#AppMondayTAS - Plan with Me

Each week I will be featuring an app from BridgingApps.org. These apps are features in the Bridging Apps newsletter each week and are reviewed by Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Special Education Teachers. Come back each week for a new review. If you’d like more information on how to use the BridgingApps.org website, or to find more app reviews, please click here.

Plan with Me - $2.99 (iPad Only)

Reviewer Comments

Plan with Me is a helpful tool that can be used to build a Positive Behavior Support Plan. This app is designed to focus and create a behavior plan based on the individual and his/her needs and strategies to help manage and understand the behavior. Plan with Me can be used by teachers to create an in classroom plan for their student, parents, and therapists. It is also designed with the intent of including the individual in the planning process.

Within the app there are a series of pages that begins with developing a user profile for the individual that you are creating the behavior plan for. After creating the basic profile you go through the rest of the pages that are divided up into different sections. There is a escalation curve that allows you to map different behaviors and escalated behaviors that will help build the behavior plan for the individual. There is a “help me” section on each page that can help the user with the entire process.

As teachers, we found that filling out the pages was a bit confusing, even with the “help me” page assistance. Using this application more frequently may alleviate some of the confusion, but it did take quite a bit of time to input the information. However, a great feature of this app is that the information can be shared by emailing a PDF to save or print out. We found this document to be very helpful and consolidated a large amount of helpful information into one document. It is also a great communication tool for teachers to share with one another, as well as with paraprofessionals or any related service provider who works with the individual.

Plan with Me can be used with as many students or clients as you wish because it allows you to create many different profiles and keep them all in one place.

Overall, Plan with Me is a good application for one that has time to sit down and really get to know the application. The interface is somewhat confusing, but the PDF with all the collected information has been extremely helpful and informative in supporting individuals with special needs.

Mobile Devices

iPad

Independent Traits

Behavior

Assistive Traits

Assistive Self Help

Assistive/Independent

Assistive

iTunes Categories

Education

Lifestyle

BridgingApps Categories

Positive Reinforcement

Social Skills

BridgingApps Reviewed App

Disclaimer:
You may copy, modify format, distribute and perform the work(s), including app reviews and
any data even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission provided that you: a)
cite our research project and publications as follows: BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals
Greater Houston; b) agree that we make no warranties about the work(s) or data, and disclaim
liability for all uses of the work(s) or data, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law; c)
when using or citing the work(s) or data, you should not imply endorsement by us; and d) do not
misrepresent the work or its content, or any part thereof, or present it any manner which would
have the effect of disparaging BridgingApps, Easter Seals Greater Houston or any affiliated
entity or person.

Patrick

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ClassDojo App

ClassDojo has released an iOS app for use in the classroom.  The free app (ClassDojo App) is even easier to use than their mobile site.  It works seamlessly across all platforms and give you some great options like assigning points to multiple students at the same time, and picking a random student!  You can even have multiple devices giving points at the same time (great way to include aides in supporting large group activities).

Along with the iOS app launch, they have recently upgraded the site to fix some small bugs and make the interface cleaner.  It now allows you to download individual reports as a group.  As well as make it easier to get student codes so they can create their own login.

ClassDojo has quickly replaced my classroom behavior system (a token system), in almost all cases.  There are still a few features I would like to see implemented that would make it just soar for a special education classroom.  I would like more specific feedback about the occurrence of behaviors, specifically when they occur.  Along with that, the ability to create multiple classes and track the same student over the course of the day would be hugely beneficial, if this was included I could use it to track any behavior plan data I might need!

I continue to find ClassDojo extremely useful, and can't wait to see where it goes in the next year!

Patrick

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"In the End It's All About the Little Things" by @W3iGHTLESS #edchat #sped #spedchat #ABA

Matthew Vannice (@W3iGHTLESS) recently posted a brief literature review (including a video!) on instructional approaches, or strategies, for addressing problem behaviors.  Mr. Vannice is a special educator and intervionist at Lucile Erwin Middle School in Loveland, CO.  Since I thought this information has great value for everyone in the field of special education, I have copied his original post below.

In the End It's All About the Little Things...

Sometimes it's about dropping our intensity, anxiety, etc. over pacing guides, assessment, and academic growth. Sometimes its about the simpler things. Those things that make instruction accessible to all kids. Here are some tools from a brief lit review on instructional approaches to address problem behavior. Enjoy. 

Pre-Correction- pre-correction. With an instructional approach, the teacher proactively provides lessons on compliant behavior using demonstrations, explanations, positive and negative examples, and role plays (Colvin & Sugai,1988).  

De-Briefing- One strategy that is used following a negative consequence for a problem behavior is designed to prevent chronic non-compliance, is debriefing. This activity should provide feedback and planning at a time somewhat later than the initial response to the offense (Sugai & Colvin,1997).  

Behavior Rehearsal- Behavior rehearsal (Cartledge, 2005) or role-plays, are opportunities to practice and to be positively reinforced for complying with behavioral expectations. Pre-correction is an instructional strategy that is used in situations where non-compliance is likely, but before the non-compliance occurs. 

Friendly Rapport- Walker and Walker (1991) include making an effort to establish a friendly rapport by speaking informally with students outside of class, for example, before or after school, or during the lunch break, as a means of preventingnon-compliance in class. 

Behavioral Momentum- Compliance also can be increased by using a sequence of commands that begin with several easy to follow directions that have a high probability of eliciting compliance (Belfiore, Basile, & Lee, 2008). 

CICO- CICO involves rating how well a student has succeeded in meeting his or her behavioral goals during a class period and providing feedback and encouragement (Crone, Hawken, & Horner, 2010). 

Opportunity to Respond- Non-compliance in the classroom can be reduced or prevented by matching the instructional demands and the opportunities to respond accurately to the students’ ability levels (Gunter & Conroy, 1998).  

Controlled Choice- An important way to defuse the anger and aggression that often accompany disobedience is to calmly offer choices rather than to engage in the direct confrontations we know as “power struggles” (Colvin, 1999). 

Instructional Selectivity- Select high-interest of functional learning activities. Kids are far more motivated to learn when their instructional activities are linked to an area of high personal interest (Kern et. al., 2002).

Source:  http://e1ementa1.posterous.com/in-the-end-its-all-about-the-little-things


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Handipoints #edtech #spedtech #sped #tck #parents

Handipoints is an online tool or virtual community to help parents motivate their children to complete offline chores or tasks.  

How it works:  

1.  Parents create charts (for behaviors, chores, fitness, etc.).
NOTE:  In order to save charts that they create and for their kids to be able to earn points, parents have to register for a FREE account.  

2.  Kids complete tasks and check them off on the chart

3.  Parent grades the tasks and awards points.

4.  Kids save up points  to play online games or buy cool stuff for their virtual pet cat.

Handipoints also features a library of over 10,000 printables\worksheets as well as arts & crafts ideas, which children could complete to earn points.  Kids can also learn Fun Facts about health, holidays, science and history!


There is a FREE account, which lets parents create charts and worksheets, grade their children's work, and create an online allowance programs.  Paid plans offer premium features.




-  Jeremy

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#AppMondayTAS - iReward 3.0 by Grembe Apps @grembe #edapp #IEAR #spedchat #slpchat

For the second part of this week's #AppMondayTAS, I would like to share an updated version of iReward (iTunes App Store | Universal | $4.99) by Grembe Apps. iReward is a digital token board or motivational tool.  With iReward, teachers/parents/therapists are easily able to create token boards to help reinforce positive behaviors using visual (or tangible) rewards.  This app replaces the traditional velcro token-boards, which required a lot of effort to make.  iReward helps students remain on-task.  This app also helps facilitate transitions between activities.

I actually have been using this app in my classroom and with clients in my work as a Family Trainer since it was first released in late 2009.  Since then I have communicated with Jeff and Lisa (the developers), who are very open to feedback from users.  This update of iReward is exciting for me, as it adds several features  that I had requested!

iReward is a MUST have app for any classroom or home that has children with special needs (particularly autism).

Video Demo (by developer - our video demo will be uploaded tonight!):

App Features:

• Support for multiple users - save custom token boards for multiple students on one device
• Organize rewards or token boards by name or group
• Copy/paste rewards between different names
• Customization
• choice of background colors for names
• choice of tokens (checks, coins, gold and red stars, or smiley faces)
• Include visual of reward
• Take photo of reward using built-in camera, import a from device photo albums, or use built-in Google Image search
• Ability to use two pictures to reinforce a first-then reward
• Record custom audio and/or play video of keyboard when reward completed
• Add or remove tokens
• Option for only adding/removing one token at a time
• Optional sound for when a token is added
• Options for larger images and text, and for playing sound when adding a token
• Ability to "lock" the app, preventing student from making any changes. Unlock the app by shaking device and entering the password.
• In-app help added to first screen
• Remarkable customer service (support@grembe.com) and user forum

Suggestions for Improvement:

• Ability to create custom tokens
• Ability to select other video rewards (either videos on device or YouTube)
• Optional built-in timer for interval reinforcement schedules
• Data collection - keep track of how many times each session/day a student selected/earned a particular reward
• Ability to share token boards with other devices either by "bumping" devices or through iTunes

GIVEAWAY\OFFER

The developer have provided us with 3 promo codes for iReward to giveaway to active readers of the Teaching All Students blog. You can enter to win a promo code for iReward by doing the following:

1. Comment below and describe\share what kind of token economy or visual supports you have used to motivate your child or students.

 2. Follow @Grembe on Twitter.  Tweet the following: "RT @techieteacher This week's #AppMondayTAS features iReward 3.0 by @grembe - electronic token board #edapp #IEAR #spedchat #TeachingAll" AND comment below letting us know you have retweeted.

3. Like Teaching All Students AND Grembe on Facebook. Leave a comment on either Facebook page about this giveaway.

If you choose to do all 3, you will be entered 3 times.  Winners will be announced Friday evening. Good luck!

-  Jeremy

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Guest Post - The Importance of Awareness and Advocacy in Special Education

The Texas Tribune very recently reported on a trend in Texas public schools--special education students are twice as likely to be suspended from school as their general education student counterparts. The article gives a personal account of one young kindergartner afflicted with brain damage who had been sent home by the school district five different times in one school year.

A Texas Education Agency study found that expulsions were also inordinately higher for special education students as compared to the general student population. While special ed students make up ten percent of the overall student population in public schools in Texas, they account for twenty one percent of expulsions. In terms of suspensions, out of every 100 special education students, there were over 50 in-school suspensions and 25 out of school suspensions. With regular students the numbers were significantly less--only 33.2 in school suspensions and 12.1 out of school suspensions for every 100.

This imbalance in disciplinary action between special and non special education students demonstrates the difficulties of teaching students who are afflicted with disabilities. It also demonstrates a need for teachers who are prepared to handle these special circumstances.

However, not all is doom and gloom, as the TEA noted that these statistics have improved over the years. What's more, several Texas public schools have adopted what's called "positive behavior supports", which employs behavioral approaches that are couched in positive affirmation. One school district which had received a grant for using this net of behavioral approaches experienced an almost 60 percent drop in disciplinary referrals.

Both parents and teachers who are involved in special education in some way must continue to advocate for change. The importance of awareness and advocacy of special education was recently demonstrated in an intensive seminar held by Behavioral Outreach Services, which would teach parents all the intricacies of special education laws and practices. Seminars such as these could be the start of greater awareness and could further fuel continued improvements in special ed.

Special education is no easy task, and leveraging the power of the Internet in order to become informed about laws regarding special education students, as well as current proposed policies, are instrumental in achieving any sort of change in which the interests of the special ed child comes first.

WrightsLaw is one such Net resource that helps keep teacher and parent advocates up to date on laws and policies.

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who writes on the topics of online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99@gmail.com.


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Oh Baby!

Today's post will be the last for a little while, because we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of my first child! It's been a very exciting time and I can't wait to meet them (no, we don't know if it's a boy or girl!). So in that vein I thought I'd share some interesting things I've found while getting ready for the baby.

I've recently picked up a book called NutureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson. I'm pretty traditional in my views about raising children, but am always interested in new theories and such. This book is not about that, this book is about research. What does the research say about things like praise (we my overdo it), sleep (kids aren't getting enough), lying (all kids do it, especially teenagers), and sibling rivalry (Freud got it wrong). I've not finished the book, but really think it is something that every teacher, parent, or grandparent should read.

My best friend, writer, and stay-at-home dad started writing a blog - The Children are Revolting. Joe is actually my wife's friend from high school, but I've stolen him! He's been home raising his 2 boys for a little over 4 years now, and these boys are wonderful. He decided to chronicle a few of the more interesting things that have happened, please take a moment to check out his blog.

I will be back sometime this summer, once I've gotten a little sleep!

Patrick


Photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons: fofurasfelinas


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Google Docs - for data collection

So I recently shared some ideas on how to use Google Docs to Collaborate with parents and related service providers. After setting this up, one of my instructional assistants said "couldn't we use that for data collection?" Hmmmm, well maybe...

I've been provided with a couple of iPod Touches in my classroom. I got to thinking, what if I paired the Touch with a Google form? Google makes it very easy to set up a simple form for survey's and such, and they link it to a spreadsheet to collect your data. I knew how to set this up, but would it work with the Touch. After sending the link to the Touch (by snycing the Safari bookmarks), and placing a link on the front screen of the Touch, we were set to try it.

Here's a link to the form that I created - Behavior Chart Example Form

And here's the link to the data sheet where the data will be collected - Behavior Chart Example

So, other than just for fun, what would I want to do this. Personally, I'm all for keeping digital copies, and not using paper. If you like to chart things, you don't have to transfer it from paper to your computer to create the chart. It's portable, a Touch is small enough to fit in a pocket and as long as you have Wi-Fi, you have access to your form. And lastly, it goes back to collaboration, but keeping it on Google Docs allows everyone to see the data. So far it's working great, but feel free to try it out for yourself!

Patrick

Photo courtesy of Flick Creative Commons: nickwheeleroz

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social stories site

A great link was shared on the Boardmaker Group recently. This is a link to a great site for social stories. The blog that it was mentioned on is here at the Fruitful Prairie:

Fruitful Prairie - Social Stories

Which links you to the Kansas Autism Spectrum Disorders website. They have an entire section devoted to social narratives and power cards. They use many different characters (Dora, Thomas, etc...) to help teach students different skills. The files are available in different formats too - powerpoint, word, Boardmaker, and more. Check out this great resource for writing social stories.

Patrick