SWITCH TRAINING CDs  -  ' Making Choices'

The final step in ‘The Astech Approach’

Teach the scanning
skills needed to use communication devices, educational software and other switch accessible technology.

'The Astech Approach' switch training software programs successfully teach special needs children the skills needed to access assistive technology devices.

The software has been successfully used with physically disabled children and children with learning disabliities. The fun sounds and animations as well as the simple, bold graphics, make the software ideal for children with vision impairments and short attention spans.

'Making Choices' teaches scanning and choice making skills in easy progressive steps in a fun, effective way.

Purpose of 'Making Choices'

Being able to select from a scanning array with a single switch is a pre-requisite skill for using switch accessible assistive technology such as

•  communication devices
•  environmental controls
•  scanning educational software

‘Making Choices’ is a program that teaches the user how to scan in easy progressive steps.

Through participation in enjoyable activity, the child can learn to develop preferences and then how to select these preferred activities and items from a scanning array using a single switch or mouse.

Being able to make choices and use a communication device enables a child to let others know what they want
and how they are feeling.

• This is the first and easiest step that allows
  the child to choose from  pairs of activities.
  
  
• Two preferred activities or a non-preferred and a preferred activity, are presented separately on individual pages.
  
  
• Once a selection is made, the child must then carry out their chosen activity with the adult they are working with e.g. playing with a toy or listening to music, reading a story or going for a walk.

• This section has three progressive levels where items are presented in a scanning array - 2 or 3 scanning boxes across a page.
  
  
• When a choice is made the child is rewarded
  with a fun animation.

•  More and Finished
•  Categories

ACCESS METHODS

There are 3 access methods in 'Activities' and Choices':

MOUSE SCAN
With the mouse, the adult selects the choices and the time they are active and the child selects with a switch.

Children who can use a mouse can also use this access method.

LONG SCAN
Each choice is highlighted for 12 seconds before moving to the next choice.

SHORT SCAN
Each choice is highlighted for 9 seconds before moving to the next choice.

Try before
you buy

TRIALLING SOFTWARE

New Zealand Therapists, schools and organisations may be able to trial our software before buying.

Please contact us for more information and a trial form.