INFO ISPEEK

Anything to add? http://www.infoispeek.org/sendalineortwo.htm

Lori

Thanks for this website. I really appreciate it.  We live in Florida, USA!

Here is a great site that has lots of free communication, picture symbols, and blank picture charts for the symbols. They also have nice games I found very useful. http://www.do2learn.com/

Mark

My daughter doesn't respond to photos at all. I think it's because they are hard to make clear. If you show her a photo of happy she says man or woman instead of getting the point. If I take a photo of her eating she will say kitchen or table so I do think pictures are better. I think your freebies are excellent so many thanks for making them available to all.

Anon.

My son has a problem with biting us and the back of his hand.

I bought three teething rings, the rubbery type, and sewed them into a cotton bag ( to disguise them a little and with having the three you can wash the whole thing in the washer). I just made the bag like a tiny cushion cover out of white cotton.

When he was going to bite I just gestured the bag to his mouth. At first he looked at me as if 'No that's not the plan, I want to bite you!' but he has now started getting it out of his pocket himself when he feels a bite coming on. He still does it occasionally but it has helped a lot. It looks as if he is biting his hankie which is better than the alternative.

Marie

I agree with Helen's comments. My son has a big Bob the builder folder for his pecs. Could not find a small one and it is rather clumsy but he loves it! I always worried about patterns with him and then I realised if it's a design he likes there is no problem. Show them and let them choose.

Helen

Has anyone seen the stuff in Paperchase? There's wallets purses and folders which look really cool for carrying prompts. I get fed up of things looking boring for special needs people. They should be as cool and modern as everything else! Would the average teenager carry a badly made cardboard strip around with them?..........

Sue

Hi all,

Just a quick email to say it is worth looking at all the materials you can get for printing on at home; like magnetic sheets which I use to make symbols for in the car, or window sticker sheets. I searched the web for mine. Wonder if you can get white plastic sheets?

Cheers! Sue

Sarah

We use our son's special interests to our advantage as well as his. When we have the time! we use it as rewards after cajoling him to do things he is reluctant to do. I must admit though at times we are more reactive than proactive, at times when he starts his not so nice behaviour in public, we say " Being silly?.....No Thomas( the little train)?". He quickly sits up and says " Yes Thomas"!

Amanda Holt from Dagenham

Make up a special box for your person with autism containing things to interest and absorb them. It can be used to occupy,distract or reward. The following places are super for gathering bits & bobs-

Fill it with things in the home you know they will like or if you want to purchase things, here are some starters.

www.hawkin.co.uk  lots of little gadgets and fiddlies. Sell stocking fillers for £1.  

Pound shops, Poundstretcher or Wilkinson's are good for little things to fill box. 

www.otherlandtoys.co.uk more gadgets and sensory toys. Look in the under £20 section that start at 50p.

Jane O'Rourke from Listowel

When planning an outing I find it helpful to make a schedule of what we will be doing, and going through it with my daughter before we go. Put a small reward at the end and say " Good shopping then Mars bar " or whatever you are doing and whatever the reward is.

Mrs.R.Rashid from Manchester

If you put together a schedule for an injection or dental work, make the reward picture larger than the others. For a visit like this I put a small reward after each step, and a larger one at the end.

Kelly from Blackburn

The best thing I ever did was join a parents forum on Autism. Everyone supports each other and it gives you strength.

Dave Price from Stoke

I fiddled about a lot with your CD's to find a quick way of making symbols and found that one of the easiest methods was, to make a table in a Word document. You can then insert a picture into each box and add a text box. If you save the page it gets quicker, because you just keep changing the pictures and words.

Added by Janet ( Ispeek)

Another easy method of creating symbols is by using the spreadsheet program on your computer. I have clear instructions in a pdf. file for this if anyone would like them.  This offer is free of charge and all you need to do is email janet@ispeek.co.uk and ask for the spreadsheet method. I will attach the file to a reply email for you.

A Proud Mum

Keep this in mind - All people do the wierdest of things! Your child is not different at all, just more open and honest about it.

 

The following tips are for making your own resources for communication. They are to support any approach to communication that you are using.

1. Making the resources age appropriate and specific/meaningful to individual need.

This could be done by including a favourite TV or book character,using gift wrap as a background for schedules that the person likes, Sizing the pictures/symbols for discretion if the person is older ( bearing in mind level of understanding and the size of picture needed ). The person's name or photograph can also be added.

2. Making them look as good and up to date as possible.

Using bought files,wallets and key rings to put together some trendy and discreet visual prompts. There are lots of trendy accessories in the shops that can be utilized, including belt bags, keyrings, wallets and personal organisers.

3. Search the web for images ( look at the useful websites part of these pages for other sources of symbols ) to use.  and investing in a digital camera means you can photograph everything familiar to the person.

You get a clearer picture if you photograph as many things as possible, using a white background. Try to take the pictures outside on a clear day. If you are photographing small objects, just place something white under/behind it for the background. Avoid direct sunlight as it will cause glare on the glass of the camera or shiny surfaces of the objects. For larger objects you could drape a sheet over the fence or washing line. Of course this is not possible with everything.  

Have a look at these pages for sources of free symbols   http://trainland.tripod.com/pecs.htm   http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/as/asteachersites.html  This site also has excellent booklets to download that explain using visual supports http://communicationpeople.co.uk/index.htm

 

The larger stationary stores are great for:-

Laminators You can get them for around £20.

Laminating pouches 200 micron are best. This thickness is great even if you laminate paper instead of having to stick pictures on card.

You can also buy laminating pouches that do not need heat to seal them ( taking away the need to buy a laminator). The larger stationary stores should stock these.

A5 ring binders for communication books.

W.H.Smith sell business card holder files that can be used for holding symbols, These are excellent for older people who use visual prompts because they look very swish.They sell extra inner pages too.

Hobbycraft and John Lewis sell blank perspex key rings for you to insert particular wording or symbols a person may need. They are invaluable for discreet prompts.eg. address's, phone numbers or picture prompts

Timpsons key shops sell springy key rings ( like the one on the Ispeek pocket reminder ) for tucking into a pocket, trouser clips and blank perspex key rings. They are decent quality too, because some of the cheaper versions can easily break.

Muji ( www.muji.co.uk ) have a few pocket size files/holders to store symbols and they look really cool.

You can buy hook & loop fastener cheaper from sewing stalls on markets.Woolworths and Tesco also stock it in the buttons/sewing thread section.

Wilkinsons and the bargain/pound shops stock items like filofax, plastic wallets, diaries and useful stationary at great prices.

It is always worth searching the web for all of these items by typing in the name of what you are looking for into a search engine.Ebay also have some bargain buys of virtually everything.

Spotted on the market stalls that sell bags/handbags etc. Trendy credit card holders,wallets and purses for male & female that look great for carrying visual prompts. Some have a ring that could be attached to a springy belt clip or trouser clip.

I spotted this - Cotton fabric on A4 sheets that goes through your printer.Seen here but you may find it cheaper. 

http://www.craftycomputerpaper.co.uk/cotton%20fabric%20sheets.htm Not quite sure how it could be used for symbols yet, but could have potential. Any ideas?

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