Author: admin

Overview: You will be creating an adapted book
or adapted book chapter for a student (real of hypothetical) with significant
disabilities. If you do not have a student you are currently working with or
have worked with, you may create a hypothetical student for the assignment.
Part I: Guidelines for the book or book chapter
·        
You will turn in a physical
copy of the book or book chapter. A scanned version is acceptable if you do not
have access to dropping it off on campus.
·        
You must provide supporting materials
for every page.
·        
Must be age and grade
appropriate
·        
Needs to be cognitively and
physically accessible
·        
It can be in whatever
medium/format you’d like and you may use software and/or websites to create the
book.
Part II: Description and Reflection
**The sections below should be written in a
separate document.
Section Header
Description (Max. Points)
Points/Comments
Participant Description
You will include a description of the
participant’s age, diagnosis, communication level (vocal, non-vocal, uses
PECS, etc.) physical mobility, and other relevant information (3 points)
Original Book
You will provide the name and description of
your original book and a justification of why it is age/grade appropriate
(Please also identify the chapter if you’ve selected a chapter book) (3
points).
Cognitive Adaptations
You will describe the cognitive adaptations
that were made and why they are appropriate. Your justifications should cite
specific examples and why the adaptations are appropriate and varied (6
points).
Physical Adaptations
You will describe the physical adaptations
that were made and why they are appropriate. Your justifications should cite
specific examples and why the adaptations are appropriate and varied (6
points).
Reflection
You will provide a brief reflection on (1)
the difficulty level of the assignment, (2) the usefulness of the assignment
related to your teaching, or teaching in the future, (3) what you learned
from the assignment, (4) any additional comments about the assignment (3
points)
Supporting material
You need to provide scanned images, pictures,
website link, original documents, etc. representing the actual adapted book
in its finished state. This needs to be the finished, entire adapted book (6
points)
Writing conventions
There are almost (1 or less) spelling and
grammatical errors (3 points)
TOTAL
/  30 points
Adapted Book
Assignment Case Studies*
This is the case study to use for creating the adapted the book. The book should be for a first or second grader with autism and an intellectual disability. Also, I think 7 to 8 pages will be good enough for the book. 
Terrell
Terrell is a seven-year-old student with autism and an intellectual
disability. Terrell is observant when it comes to physical objects, but mainly
to details. Listening is not a strength; however expressive communication
skills have increased in the last three years. Terrell uses pictures, a few
signs, some words, gestures, and vocalizations. Terrell can independently
follow 1-step directions and is beginning to follow 2 step directions. He can
answer questions that require a yes or no response, although he seems to have
difficulty answering open-ended questions such as, “What do you like to eat?”
or “What did you do this morning?”.  He
can express the names of activities he likes, as well as his basic wants and
needs. He often repeats back verbatim the last word of the question asked of
him. Frequently he will pick up on a single word in a sentence and echo a
phrase from a TV commercial that contains the word. He rarely uses facial
expressions or body gestures to communicate and is unlikely to pick up on these
sorts of communication from others.
The A-Z of Adapting Books
for Students with Disabilities
A:
ADAPT! Great overall resources for literacy and adapting books:
1. www.inclusive.net/resources/units/unit1/unit1_contents.shtml
2. http://aacintervention.com/litboards.htm  by   Lori
Tufte/Julie Maro
3.  http://boston.k12.ma.us/teach/technology/emmanuel/ModifyingBks.pdf  15 pages of 
book ideas   
4. www2.edc.org/NCIP/tour/r-lit_EmergentLit.html#anchor988614
Extensive  NCIP emergent literacy
5. http://aac.unl.edu/csl/pre.html  Literacy research, extensive AAC
information 
6. www.callier.utdallas.edu/ACT/res.html  Callier Center AAC Literacy Project
7. http://aac.unl.edu/csl/litdev.html  Research studies for literacy and AAC
B:
Bookworm- The AbleNet BookWorm
provides a simple way for students with disabilities to “read” their
favorite books  www.ablenetinc.com $239. Enabling Devices
is now making their own version and it sells for $105 at http://enablingdevices.com/viewimage.aspx?id=748 
C: Classic Book
Adaptations- Free
books on audiotape/CDs are available from state libraries (NC Library for the
Blind/ Physically Handicapped http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/lbph/lbph.htm.)  Textbooks are sometimes available on CD upon
request from the publisher for older students or you can receive the book in a
spiral version vs. a bound version at times. Also consider use of OCR (optical
character recognition) for older students with reading difficulties as text can
be placed on a scanner and read out loud to the student or text can be edited
on the screen with such programs as Kurzweil 3000 www.kurzweil.com or WYNN www.freedomscientific.com/WYNN/products.asp
D: Don Johnston
(DJ), Edmark (E), Intellitools (I) (electronic
book, reading instruction software sources) : DJ:
Start to Finish, Storytime Tales, and UNKANDU Reading
Series of books, www.donjohnston.com  E: Edmark Reading Program- teaches beginning reading and language development to
nonreaders and those who have been unsuccessful using other programs, is switch
accessible. In print or in a software version from www.edmark.com I: Intellitools Reading: Balanced Literacy (K-2) provides
sequential instruction and adapted access
E:
Engineering the Classroom:  Excellent
way to structure the classroom for language and literacy success based upon the
books by Goosens, Elder and Crain (see Mayer Johnson reference below). For some
of the following sources, you will need Boardmaker. Websites with ideas/ free
aided language simulation boards:                               
1. http://speech.jppss.k12.la.us/aac.htm
Jefferson Parish Public
Schools 
2.  http://www.hummingbirded.com/popular_books.html  Ideas for popular books                                                         
3. http://lserver.aea14.k12.ia.us/atteam/at/al.html
4. www.bcps.k12.md.us/boardmaker/adapted_library.asp   Over 500 books already adapted with PCS
symbols with Boardmaker. Can use as a board or cut up and place in books.
Excellent resource books are
available from Mayer Johnson www.mayerjohnson.com,
such Communication Displays for Engineered
Preschool Environments Books I and II  or   Engineering
Training Environments for Interactive, Augmentative Communication or Units,
Quick Tech Readable Repeatable Stories and Activities
F:
Fluffers: ways
to make book pages easier to turn: glue Popsicle sticks to pages at varying
intervals (slender or broad sticks or ”spoon” shaped), use clips (binder,
banker, butterfly, barrettes, large paper clips or plastic colored ones), glue
on foam pieces, cut pieces of adhesive backed weather stripping, hot glue blobs
of glue on pages to build up, use of carpet furniture protector felt circles,
Velcro circles, Velcro circles with use of child-proof door knob protector to
attach to pages and turn. Sources for adapting:
1. http://www2.edc.org/NCIP/tour/r-lit-books-access.html
2. http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/ATBasics/Populations/LowTech/WATIReadingBooks.pdf
G:
Give Aways-free
sources for books, PECS, or ways to adapt books
1.  http://www.creativecommunicating.com/freebies.html     Great free listing of stuff!
2. www.bcps.k12.md.us/boardmaker/adapted_library.asp  Over 500 adapted books!
3. www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/sbcss/specialeducation/ecthematic/software.htm
free software for units 
4. www.billybear4kids.com/story/books.htm
Personalize to print out or read at computer
5. www.starfall.com/n/level-a/index/play.htm?f   free books for reading instruction
6. http://www.niteowl.org/kids/index.html  free nursery rhyme graphics can import
H:
Hard of Hearing or Deaf Students Literacy Suggestions: adequate lighting so that teacher’s
face/lips can be seen, use body language and natural gestures, check hearing
aids, keep interpreter beside teacher, sign key words, introduce book in 1:1
before group activity, vary pitch and intonation of voice, use Sign Language
Boardmaker symbols to add text to books. http://www.ec-link.org
I:
Intellipics or other Authoring Tools such as PowerPoint or Build Ability
(Don Johnston) :
develop your own stories that can be adapted to work with a simple mouse click
or switch activation or that are ”talking books” or personalized books for the
class filed trips, etc. Sources:
1. http://www.everhart.leon.k12.fl.us/assist_tech_resources.htm#talking_books
: Free talking book template 
2. http://atto.buffalo.edu/registered/Tutorials/talkingBooks/tbookppoint.pdf  Very nice 34 page reference 
3. www.intellitools.com/  go to Activity Exchange for 248 activities
for use with their various software
4. www.donjohnston.com/catalog/catalog.htm  BuildAbility info, sample stories on website
as well
J:
Just Grandma and Me (www.amazon.com and other software
companies) and other software from Broderbund’s line of Living Books.
Instant Access to Living Books are set-ups for children with disabilities
who need switch access, $90 from www.intellitools.com.
Of course, a well-positioned mouse placed on the turn page cursor in these
stories will work like a switch to turn the pages.
K:
Kits: Compile
your own ”book bags” or book boxes with actual or representative objects from
the stories. Check out dollar stores, garage sales, the Goodwill, your
children’s old toys, etc. to put these together. Get 33 large Literacy Kits on
loan in NC from Tadpole Generations  http://www.tadpole.org
they will ship to/from you without charge! They also have many mini-literacy
kits, individual books (adapted or not) and some special needs software ( not a
lot). The best source of adapted software in NC for loan is through the Carolina Computer Access Center http://ccac.ataccess.org/services.shtml#library. For a small yearly fee, families and
professionals can check out a wide variety of software that includes literacy software
from this ATA Alliance Center http://www.ataccess.org/.  The
North Carolina Assistive Technology Program can help supply short term
loans of various low and high tech AAC devices you may like to try with your
literacy groups http://www.ncatp.org .
Contact the local regional center for details.
L:
Language and Literacy Levels: Adapting a book for the literacy level of the child
or adult is important. The use of VOCAs as noted below and mini communication
boards are important for children at the beginning stages of literacy for
interaction, modeling, and independence. 
These mini communication or”Aided Language Simulation Boards” can be
provided as a generic storytelling board or with more story specific. This is
described in the Engineering the Preschool Classroom book by
Goosens-Crain-Elder noted previously from Myer Johnson.  Icons can be placed on the page of text simplifying
the text or on a carpet square as well.  Icons
can be made with Boardmaker (www.mayerjohnson.com) or Minspeak Symbols http://www.prentrom.com/teaching/teaching.html  or for the visually impaired students this is
a method using a tactile objects system http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/vmi/tactile_symbols.htm
Tactile symbols directory . Many sources note the need to color-code the
symbols using what is known as the Fitzgerald Key when formulating and
completing these boards. This grammatical categorical guide from left to right:
miscellaneous words, verbs, descriptors, prepositions, and nouns. The color
guide using transparent highlighters is: verbs (pink), descriptors (blue),
prepositions (green), nouns (yellow) and miscellaneous (orange). There are
addendums available from Mayer Johnson that can color code these prior to
printing your own boards. Bottom Line: Having black and white communication
icons is better than no icons at all!
1. http://aac.unl.edu/yaack/d2c.html#d2c0  GREAT website for AAC topics in general.
2. www.donjohnston.com/catalog/catalog.htm  Beginning literacy framework PDF, 15 pages
M. Motor-Angle books on book holders or on top of 3 ring
binders for better viewing (use non-slip mat to secure to binder). Attach books
to carpet squares using a strip of Velcro or two pieces of ribbon attached with
strong tape to the back of the square
(one around each cover of the book, front and back) to prevent the book from
getting away
from a student with severe motor problems. You can also use a 
C-clamp
to hold the book (or other activities) stable. Head/Chin Pointers and
mouthsticks can be used to turn pages of books when stabilized or placed in
book holders for those with motor disabilities such as spinal cord injuries or
cerebral palsy. There are electronic page turners, yet they are often too
expensive and difficult to store and operate (one source is $1030 www.touchturner.com/pricing_info.htm)
N:
Novelty or Keepsake Books can be written by the staff and children to include digital
pictures scanned into the computer from field trips, pictures of the class,
items needed for a shopping trip for a cooking activity, etc. More current
topics and subjects could be adapted this way as well, such as books about
favorites entertainers, holidays or weather events. Children of all ages love
‘reading’ personal books or those about novel subjects. Some teachers
ask parents to take a small photo album and place items or pictures  from weekend trips or special events in the
pages to prompt conversation for news or a ”My Family” book. These are great
for the parents as they can quickly insert receipts, small items, pictures,
etc. in the album. Can be low tech with album or make an electronic version
with Powerpoint, Intellipics or other authoring program.
O:  Output- or VOCA-vocal output communication
aids allow the repeated lines or short stories to be ”read” aloud by the
student. These messages range from one message to many or sequenced messages. Examples:
BigMack, One Step Communicator, or Step by Step Communicator from www.ablenetinc.com, Sequencers  www.adaptivation.com,
Cheaptalk/others www.enablingdevices.com,  Tech Talks, etc. from http://www.amdi.net/  , Listen to Me (12 message, inexpensive!) http://www.listentome.biz/, Hug Me ($9
for 10 second one message recording device!) www.silverliningmm.com/recorder.htm
P:
Page Protectors and Lamination- cut bound books and place in top-loading page
protectors or laminate pages using a laminator, lamination sheets or contact
paper. The cost is high for many to use the laminating pouches, but the
thickness of the .5 mil paper is much sturdier than that available in schools
on the roll machines. Small laminators can be found for as little as $60 on the
Internet and when bought in bulk the pouches required are not nearly as
expensive. When in doubt, just break out the old standard contact paper! A point to remember before cutting books for
lamination is to number the pages in case you forget the order. Once protected
by lamination or contact paper, re-bind the books by stapling (heavy duty),
punching holes and attaching a metal ring or ribbon (not very easy to use for a
child in this manner to turn pages if have a motor problem though) or cut holes
and place in a 3-ring binder. 
Q:
Quick Commercial Sources of Adapted Books (are not free)
1.www.adaptedstories.com     Creative Communicating for 100.00
subscription per year
2. www.mayerjohnson.com Set of 12
Interactive stories by Beth Breakstone, $19 each
3. www.at-p.com/           Awakening Technologies, 10 books $10-$19 each
R:
Repetitive Line Books: Using repetitive phrase stories during reading time is a quick and
efficient way to engage students with limited verbal skills in the literature
process.
1. www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/predict.html                                 
2. http://aacintervention.com/repeatl.htm 
3. www.wcoserrc.org/webpages/pdf/booklist.pdf
S:
Sensory: adding
textures to books for students with visual or attentional deficits through
puffy paint, miniature objects, sewing items, etc.  www.connsensebulletin.com/cormierv4n5.html
T:
Transparencies-Some teachers with very low functioning children have taken pictures of
the pages of books, had the picture made into slides and then had the class
”read the story” using a projector, the Powerlink  www.ablenet.com and a switch.
U:
Units- Use
books to reinforce whatever unit the class is working on, be it animals or
colors, etc. 
1. http://tobey.ushaonline.net/index.html      Tobey website funded by a Christa
McAuliffe Fellowship grant with extensive units for 12 units. Includes
Boardmaker files/extensive activities, songs, cooking ideas, etc.
2. www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/sbcss/specialeducation/ecthematic/index.html
San Bernardino Schools, 11 units
3. http://schou.sd41.bc.ca/district/boardmaker.htm  Burnaby School, 8 units
V: Vision
Impairment Literacy Suggestions:   To adapt
books for visually impaired or blind students: place small object on front
cover to represent the book (a bear for The Three Bears, etc.), cue orientation
of book by cutting off upper right angle of pages, outline graphics with dark
marker or puffy paint, add textures or ”smells” to books, add Braille to book
along with print (commercially available for make own with a Braille labeler),
enlarge pictures and text as needed, consider room lighting, avoid clutter,
provide concrete objects or props in to ”book bag”  to hold while reading stories. If using
Boardmaker symbols, consider coloring the background black and leaving the
figure fluorescent yellow.
1. http://home.earthlink.net/~deedaze/braille.html  Reading resources for parents/teachers 
2. http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/vmi/objectbook.htm
Object Book info and wealth of other ideas from the fantastic resource, Texas
School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
3. http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/vmi/box.htm  Story box ideas
4. http://www.tsbvi.edu/Education/vmi/tactile_symbols.htm
Tactile symbols directory
5. www.educ.ttu.edu/slate/ParentBook/Adapting.htm
W:
Writing with Communication Symbols- Adapt books, make AAC boards, label room and objects
easily  1. Writing with Symbols ($199 Windows only)  or Boardmaker ($299) www.mayerjohnson.com/main/index.html  2. Picture It ($295) www.slatersoftware.com/pit.html  
X:
X-tra copy-With
some book adaptations you must buy a second copy of the book to cut it out,
place tag or cardboard behind the page to increase the ”firmness” of the page,
place the page in sheet protectors and then place in a 3 ring binder. You can
also scan and print a copy of the book page as well, yet this can be expensive
with printer ink costs.
Y:
Young: No
child is ever too developmentally young to be read to and with some of these modifications;
even the youngest developmentally involved student can interact and experience
the love of books. Sources to support this concept:
1. http://www.creativecommunicating.com/tt2.html
2. www.air.org/TECHIDEAS/Final%20Report.pdf  ”Synthesis on the Use of AT with Infants and
Toddlers” by the Department of Education, 150 pages
Z:
Zipper Pull or
ponytail holder for books with hidden objects under flaps
Bottom Line: Books should be adapted for motor, language, vocal
output, vision, and hearing supports to allow equal opportunities for literacy
development…Who should do this? Teachers, therapists, parents or other family
members, friends, volunteers, service clubs or youth groups with guidance and
materials provided. Start small and try to adapt 2 books for each class and
build from there. Low tech may be faster and more readily available than higher
tech solutions requiring knowledge of authoring software development. Money?  Can use current classroom books, recycle your
own children’s old books, garage sales, flea markets, $1 stores, write a
mini-grant,  Amazon.com sells used books
and so does Barnes and Noble www.bn.com