Consumer's Guide to Technology for Autism

Popularizing the use of video modeling with autism

Kids love to see themselves. 

Can we capitalize on this motivation to help autism?   Many respected researchers say yes.  

This is the first of 3 brief articles introducing the subject of video modeling to the general public. 

Fantasy Football isn’t just for “The Guys”
November 22, 2010 by michael leventhal

Football may not be your game. But if you could have your “druthers”, whom would you choose to coach a dream team for Spectrum kids? I asked around. (read more)

http://vm4autism.wordpress.com/

"Same-abled" is not a term we use often - The Omni Intelligencer

"Same-abled" is not a term we use often - The Omni Intelligencer.

Recently, I tweeted a link to an eSchool News article on how technology is redefining disability. http://fb.me/w9QrLDLL.   The title of my post,  "Same-abled" is not a term we use often; Get used to it! “  didn’t sit quite right with one reader….

P.R. has sent you a message.

Subject: RE: "Same-abled" is not a term we use...

On 11/17/10 5:53 PM, P.R. wrote:
--------------------
Michael, “The article is interesting, and I like the concept but I'm not crazy about the term "Same-abled", it seems redundant (?). If we are all equally able, then aren't we all just "able"? I do feel that "dis"abled is too harsh and condemning, but differently-abled, or any of those other terms seems to fit the bill. Obviously, my comment is of no great importance, I just wondered what the thought is behind same-abled, maybe I'm missing something.... “

 

On 11/18/10 10:54 AM, Michael Leventhal wrote
--------------------

Not sure if I heard the term from someone else, but “same-abled” popped into mind as I reflected on the article. I regard ability as a spectrum of human potential, possessing with both breadth and depth. Many are defined contextually. For example, being paraplegic might not a disadvantage for someone with a desk job. But, being an air breather stuck in a sinking automobile, certainly would.

Terms like blind, deaf, paraplegic, autistic are not as useful as they once were in simpler times. Historically, these terms were both a diagnosis and a conclusion (“Oh, he can’t read; he’s blind”).  Today, many handicaps no longer prevent individuals from participating in mainstream life (talking books for the blind, wheelchairs that climb stairs, et. al.).  Technology enables ordinary folks to accomplish the miraculous (“If God wanted us to fly, he would have given us wings”).  But, it also serves to solve a variety of contextual problems for those of us who are not ordinary in all ways.

I hate the term “autistics”.   I call my students Spectrum Kids.  I rarely say “autism spectrum”; instead, I say communication spectrum.  Naming disabilities is convenient for conversation.  But describing what an individual needs in order to accomplish a specific task  is infinitely more productive and encourages egalitarian thinking.  Changing the language forces me to refocus on context.  It also succeeded in getting you to think about it too.

“Same-abled” implies a more level playing field.  Not that we all bring equal talent to the game.  Some players may out-run or our-score, but nobody wins without teamwork.   Given time, technology empower almost anyone to participate.

In my upcoming Internet series, “The Wonderful World Of Pinky And The Professor” I explore how specific technology is helping to “enable” autistics… I mean au-tutes… ur, Spectrum-ites…. childhood schitzophrenics … disordersed… pervasive developmental disordered… you know… those other kids.

 

P.R. has sent you a message.

Subject: RE: "Same-abled" is not a term we use...

Date: 11/18/2010

 

Thanks for the explanation. I like it!
So, you are not necessarily saying that we are all inherently "same-abled", but more that "with proper accommodations, we can all be same-abled". Obviously some are gifted with very few struggles, but thanks to technology it is possible for each of us to have success, and each of us are an integral part of our team.

Thank you again for the response. You are correct; the story did make me stop and think!

(Deleted paragraph describing what a great teacher she thought I was. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, thank you, Yul Brenner!)

Public attitudes about Special Needs mature as technology helps to “re-humanize” their image.  Because societal attitudes lag behind new trends, P.R.’s comment is of great importance.   I thank her for giving me a public opportunity to weigh-in on the topic.  Hopefully discussions like this will help accelerate our climb to enlightenment.

 

Public Invited: NVAC H1N1 Vaccine Safety Report Conference Call

National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) Meeting
Friday, April 23, 2010 3 - 5 pm EDT
Click HERE for more details

Participants call-in: 1-888-677-1385 Passcode: NVAC

3:00 pm
Introduction (5 minutes)
Dr. Gus Birkhead (NVAC Chair)
 
3:05 pm
Report of H1N1 Vaccine Safety Risk Assessment Working Group (VSRAWG)(15 minutes)
Dr. Marie McCormick
 
3:25 pm
Public Comment (10 minutes)

via www.ageofautism.com

online survey to determine satisfaction with Fed research efforts finds 90% of stakeholders not happy

Why I choose to coordinate, rather than plan, the video modeling project

Your School district (company, institution) is an obstacle to the very progress it needs to remain viable.  

Why cooperative frameworks will dictate Institutional advancement for the next 50 years.  Informative 20 minute TED from Clay Shirky.  

Autism advocates needed: Autism video modeling project on TISE Ning

Autism advocates needed: Autism video modeling project on TISE Ning

Posted using ShareThis

ISTE 2010 presentation on Video Self-Modeling - Technology Integration in Special Education

Developing a presentation on Video Self-Modeling to be held at at ISTE 2010 

As a teacher, advocate and believer in the value of VSM, I want to promote awareness of VSM and offer sound recommendations for use in the classroom and at home. My focus is on getting parents and teachers to try using VSM techniques right now. 

Seven of the top VSM researchers are collaborating to provide conference attendees with : 

• Chronology and high level review of research. 
• Current case studies and research objectives. 
• Recommendations and implementation guidelines for parents and teachers. 

I welcome your opinion and comments as well as interest in additional involvement. When responding, please advise the most convenient means of further correspondance.espondance.

via tech-in-sped.ning.com

7/22/09 Introduction to The Consumer's Guide to Technology for Autism

Posted on ISTE Group:

The Consumer's Guide To Technology With Autism Project, a Zagat-format guide, will be the creation of teachers and parents who will field test, evaluate and report on their experiences using specific technology with children on the Spectrum. 

 _{It requires building a unique, project-oriented web collaboration that will benefit everyone touched by Autism.  Success requires the cooperation of schools, teachers, therapist and parents willing to use technology with their children in order to share their experiences with others. Members of this grass roots network will evaluate and report on personal experiences using technology with autism.}  

Why go to the trouble of building a ground-up organization?  

A large network, committed to testing and evaluating technology annually, would offer invaluable feedback that would drive improvement and innovation.

Isn't it just as good to use focus groups for feedback?

No.  While the use of expensive, time-consuming focus groups may be statistically valid, it ignores a treasure trove of information and innovation residing in the Crowd intelligence. Google books provides the following summary of  The Wisdom Of Crowds by James Surowiecki .  

"The Crowd collectively is smarter than any of its individuals - even the smartest. While there will always be someone smarter than the crowd in any given run, those individuals will vary from run to run, not able to consistently repeat their success."  The Wikipedia discusses examples of cognitive intelligence</a>.

"In order to harness this collective knowledge, three conditions must obtain: 1) there must be a means of aggregating the results, 2) individual decisions must be made independently, and 3) the decisions must be unbiased, uninfluenced by an outside bias pushing the crowd in one direction."

Surowiecki also identifies three different kinds of problems: cognition, coordination, and cooperation.  " Crowds are best at solving cognitive problems on their own. Coordination problems require a feedback mechanism, and cooperation problems, by far the most interesting, can require an entire social structure to enforce certain norms and incentives.”  

This project will address (with semantic revision) Surowiecki's three problems of cognition, coordination, and cooperation as they pertain to our unique needs. 

What kind of information would be captured?  

Objective ratings, based on a standardized reporting format.  

Subjective information consisting of anecdotal evidence of effectiveness, recommended populations, ease of use, suggestions for improvement, hints for other users. 

Answers to specific questions posed by researchers or publishers whose technology is being used. 

Won't this effort require the cooperation of too many groups?  Why would anyone agree to participate?

This project invites everyone to assume ownership.    

•   Certainly parents, teachers and therapists would welcome the results.  

•   Those responsible for IT budgets would like to know if they are spending resources appropriately.   
• Researchers, publishers and entrepreneurs would benefit both from feedback about their current products and innovative recommendations provided by a network of engaged User/Raters.  

•   School districts could capitalize from the schoolhouse buzz.   

•   Staff development would have a focus.

            END OF POST

 

My Video Modeling with Autism

Over the past two years, I have engaged nearly 200 children on the Spectrum in technology-assisted activities to promote metacognition and language development.  My GoogleDoc powerpoint incorporates several brief video clips to introduce my work.  In an effort to understand what is going on, I have joined many Groups, including an Autism Speaks group for individuals on the Spectrum.

My GoogleDocs:  My work with video modeling