The Grace App Blog

Get the Manual Part 2 – Trouble shooting with Grace App

Written by Lisa on July 24th, 2010 in Uncategorized 2 Comments

This chapter is particularly for tutors or teachers who have shown great commitment to introducing augmentative communication for their pupil, but are finding it hard to let go.

My message to you is from Parent Land: Once our kids get a little older, we do not like seeing them carrying a huge messy book with around on a twisted lanyard. We also hate the bent rings on the binder, we hate replacing lost or bent up sentence strips and lost or damaged cards.

Some of us may even get upset with The Book that makes our kids stand out as “different”, especially as their vocabulary increases and their needs get more sophisticated. We want our child’s communication to be as discreet and neat as possible. This is particularly true as we venture out into the “real world” where people may stop to look at our beautiful “normal” looking kids, and wonder why they have that big book on a strap.

Or when they are trying out Big School for a couple of hours a day – and they want to play with the other kids without lugging that thing around.
The good news is that the iPhone or iPod touch you gave us is discreet, cool and has endless storage for all the pictures we need to get What We Want Wherever We Go.

So why are we : Still Dragging that Book Around?

If I were to ask you, why do you still insist on bringing that thing out, what would you answer?

Make a list of all the pictures that are in that big aul‘ book which you think are missing from Grace App and then decide on the best way of adding them to the app.
But before you do, ask yourself; Do they need this item? Are they really going to use it independently and spontaneously in order to be understood.
For example, Does your Grace App User really need to tell you that they want to “EAT” popcorn? I mean, do they ever ask to “Sit” on Popcorn, or “Watch” Popcorn????
Would “I Want Popcorn” suffice as an independent spontaneous request that could be consistently rewarded by anyone who reads it??
Because we are not teaching these kids to play Shakespeare. We are teaching them to communicate their needs and interests in a natural way that is easily understood.
Putting in uneccessary verbs slows the sentences down and when they are verbalised, they will sound like those old fashioned “Second Language” exercises we had to do at school:

“I see the Window, I see the Cat, The Cat is on the Table, Please close the window, Please open the door…..”
I don’t know about you but I have never shopped in a foreign shop where I felt the need to comment on where the cat was while asking someone to open a window/door.
I have needed to ask where the butter is or the toilet or for some ice for my drink.

So, if you really need to include the pics, Try this:
A) If they are part of an existing picture exchange vocabulary, you can save them as a photograph on your desk top computer, and then transfer them to the Users personal folder, then add them to the app’s custom button.

Press + and then “Choose Existing” and select them from the photo library on your phone (which you saved when synchronising)

If you bought the cd rom to create and print these pictures then you are allowed to use them on your own device as much as you like. Obviously I am not so you won’t see an example here. If they are licensed by the creator, and you can’t copy and save it to a picture folder you have three choices.

You can choose a similar version from Open Access Software (list at the end of the post).

Or You can take a photograph of the existing card either from the app if you have iPhone.

or with another device which you saved to your desktop, synchronized and save using + and “Choose Existing” as before.

Or, if the user can read; Make a word card version using your computer’s word processing software or go to picnik.com. For your reference I save all pics to 256 pixels square.

Save the card it to the desktop folder as before, Synchronize and save using + and “Choose Existing”

And for the best way to make the device truly portable, try these protective covers.

Please note: I don’t recommend any particular retailer or supplier and I have included links for information purposes only. Please shop around.

In most instances I suggest using two covers to be sure. A shell case and a leather or rubber case to protect from impact and support a lanyard securely. Always make sure the lanyard is long enough to wear across the shoulder, NOT AROUND THE NECK! Make sure the phone can be turned to be shared when it is on the shoulder.

iPhone covers

Shell case with screen protector

Leather case to support a lanyard

Acrylic Bodyguard Case – slip a lanyard through the power/camera slot

Sport Shell

A super every thing shell and holder

For iPod Touch

Shell Case that protects screen

Leather Case to support a lanyard

I haven’t owned my iPad long enough to devise a portable cover for it. I suggest you start with the one Apple offers and work up from there.

For Open Source Software for adding pictures to Grace App

http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/

http://www.dotolearn.com/

http://www.pictoselector.eu/ AND www.PECSforAll.com *

http://www.practicalautismresources.com/printables

With thanks to Martijn van der Kooij for giving me permission to share Pecs For All.