WEBSITE ACTIVITIES DIANE K. ELLIS AAC CONSULTANT ...

cue to "sit on chair", "inside voice" or "raise your hands". Turn-taking cue
cards could be graphic symbol my turn/your turn or individual
photographs. Students participate in social activities such as playing
games, cooking activities, songs/books, etc. while using the visual
instructions to cue the student with a disability.
• Social Stories by Carol Gray are stories which use written or picture
sentences to present information visually and describe expected behavior.
Resources for developing social stories can be found in books "The Original
Social Story Book" by Carol Gray and "Social Skills Stories" by Johnson
and Susnik. For nonverbal students who are nonreaders, taking
photographs of the student demonstrating the skills or parts of the story
have been successful. In addition, using graphic reading/writing support
software such as Writing With Symbols (Mayer-Johnson).
5. Adapting Toys/School Materials: Many instructional materials will need to
be adapted to meet the unique needs of students with severe disabilities.
There are commercial products available but if cost is a factor there are ways
to modify school tools and materials. Some of these possible modifications and
adaptations are as follows:
• Paintbrushes – cut handles shorter or build up handles with tape.
• Easels – use clipboards to angle work or bedside tilt tables; contact paper
3- ring binders to use as easels.
• Scissors – use one of a variety of commercially adapted scissors including
loop scissors, help scissors and battery operated scissors; build up handles
with yarn.or tape
• Sponge Painting – cut designs or purchase sponge shapes and attach a
handle i.e. dowel, cupboard knob, pc pipe, etc.