their messages or by using switches or other assistive technology to operate devices.

More Information on AAC

Literacy Challenges for Students with Disabilities

"One of the greatest challenges for me as a teacher has been to convince parents of the importance of language and literacy in those early years. When students with physical disabilities are very young, parents tend to focus upon therapy needs and sometimes there is not much time left or energy left for literacy activities. Remember that when a child becomes literate, a new world opens up - it's a great gift! Think of all the possibilities! Listening to and reading stories feeds the imagination. When a child begins to put letters together to write, she/he can use email to communicate with others and use the Internet. If time is limited I tell parents read, read, read to their child if they don't have the energy for anything else!"
Claudia W. (Teacher)

"I believe that a love of reading comes not only from the material you are reading but also from the pleasure you get from the time spent reading. If the act of reading becomes too cumbersome, or requires too much effort, the child will not want to read. This problem applies to all children and all readers, but the effort kids with disabilities need to expend is higher by default. So the issue is not only to teach the kids the ability to read but also to preserve the desire to read."
Julie M. (Parent)

"Having taught children with multiple challenges for many years, I know how difficult it can be to provide a balanced educational program when there are so many therapy goals that are also a high priority for these children. For parents, who are so busy with the day-to-day care of their children, I can fully understand why they might feel that there is not enough time left for much else. I believe strongly, however, that an early language and literacy program that is geared to the developmental level of the child is extremely important. Not only do literacy activities provide enjoyment, they also open doors for the future.

Whether or not a child will achieve the ability to read or write, listening to stories, songs, and poems, participating in the telling of them (either verbally or using adapted devices), and being exposed and formally introduced to print will promote the development of social and communication skills, and will provide the foundation for potential academic learning. Literacy in the early years should be equally as high a priority as therapy, and if possible, could happen simultaneously, because it contributes just as much to the development of the whole child.

Teachers and parents of special needs children probably do more than they realize; for example, I have witnessed books being read while children are in standers, songs being sung while kids are on the change table, silly rhymes being chanted as stretches are being done or as medications are being administered, and environmental print being pointed out as kids cruise along in their walkers. Along with working to highlight the importance of early literacy within this population, we also need to validate what teachers and parents are already doing and to provide resources and strategies to help them to continue."
Kellie B. (Teacher)

Accessing Literacy

To provide access to early literacy, children with disabilities need:

An environment in which they can explore and access literacy materials.
Teachers, educational assistants, and clinicians who can accommodate the literacy needs of the student and who provide modeling and instruction in early reading and writing.
Parents who know how to engage their child in literacy activities at home.

In addition, students with physical and/or communication disabilities may need individually adapted tools and resources to support them in accessing reading and writing activities.