Literacy Instruction
for Individuals with Autism,
Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome
and Other Disabilities

Janice Light & David McNaughton
The Pennsylvania State University

Run, don’t walk to checking out this awesome website full of exemplars of students with complex communication needs learning to read and write.  The website comes out of the longitudinal research of Dr. Janice Light and Dr. David McNaughton.  Additionally, through Dynavox, they have published a curriculum called the ALL Curriculum – Accessible Literacy Learning.

I feel very fortunate to be weekly attending the research meetings for this project at the Pennsylvania State University.  It is a terrific experience to learn from such fantastic researchers.  From my special education background, I feel so thankful to think about new and old teachers being able to easily acquire high quality accessible literacy learning materials to support their instruction.

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Video of the Inauguration Speech (With Captions)

Part One

Part Two

Use http://mediaconverter.net to download the video, if YouTube is blocked at your school.

Barak Obama Bookshelf from the Tar Heel Reader

Obama – President Elect

Our First Black President

Three Little Words

Other Readings and Resources

Slater Software Symbol Resources: http://slatersoftware.com/document.html#jan

• A New President 6 pages, 984 KB, PDF (Book, Symbol Supported)
  Inauguration – PixWriter v3 Mac wordbank 412 KB, ZIP archive
  Inauguration – PixWriter v3 Windows wordbank 812 KB, ZIP archive
• Free Symbol Search: http://slatersoftware.com/PixLibrary.html?CHEER.GIF=Cheer!

Weekly Reader Resources (Note they are Flash Intensive(Trouble with screen reading): http://www.weeklyreader.com/election/

Kate Ahern’s blog post: How to Watch the Inauguration Live (via the web) Link to AAC Boards

PBS Front Line: Dreams of Obama:  Tons of resources, including a reading list for older readers, interviews, and the link to watch the full program. This is a truly excellent resource.

PBS Kids President for a Day

PBS Kids Send an EPostcard

http://superobamaworld.com (The video game is questionable content, yet it may be just the thing to hook in that one student.  Use with caution)

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So your summer camp is winding down, or maybe you are stuck inside in an extended year program.  Maybe your home with your children during a few weeks they have off from camp.  Why not take a golf break?  Make a day of it:  Do guided reading with the book about Tiger Woods.  Check out the videos from YouTube.  Talk about it.  Write about it.  Spell some words at the level the student is at.  Then break out the Nintendo Wii if you can get one and play 3 or 9 holes.  Take some pictures while your doing it and do some more writing later that day or another.  Enjoy! http://otot.wikispaces.com/Tiger+Woods

Books

• Tiger Woods Can be a Friend

Tiger Woods Cover From Book, Tiger Head shot, looking, and swinging

Transitional Text

Readings

• Tiger Woods: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• Tiger Woods Timeline for Enrichment

• Sports Illustrated Kids Tiger Woods Interview (2008)

Videos

• Tiger Woods Age 2

• Tiger Woods and some of his great golf shots pgatour

• Tiger Woods – Bay Hill 2008 18th Hole

• Tiger Woods’ Perfect Swing (SWING VISION)

• Tiger Woods Amazing Golf Shot

• Download the above videos in .mpg, converted from the original .flv with www.zamar.com http://drop.io/tigerwoodsvideos

Writing

• Golf Chart.zip Intellitalk Chart Writing (I can…)

• Use a graphic organizer to brainstorm what you want to write about.

http://aex.intellitools.com/searchdetails.php?act_key=basicwebgraphicorganizer

Screenshot of Basic Web Graphic Organizer

Working With Words

• Idea: Do a simple spelling activity creating the words I, can, win, the, like. Then practice finding those with the AAC system. Link to Printable Letter Cards and more formal and systematic phonics ideas: http://alltogether.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/printable-making-words-cards/

Motivation Connection

• Play Nintendo Wii Sports Golf.

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kara/1859304076/

• Paper and Pencil Golf Craft May and Miguel

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