Improving Vocabulary Skills Through Assistive Technology: Rick's Story
By Lindsey-Glenn, Pam F.; Gentry, James E.; Teaching Exceptional Children Plus, Vol. 5, No. 2Publication Date: November 2008
Case study examines the use of two assistive technologies (ATs), the Franklin Language Master (FLM) 6000b and Microsoft PowerPoint 2003, as visual support systems to aid in the vocabulary acquisition skills of a student with autism spectrum disorder (ASM). The FLM 600b is described as an inexpensive, hand-held speaking dictionary, thesaurus and grammar guide that enables the creation of an electronic vocabulary file. PowerPoint 2003 is a software program used to create slide-show presentations. The participant was an 11-year-old boy with ASM whose estimated reading level was third grade. The intervention used a children’s book entitled The Very Quiet Cricket (Carle, 1990) and best practices in teaching vocabulary skills in tandem with the ATs. The vocabulary training consisted of 8 weeks of individualized instruction and interaction during daily 30- to 45- minute sessions. The intervention proved successful in providing the student with opportunities to interact academically and socially with the target vocabulary and to generalize expression in several formats, including interactive games, traditional flashcards, folder games, and digital story books.
Assistive Products Discussed: FRANKLIN SPEAKING LANGUAGE MASTER SPECIAL EDITION (MODEL LM-6000SEV)
SPEAKING LANGUAGE MASTER (MODEL LM-6000)
Published by: Council for Exceptional Children (Website:http://www.cec.sped.org)
Link to text: http://escholarship.bc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1582&context=education/tecplus
