Do2Learn

ASNC and Do2Learn Partner—JobTIPS

2012-02-26T16:48:00.002-05:00

In theWinter 2012 Edition of the Autism Society of North Carolina's (ASNC)magazine, The Spectrum, there is a wonderful article about acollaboration between the Training Department at ASNC and Do2Learnwith the JobTIPS program. The initial group consisted of five individuals and twofacilitators. Please read the entire article for more informationabout the vocational training group on page 17 of The Spectrum.

JobTIPSis designed to help individuals with disabilities such as AutismSpectrum Disorder explore career interests, seek and obtainemployment, and successfully maintain employment. It also addressesthe social and behavioral differences that might make identifying andkeeping a job more difficult. Do2Learn offers JobTips FREE and theprogram is designed for direct use by the individual. Often it ismore suitable to have someone else go through the program with theindividual such as a job coach, parent, teacher, etc. Having this guidance may add structure to the program and having someone there to answer any questions right away is always helpful.

Toassist those helping someone going through the JobTIPS program,Do2Learn has a comprehensive tutorial page complete with astep-by-step guide to assist in navigating the website.

Forexample the explanation of the toolbar:

Themain toolbar on the left shows you all the major topics discussed onthe website. You can use your mouse to scroll down to the topic youare interested in. If the title becomes highlighted when the cursoris over it, click on it. Most topics have a sidebar that appears thethe right, showing the subtopics within that section. Use your mouseto scroll over the subtopic you are interested in and click on thehighlighted title to go to that webpage.

TheJobTIPS tutorial page further explains in detail videos, tip boxes,printables, key points, why boxes, and navigation arrows. This pageis a good place to start when beginning the JobTIPS program for asuccessful navigation experience.

Do2Learnis committed to assisting those with Autism Spectrum Disorder infinding appropriate employment opportunities. Look for TransitionToolbox coming soon!

Feelings Journal

2012-02-22T13:41:00.001-05:00

Today I am bringing in a Guest Blogger to review Do2Learn's Feelings Journal. Kaitlin Moncol is my daughter who you have all had the pleasure of reading about in past blogs. She is weighing in on this great product that offers specific information about different types of emotions. For more info click here. Should you have any questions for Kaitlin leave them in the comment section and we will pass them along for her responses. Take it away Kaitlin!

Feelings Journal

Hi! I'm the new guest blogger, Kaitlin, and I would like to talk about the Feelings Journal. The Feelings Journal is like the journals bought in the bookstore, but a lot more structured. I find it's structure makes it really easy to use because it's not just pages with blank lines. Some pages ask how you're feeling and why you feel that way. Other pages are more like worksheets by giving you an emotion and an activity related to that emotion. I even found some activities that I wish I could have used during high school English classes because they would definitely have been helpful. The best part of the structure is that it's not boring. When I wrote in a plain journal I got bored really easily. It just didn't motivate me. Even if it was an assignment in school, I was not motivated to do it at all. This journal motivates me because it gives easy directions and sometimes pictures, which I really like.

Another thing I really liked about this journal was the super, awesome, amazing cover. It has a design that is modern for today's world. I like that it is a mostly purple colored cover, but that is just my preference. I also really like the paint splatters on the cover. Not only are designs on the cover, but they are also on the individual pages. They are different for the worksheets and the journaling pages. They are in black and white, so they would not distract from any writing thoughts.

I think that teens and young adults should write and/or draw in a journal. It helps get their feelings our when they don't want to talk about them. I know that when I was a teenager, I did not always want to talk about my feelings. It's not to offend you guys; we just don't always like to talk when we are upset about something. Parents, I think you should get the Feelings Journal for your son or daughter because it might make it easier for them to express feelings in a productive way. Teachers, I would suggest getting this for a student who might be going through a hard time. That's all I have to say about this! Can't wait til next time!

Kaitlin in her younger years!

Special Education Teachers Are Awesome!

2012-02-19T23:48:00.000-05:00

Special education teachers have jobsthat are more challenging than ever these days. There is more andmore paperwork that must be filled out, even if it is on computers,it still takes valuable time to get it done. With the economycausing systems to make budgets cuts, these teachers are having to domore with less. The student to teacher ratio is beginning to changein some classes, so some teachers have more students then ever andthese students have individual educational needs that must be metaccording to IEP guidelines. How are these teachers doing it? Theyare educating our students with special needs and doing a fabulousjob!

They love their students—It isobvious that special education teachers love children.

They engage their student'sparents—These teachers make sure there is a home-school connection. This may be by sending a newsletter by email, phone calls, dailynotes, etc.

They are creative educators—With eachstudent in their class having an IEP and each IEP having individualgoals, these teachers have to be creative to come up with ways ofmeeting multiple goals at the same time. That is the ultimate inmultitasking.

They create safe classrooms—Specialeducators have classrooms where their students feel safe to makemistakes as they are learning. You will often find that theseclassrooms are where a lot of “typical” students will gatherbecause they feel the security within that class provided by thatteacher.

They have patience—Oh do they havepatience! Special education teachers know that they may have to goover and over an educational directive many times before it finallyclicks. They also know that they may have to change the approach andthese teachers never give up.

Special education teachers are soincredible and so vital to our students. We know (as mentioned inour How To Spot A Great Teacher post) that graduation time is comingup soon and student teachers are in classrooms. We are grateful tothose individuals who are going into special education and we havethe perfect online resource to help them get started. OurTeacher Toolbox is a compilation of advice from Dr. Claire Coles'team of experts at the Marcus Institute and the Maternal SubstanceAbuse and Child Development Center at Emory University in Atlanta,Georgia, USA.

Wealso have the perfect Graduation gift to help them get their newclassrooms started. In fact it is a wonderful resource for ANYspecial education teacher! Our Special Needs Handbook for Teacherswill help create an organized and efficient classroom where specialneeds students will thrive. Resources to help students developproblem solving in reading, language and math skills are includedwith a whole lot more.

Makingthis purchase for your favorite special education teacher will bereceived with such appreciation. They really need all the supportand encouragement they can get these days for all the wonderful waysthey are providing priceless education to our children.

How To Spot A Great Teacher

2012-02-16T23:59:00.000-05:00

Doyou remember your favorite teacher? Why were they your favorite teacher? I bet learning was fun in class and you never realized youwere learning. You looked forward to going to school because you knew you were not going to be bored and that you wouldfeel encouraged when you left school at the end of the day. Of course when you were younger youmay not have been able to express your feelings in this way, but your parentscould tell that you liked your teacher by how happy you were and howmuch you learned. Even if your favorite teacher had to scold you theydid so in a way that effectively taught you how to do the right thingthe next time you were faced with a similar situation.

Asa parent I have witnessed both my daughters become enamored withteachers and those teachers all share some of the same qualities. Of course I viewed my favorite teachers differently as a parent thenI did as a student. The qualities that come to mind time and againin those top teachers my daughters were fortunate to have are:

Organized—theyhave the classroom ready to go and they themselves are structuredand appear prepared for what the day may bring.

Goodlisteners—this always helps form strong genuine bonds withtheir students.

Makeslearning fun—they know what motivates students to learn andthey know that learning happens in and outside of the classroom.

Goodcommunication—with the parents as well as with the students. Teachers who are clear about expectations in the class with both parents and students, and are not afraid to contact parents about any issue good or bad.

Breakit down—having a teacher who can explain concepts in anunderstandable fashion is priceless to both a student and parent.

Weare nearing the time of year where student teachers are working inclassrooms with students. This means they will be graduating in afew short months and then off to their own classrooms. This is suchan exciting time for those “soon to be” new teachers. Perhapsyou know a student teacher or even a teacher who is still “new” toteaching and you would like to be encouraging and offer support as they begin their new career. Do2Learn hasdeveloped a Handbook for New Teachers that is specific forteachers K-5. This handbook is really a great way to show a newteacher how much you care and support them.

The Handbook for New Teachers isan essential and easy-to-use guide for K-5 teachers that is designedto make the first day of teaching stress-free and organized.Practices proven effective by experienced teachers are presented in avisually clear format, with all needed forms and examples to makethem work.Thishandbook contains over 60pages of reproducible forms.These include room centers and book labels, passes, parent contactletters and communication sheets, student contracts and behaviorpoint sheets for graduated behavior levels, special educationschedule forms, procedures lists, student homework and weeklyfolders, seating charts, work overdue and field trip notices,complete substitute teacher instructions...plus much more. Buildingon its teacher and special educational experience, Do2Learn hasdeveloped and tested this thoughtful and valuable resource for thenew teacher.

Fine Motor Skill Deficits – Starting Early Counts

2012-02-14T12:47:00.003-05:00

When we think of fine motor skills theword dexterity often comes to mind. These skills are thecoordination of small muscle movements, such as in the fingers andhands, (also toes, lips, tongue, etc.) along with the eyes. Often achild with a fine motor skill deficit may have difficulty withhandwriting, painting, using scissors, and even dressing themselvesor tying shoes. You may even be surprised to know that fine motordeficits can affect facial expressions and eating.

A Doctor can make a referral to anOccupational Therapist who can do an evaluation to see if there arefine motor skill deficits and recommend specific interventions foryour child/student. This may also happen within a school setting aswell. If you already have that information, or just want toencourage those skills in your child/student, there are lots ofactivities that are done everyday that work on those fine motorskills. For example, just passing an object from one hand to theother is a wonderful activity that works on fine motor skills. Picking up those little o-shaped cereal pieces are great for thepincer grasp. Building towers with blocks and cutting with scissors,not to mention learning how to tie shoes, all work on fine motorskills. Plus they are all so much fun!!

Do2Learn has a Fine Motor SkillsActivity Book available that is designed to improve fine motorskills. It contains activities that provide positive sensoryfeedback and enhances hand-eye coordination. These activities alsoexercise the muscles needed to manipulate a pencil in a mature tripodgrasp. Work on this grasp is needed to prevent fatigue duringhandwriting activities.

For more information on fine motorskills development and activities be sure to check out this page.

Redesigning – Need Your Help

2012-02-10T10:33:00.000-05:00

Do2Learn is in the process ofredesigning many of our resources to make them more usable forschools and other organizations. Specifically, we are doing acomplete redesign of our Make-A-Schedule program. We value your opinion andneed your feedback and suggestions. So if you will answer a fewquestions regarding MAS and a few regarding your local school'ssoftware policy we would be very appreciative. We know you are outthere reading this blog, visiting our site and using our resources. We see the stats and we want to make all our our resources easier foryou to access. Tell us how we can do that.

Concerning Make-A-Schedule: (commentscan be left in the comment section below or at this page at our site)

What would you like us to keep, drop,change or add within the program? This can be anything! Let yourimagination go wild when you give us this feedback. Tell us aboutwhat new pictures would be helpful. Different templates? Is theresomething we need to do differently to make it easier for you?

What “picture program/schedule maker”are you using now and why that program? Be honest! Is it becauseit's what your school provides? As a parent is it affordable foryou? Ease of use? Better pictures?

Concerning school software policy:(comments can be left in the comment section below or at this page at our site)

What is your school system's policy forsoftware and outside web site access? This information will help usso much in the redesign of our products to assure you have ease ofuse.

Do you have a vendor check list forsoftware compliance? If so, please share that with us! Again, thisinformation will be very helpful in assuring your ease of use withour products.

If you don't know the answers to thesequestions, please forward the name and contact information of the ITdepartment at your school/school system and we will happily contactthem directly.

If you are having any problems ingiving feedback with the above methods please visit our Facebook pageand leave the information there or email your comments to me atkat@do2learn.com. We thank youin advance for your help in this matter.

Support – Who is Holding You Up?

2012-02-08T14:51:00.002-05:00

Whenyou have a loved one with special needs you needsupport! Some days more than others, of course. Those early days rightafter finding out about a diagnosis may feel like a blur, but that is the time to begin to reach out and locate resources for supportfor you, your family and your loved one.

WHO—Whocan offer support? Hopefully the professionals giving you thediagnosis will give you information on local resources in yourarea. Look to them for support. Perhaps there is a local, state, ornational organization related to your loved one's disability orspecial need that you can connect with. Churches or other religiousorganizations offer support. Look to your friends and family, thoughthey may be struggling themselves to understand what is happeningwith your loved one, they can still be a great source ofencouragement. In fact, it would be very helpful to get theminvolved with your support search. There are professionals such ascounselors, social workers, psychologists, etc. and you should neverhesitate at any point to involve them in your search for support foryourself, or any member of your family! There are sibling groups, Father's groups, Mother's groups, and even Grandparent support groups for varying disabilities these days. We now have the Internet andthere are vast resources for support there, but be cautious about howand what you share unless you “know” the group in real life.

WHAT—Whatdoes support look like? Well it can be as simple as another personjust listening to your story and offering encouragement. Support canbe in the form of a group made up of peoplewho have been through, or are going through and can relate to whatyou are going through and keep you from feeling like you are alone. It can be your loved one's teacher sending a note home telling youwhat a great job your loved one is doing! Sharing your moments thatonly someone “in the know” could laugh along with you, onFacebook at 1 AM is wonderfully supportive.

WHY—Whydo we need support? Support is our foundation when we have our lowpoints. Loving someone who has special needs is more than afull-time job and is like a roller coaster. There will be ups anddowns and we need a strong foundation and lots of props to lean uponduring those moments when we stumble.

Nomatter where you are on your journey with your loved one with specialneeds know that support is a vital part of that journey. You may beat the beginning stages or pretty far into the journey, but know thatwe are all in this together. Supporting one another is how we shareinformation on coping strategies, medical interventions, publicpolicy and financial information, camps, and loads more.

Sogo share, go support and be supported!

Environmental Demands on the Job - JobTIPS

2012-02-06T15:46:00.000-05:00

How often do you think about theenvironmental demands of your job? I work inside in a temperaturecontrolled area and I can turn the music up, down or off and on to my ownliking. I have complete control over certain interruptions just byturning my phone ringer off or on. I am lucky, but not many jobs allowfor that much environmental control. Let's look at what an adult,with special needs, looking toward employment will need to consideras they begin to search for a job.

A good place to start to learn aboutsome of the possible environmental demands on the job would be bygoing through Do2Learn's rating sheet found here. The best thingabout this rating sheet is that there are no wrong answers. Some of usare not outdoor workers, some of us love to work in busy officeareas, etc., this sheet can help sort out what sort of environment mightbe a best fit when seeking employment. Right here you have two worksheets to help sort out what kind of job might be a good fit for someone with special needs. Good stuff!

Sometimes there are situations in job environments that arebeyond our control and we need to work around those situations. Forexample, our office might be drafty and there is nothing that can bedone. So to cope we just need to bring a sweater and have it in theoffice for those times when we are cooler. Here is a worksheet toassist and guide an adult with special needs in dealing with thoseenvironmental demands that need some accommodations in worksituations.

Let's look at some other demands andhow we might can cope with such situations on the job. (please note that theselinks are to pages where you can find comprehensive information and videos to provide further assistance)

Location—You might work indoors oroutdoors. What types of jobs could you do and how would cope?

Noise Level—The noise level in yourwork area might be very loud or very quiet. What types of jobs couldyou do and how would cope?

Lighting Level—Lighting at some jobscan range from low to bright to florescent. What types of jobs couldyou do and how would cope?

Work Hours—Some jobs are full timeand some are part time. You might even work shift work. What doesthis mean?

Amount of Movement—Some jobs requirea lot of sitting at a desk and others a lot of standing. What typesof jobs could you do and how would cope?

Cleanliness and Odors—Workplaces canrange from very clean areas to very messy environments. What typesof jobs could you do and how would cope?

Work Attire—Jobs have a dress code(clothes you should wear) that is appropriate for the job you aredoing. Find out what is required for your job.

Structure & Predictability—Somejobs are very structured and predictable and others are lessstructured an unpredictable. Which environment would be best foryou?

Work Pace—Pace refers to how quicklyyou work. Here is a great guide to finding out what your best paceis and how to cope with jobs that require changing pace.

We all face these environmental demandson the job, but for someone who has special needs they are much moredifficult to recognize and cope with. If those who are assisting injob placement or teaching vocational skills can begin the process ofrecognizing the person's strengths early on, the smoother theemployment process can go. Do2Learn has put together talented teacher's and clinicians from around the world to assist you in navigating this process. Please be sure to check out all the information of Environmental Demands in the JobTIPS section of our website.

Valentine's Day and Other Winter Activities

2012-02-01T09:16:00.000-05:00

There are only 14 days to get thoseValentine's Day cards ready! So make your list and get to work. Noshopping needed. Just click and print! You have your choice ofcolor or black and white so that your child/student can color them any color they wish. These make for a perfect activity on a chilly afternoon. I wouldrecommend breaking down the activity into parts and structuring it. Perhaps making a list of who to give Valentine cards to one day and then addressing them the next. I would also make a sample Valentine card foryour child/student to follow if this is needed. Now is the time to get started to make sure you have them all done in time for February 14th!

Here are some other wonderful Winter activities too! Just print and have fun! These are great to have in a binder for quiet time in a class, at home to work on while getting dinner together, or in the car while traveling. Let us know how you used these activities. We really love hearing from our readers!

Graphic Organizers – Let's Make It Visual!

2012-01-28T23:26:00.002-05:00

Graphic organizers are offered as oneof the many accommodations on IEPs (Individual Education Plan) in theUnited States, but often parents are unsure of what they actually areand how they can help their student. Because of this lack ofknowledge they may pass over this much needed accommodation or evenfail to see the usefulness of such a tool in the home. Let me assureyou that you want to make certain your child's teacher is utilizingthese types of visual organizers with your child if he or she is a visual learner.

Graphic organizers are tools designedto break down and teach important information in a visual way. Italso takes the abstract and allows for it to be taught in chunks orsections. By teaching difficult concepts in such a visual manner youare allowing the student to absorb each piece of information at theirown pace and for the student to build on information that has beenpreviously taught.

Do2Learn offers several different typesof graphic organizers that were developed in conjunction withSpectrum Resources of North Carolina, Inc. Please click on the linksto get more detailed explanations of each graphic organizer and thebest way to use each one. We also have links there to free printableblank ones for your own use.

Behavioral Thermometer

These organizers can be modified tosuit your child's/students individual learning needs. Again, pleasebe sure that if you have a child who is a visual learner, thatgraphic organizers are an accommodation that is checked on the IEPand used in the class and at home. Good luck and have fun!

What's Your Scene? - JobTIPS

2012-01-23T14:53:00.000-05:00

As parents, we have had as many scenesas our children have had developmental stages. The play date at thepark scene, the trading off sitter scene, the IEP scene, the doctor'soffice scene, etc. I think you get the picture. So now we havearrived at our children beginning to look for employment themselves. WHAT? When did that happen? It was not magic and yes it did happentoo fast. So now you are in that scene and so is your teen/adult andyou need help. We published a great blog in May of 2011 highlightingour JobTips section and I would recommend going back and reviewingthat blog.

In the meantime there are 3 scenes thatteens/adults will typically find themselves most comfortable in whenlooking for employment situations.

“In the Scene” This is basically acustomer service position. Some examples of jobs are teacher,waitress, bank teller and retail sales.

“Behind the Scene” In this type ofposition you would only occasionally work with customers or others. Some examples of jobs are grocery bagger, cook, auto mechanic, andmailman.

“Out of the Scene” In a positionlike this you would likely not work with customers and may work in aarea by yourself. Some examples of jobs are office clerk, webdeveloper, book/cartoon illustrator, and mail room worker.

Do2Learn's “What's Your Scene”section has a step-by-step process for teens/adults to go throughwith a parent, teacher, job coach, other professional, or even ontheir own to help them determine what employment “scene” is bestfor them. You will notice there are printables, videos and quizzesincluded in this section. These resources will help you and yourteen/adult in determining where they would feel most comfortable andfind the most success in employment.

So what's your scene these days? Shareyour scene with a teen/adult who is trying to figure out their ownemployment scene. It just may help them with discovering their own.

Labels – For Kids or Cans?

2012-01-18T15:37:00.000-05:00

It's an ongoing debate, the one aboutlabels and Autism. If you have a loved one who is on the AutismSpectrum you know exactly what I am talking about. Everyday there issomething new written about it. Don't believe me? Go ahead and do asearch each morning for the next week and check. You will beastounded at what you find and read. That's not what I am going towrite about here today though. I want to share my experience withthe Autism label.

Seventeen years ago when my daughterwas diagnosed we were told she was “Autistic”. Not very personcentered, but that was the times back then. Thank goodness the worldhas moved forward and now I would be told that she has “Autism”. What's the difference? Well, being told that she has Autism istelling me that she is still my dear, sweet, smart, beautiful, lovingdaughter who just so happens to have Autism. Being told that she isAutistic is telling me that my daughter is not at all who I thoughtshe was and that she is now defined by this new label. My daughterhappens to have Autism and she is fabulous.

Autism is a spectrum disorder and ifyou have seen one person with Autism you have seen just that! Oneperson with Autism. Everyone is as different as the snowflakes thatfall from a winter sky. No square pegs in rounds holes here, that isfor certain. What does amaze me is the number of parents who like toadd “very high functioning” to the explanation that their childhas Autism. Oh you know them! They are the ones that stand up atconferences and introduce themselves by saying they have a child whohas very, very, very, very, very, very, HIGH Functioning Autism (soHIGH you wonder why they even have to come to the conference to beginwith) and then ask a question that leads you to think otherwise.

Well, I would like to leave off the“highs” and the “lows” when we get together to talk aboutadvocating and supporting our loved ones with Autism. You may beasking yourself why, when they have such different needs. Notreally! Our loved ones need the same type of services and supports. The level and delivery of those services and supports will bedifferent depending on the individual of course. Autism is definedas a social and communication disorder. Those two difficulties aredisplayed in varying degrees throughout the Autism spectrum andtherefore the support would be just as different, as would thedelivery of services needed to offer support.

So keep it person centered when you aredescribing anyone who happens to have any type of special need. Weneed to stick together and leave those “sticky” labels for thecans!

Self-regulation and The Classroom

2012-01-16T21:43:00.002-05:00

Self-regulation means to bring order to one'sself or by one's self. Not an easy task for a child with specialneeds in a classroom of 8-28 other children. Not an easy task forthat child in any situation due to the difficulties in communication,sensory problems, attention issues, etc. that accompany most developmental delays and special needs. How do we know that a child with special needs is having an issue with self-regulation in aclassroom? Typically we can see the above difficulties lead to behavior problems that disrupt the class.

Often these behaviors are misinterpretedas intentional. Let's take alook at some of the behaviors you might see from a child with specialneeds in the classroom and the possible strategies to try. These strategies may be very helpful in ending/preventing behavior problems all together in some cases.

Child can not sit still:self-regulation issue is the child is overstimulated and cannot calmthemselves.

Provide frequent breaks
More ideas here.
Have student sit on a barrel seat sothey can move with out disturbing others. See Example below.

Child shows aggressive behavior:self-regulation issue is the child may not be able to control actionsand/or emotions.

Use social stories to help the childunderstand the cause and effect of their actions. See example below.

More ideas here.

Child appears unmotivated:self-regulation issue is the child has problem sustaining consistentenergy output.

Provide consistent feedback.
Use genuine praise.
More ideas here.

Child appears defiant: self-regulationissue is inefficient intake and sustaining attention causing poorunderstanding.

Maintain predictable work schedule. Seeexample below.

More ideas here.

Child is impulsive: self-regulationissue is the child can not inhibit responses and has in-the-momentthinking.

Teach student to count to 10 beforemaking a response.
Use a schedule to maintain consistentdaily routine to limit the impulsive actions. See example below.

More ideas here.

Child appears uncaring: self-regulationissue is that the child lacks awareness of cause and effectreasoning.

Practice role playing games to teachappropriate social skills.
Try using the Feelings game todemonstrate facial expressions.
More ideas here.

Children with poor self-regulation caninterrupt an entire classroom. They can be overly sensitive tochange and transitions, inattentive or physically hyperactive. Thegood news is these children benefit from structure andpredictability!

A Schedule? She's Two?

2012-01-13T21:23:00.003-05:00

That was my reaction when one of themany professionals we were seeing at the time told me my daughterneeded a schedule. I was the one who needed the schedule! I was theone taking my non-verbal, two year old to this doctor visit, thattherapy visit, and to see yada-yada professional each week. Sheneeded a schedule? So I took a deep breath and went there. I askedexactly what kind of schedule my daughter needed at the age of twoand exactly how was this going to work? WOW! Did I ever get aneducation that changed her life and ours.

Here is what that professional began toexplain to me. The schedule would be a way for my daughter and I tocommunicate with one another. I was skeptical to say the least, butI knew I would give it a try. The more I listened, the morethis schedule began to sound a little like my “to-do” list thatgot me through my days. Basically the schedule would outline for mydaughter what activities were going to happen and in what order. Autism 101- our kids are visual learners and mine was certainly notverbal. So visual it was going to be.

BUT you have to learn to crawl beforeyou can walk. So we started with an object schedule. This is aschedule using an object related to the activity that is about tohappen. I would only show 2 or 3 objects at a time related to theactivities we were doing and then I had a shoebox that had the word“finished” written on it, where she would place the object whenwe were done with the activity. This way she would know it was over.

A bowl to indicate breakfast
a toothbrush to indicate brushing teeth
sock to indicate getting dressed

I would walk with her and the bowl tothe kitchen to let her know that we were having breakfast. Afterbreakfast the bowl would go into the “finished” box. Then wewould go back to the schedule and get the toothbrush and head to thebathroom for brushing teeth with a different toothbrush and then walkthe object toothbrush to the “finished” box and so on. Wecontinued on with this schedule until I thought she was able tofollow a picture schedule. The picture schedule would work the sameway. We have since transitioned to an all word schedule. Thepicture below is a great example of how the transition takes placeover time for someone who has Autism and is able to go to a completeword schedule. In fact, using a combination of pictures and wordstogether during times of stress is a great way to relieve anxiety ina student learning a new skill or making a big transition.

http://www.do2learn.com/organizationtools/setup/activitychoiceboard.htm

Here is a sample of a morning picture schedule.

Here is a sample of breaking down a actual activity into individual parts. Kind of like a schedule/work system. It helps to serve as a reminder to complete each part of the activity.

Wait! That is too much for me as aparent and I can't see how our family can live with such a strictscheduled out day like that! Is that what you are thinking? I wasright there with you. I quickly realized that once my daughter hadlearned the routine of a schedule and she really liked knowing whatwas next, that I had built in flexibility! All I had to do was tolet her know in advance. I just did not fill in her schedule too farin advance. Choices and flexibility can be built into schedules. Schedules can relieve anxiety and is a vital step to independencebeyond the classroom and the home. Let me ask you this, what if allthe data from your calendar got deleted or you lost your day-timer? I would be stressed if that happened to me, so go ahead and take thatleap. Try out schedules!

Schedules are for everyone! Make-A-Schedule is the perfect program for parents setting up pictureschedules at home.

How have schedules made a difference for you?

A History Lesson About Do2Learn

2012-01-10T20:07:00.000-05:00

It dawned on me today that many of youwho are new to the Do2Learn website might not know a lot about how wecame to be and all that we offer. So I decided that I would give youbrief overview here.

In 1996, Do2Learn began through aNational Institutes of Health Small Business Innovative Researchgrant. Since it's very beginning Do2Learn has searched and securedsome of the most talented artists, teachers, and professionalsaround the world. We are based in North Carolina, but half of ourusers are from outside of the United States. Our website is aworld-wide resource with over 11 million hits a month!

Do2Learn offersthousands, yes thousands, of pages of activities, games, guidance,learning songs, picture cards, academic material, and transitionguides for employment and life skills. Best part? NO ADS! Yep,none. This makes it a much better experience for you!

We know thatjust telling you what you should be doing as a teacher, parent, orprofessional is not enough. We want to make your life easier. Youare busy! So, with each topic we provide the hands-on resources youneed to implement our suggestions. For example: When we present theTeacher Toolbox on how to adapt a classroom for children with specialneeds, we provide resources for behavior management plans, literacy tools, and the materials to create everything in your classroom.

Here are linksto some of Do2Learn's Research:

Ifyou would like to know more about us please feel free to send us yourquestions at CONTACT US.

Attention Medical Professionals

2012-01-06T13:54:00.000-05:00

My inspiration for blogging iseverywhere and for that I am so grateful. Yesterday I was inspiredfor today's post while sitting in the doctor's office with mydaughter. I had plenty of time to reflect on the many visits to manymedical professionals we had had over the nearly two decades of herlife. Those early visits were very hard. Hey, I had a youngdaughter who had just been diagnosed with Autism and guess what? Shehad Autism! Plus, back in the day a lot of the doctors, dentists,eye care professionals, front desk staff, etc. (you get the picture)did not know a lot about Autism. Those three paragraphs in Psych 101really did not do Autism the justice it deserved. Then the lay folksjust wanted to know if she could count toothpicks like Rainman (theanswer is still no).

Here we are in 2012 and with it beingestimated that 1 in 110 children being born today has some form ofAutism Spectrum Disorder, Autism is not a word that needs anexplanation to anyone. Medical professionals are learning so muchmore about Autism and other types of special needs and this makes thelives of the patients they see (and the parents/guardians) so mucheasier. We thank you for that and please know it is recognized andappreciated.

A lot of your patients may havecommunication difficulties (Autism is a communication disorder nomatter where on the spectrum a person falls) and you can make thoseoffice visits easier for them by adding visuals to the visit. I amnot suggesting you turn your office into specialized center for thosewith special needs at all. But why not utilize Do2Learn products toput together 1 or 2 binders to use with those special patients whenthey come in?

What should be in those binder youmight be asking yourself?

Well, I recommend pictures of things that you would be using during the visits. Laminate these pictures. Three hole punch the pictures so they go into the binders easily and can be removed for each specific patient. Make-A-Schedule is a wonderful resource for these pictures and Do2Learn is adding more and more medically related pictures everyday to the program. Doctors, Dentists, Hospitals and other Medical related professionals are assisting us in what they are discovering they need. Please let us know what you might want too!

I would also add a few one-page social stories about any exams the patient might be going through. This can be for the parent to read over with patient while waiting. The story can include pictures ( Make-A-Schedule) or just words for someone who may be higher functioning and can read it themselves. This can alleviate a lot of anxiety before a blood draw or a dental exam/procedure to know exactly what to expect. Click here for Do2Learn's example of a picture social story.

Do2Learn has all of this packaged into one neat area for you on our website. Please click on the image below and get those binders made.

Do2Learn for Doctors

TEACHERS-We want to hear from YOU!

2012-01-03T16:49:00.000-05:00

Are you currently using ourMake-A-Schedule tool in your classroom? If so, than you knowit's an easy-to-use program that gives you access to thousands ofpicture cards. In minutes, you can create schedules, social stories,story strips, forms, and more.

What we really want to know is whatother schedule/picture type programs or tools are you using in yourclassroom? What do those programs offer that Make-A-Schedule doesnot? Come on, be honest with us. We can take it. We need the truthand we need your suggestions. We want Do2Learn's MAS to be the mainprogram that you use in the classroom. Feedback, feedback, feedback! Lots of it! That's what we want.

I am going to be expanding on thisquestion in the upcoming weeks, but I want to get a dialog going withyou, the teacher, the parents, the users of our products. You canleave your comments anonymously on the blog or with your informationso we can contact you for more details. We love hearing from you. So let's start talking!

Happy New Year and IEP Review

2011-12-31T18:57:00.002-05:00

Happy 2012 from Do2Learn! Time to take a deep breath and look towards what you hope to accomplish in this new year. I have always liked this time of year to go over my child's IEP to see if her goals are still appropriate and perhaps plan for her IEP team to have a meeting to review this together.

Being the mother of a daughter (who is almost 19 now) who has Autism, I did not always feel as much a part of the IEP team as I should have. The more I learned, the more confidant I became as a member of this valuable educational team. Who knew my daughter the best in those meetings? Me, of course!

I hope that you will feel confidant as a member of your child's IEP Team. Learning about the process is very important to not feeling so lost in what can feel like a jungle of acronyms at times. Do2learn has several areas to help you begin learning about IEP's and other information to build your confidence when advocating for your child educationally.

Check under the RED, Disabilities box on our website. There is a lot of information under this box, but specifically related to the IEP, is within the Parents & Teachers section of the drop-down. You will also notice areas for Terms and Acronyms here too. Please enjoy exploring this area of our website and I hope you find that the information empowers you as you review your child's IEP for the new year.

All of this information in the Disabilities area is a FREE area of Do2Learn. Don't forget you can follow us on Facebook too.

It's a Whole New Look and More

2011-12-28T13:34:00.000-05:00

Your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Our team here at Do2Learn has been working very hard to help your web navigation experience be a fun one. You will find several different ways to find your favorite Do2Learn products on our new website. We hope you will take the time to browse our new website and give us your feedback. You can send us your feedback from any of our pages through the “Contact Us” link, located on the bottom of each web page.

We are also inviting you to visit our blog often for updates as we explore the website together. There will be changes in the look of the blog as we go along, so again, feel free to give us your feedback on that as well. You will begin to see Do2Learn becoming more active on Facebook and I also have it on good authority that Do2Learn will soon be on Twitter too.

Thanks for your continued patience as we here at Do2Learn work to make our educational products better for you!

What Color Are You Feeling?

2011-06-20T14:09:00.000-04:00

Are emotions linked to colors? Or, more importantly, can folks with autism spectrum disorder understand emotions better when the emotion is linked to a color? Sometimes, yes! At times, emotion words are difficult to use...some folks find it easier to say "I'm so RED!!!" when they are very angry instead of saying "I feel mad."

Do2Learn's FREE Emotions Color Wheel links the emotion name to the etymology, color, definition, statement, and photo of a face depicting that emotion. In creating this color wheel, emotions were first divided into six general categories and assigned colors.

Then, more detailed emotions were added in, as were gradients of color. See?

The milder emotions are at the edges of the wheel, while more intense emotions like "hysterical" and "enraged" are closer to the center of the wheel. This is important, as most emotions have a basic state and vary from mild to intense which is shown on the wheel above, or like this!

To see details on a specific emotion, like angry, simply click on that word in the color wheel...the word will pulse and this information will appear.

Of course, not everyone experiences emotions in the same way or agrees that all emotions are certain colors. If perhaps happy is not "green" to you, don't despair!

Do2Learn has blank emotion color wheels available so you can individualize the color wheel to your own needs! Download the blank wheel here.

You can find more info about Do2Learn's Emotions Color Wheel here! Do you think emotions are linked to colors, either for yourself or for folks with autism spectrum disorders?

FACELAND: A Fun Game to Practice Recognizing Emotions

2011-06-14T21:35:00.001-04:00

Many folks with autism spectrum disorder struggle with recognizing others facial expressions. There are many ways to teach recognizing emotions in others: through flash cards, comics, role plays, and even watching television shows and labeling the characters emotions can be helpful. Another option is FACELAND, a game developed by Do2Learn that teaches kids to recognize six important emotions: Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Surprise, and Happiness. These skills are taught through a video game format with an amusement park theme. The effective strategies in FACELAND include:

Breaking the entire face down into a smaller concept (a clue). For example, raised eyebrows might indicate surprise or fear
Promoting clue acquisition via spaced repetition
Checking for understanding of clues using new examples
Combining clues for “part to whole” learning
Utilizing instruction that incorporates photos, mirror mimic sessions, and varied interaction

FACELAND was awarded with the Children's Technology Review's Editor's Choice Award in 2009. Click here to watch a demo of how FACELAND works!

What strategies have you tried for teaching emotion recognition?

Using Schedules the Right Way

2011-05-31T15:27:00.000-04:00

Schedules are important for all of us, and especially important for individuals with ASD! For an individual with ASD, a visual schedule:

1.Clarifies expectations of what is going to happen, and in what order
2.Informs the person of when preferred activities or breaks are occurring
3. Promotes flexibility
4. Informs the individual of when change occurs
5. Communicates all this information to the person in a way that is visual, concrete, and meaningful

Object Schedules

Schedules should be individualized and will look different based on the strengths, needs, and interests of the individual with ASD. A very young child may understand objects best, and his parent or teacher may give him his shoes to indicate it is time to go outside, or a diaper to indicate it is time to go to the bathroom. Objects are the most concrete form of communication, and often young children or teens or adults with more significant delays may understand and use objects to communicate quite independently.

Picture or Photo Schedules

Other children or adults may understand pictures or photos, which are more abstract than objects. Do2Learn offers several resources that provide various pictures for making schedules, picture lists, and story boards. Free printable picture cards are located here and include cards for self help, leisure, home, school, social skills, and other activities!

Make-a-Schedule is an easy-to-use program that gives you access to thousands of picture cards. In minutes, you can create schedules, story strips, and forms. Users subscribe to the Make-a-Schedule program for one year. Here is an example of picture cards that can be printed and made into a schedule for a trip on an airplane.

Written Schedules

Individuals with ASD who are able to read and comprehend fluently may excel using written schedules, reminders, and lists. The individual should be taught to interact with his schedule by checking or marking it off, and may eventually begin to create his own schedules. Some folks enjoy having their schedule on a portable device such as a small notepad or a smart phone.

Tips to Using a Schedule the Right Way
1. Pick the appropriate cue: object, picture, or written word. The schedule is an organizational tool, not a time to work on building vocabulary. The schedule should make sense to the person with ASD on his or her worst day - when it is raining, their stomach hurts, and their favorite shirt is dirty!

2. Vary the schedule every day to promote flexibility. The person should not memorize the schedule and routine, but instead should refer back to the schedule each day to see what is happening in what order on that day.

3. The person should be prompted to check the schedule via non-verbal means. Telling someone "check your schedule" causes them to be dependent on you, their parent or teacher. But teaching them that every time they see a certain pen or a checkmark to check their schedule will promote independence!

4. Encourage and teach the person to interact with their schedule, not just look at it. Some folks with ASD have excellent memories and can look at their schedule in the morning and memorize it for the rest of the day. But if they are not interacting with it during the day by crossing off tasks as completed, they will not know if a change has occurred or may get upset if they forget a task and then are redirected. Interacting with the schedule promotes thoroughness and independence.

5. Consider the length of the schedule. Some individuals like to know what is going to happen the whole day. For other folks, that amount of information is overwhelming. Some individuals are on a "What's Next?" schedule and are simply given one object at a time. Others do best with a First - Then schedule, or a part day schedule.

6. Mix preferred and non-preferred activities. Just as we schedule coffee breaks or chat breaks during our work day (sometimes without even thinking about it!), folks with ASD need breaks as well.

7. Incorporate choice and, as much as possible, teach the person to begin creating their own schedules and lists.

Have you had success with using a schedule with a person with ASD?

Parents' Frustrations and Confusion: Where do I Begin?

2011-05-23T13:12:00.001-04:00

Entering into the world of disabilities is like entering into a country where you don't speak the language and don't understand the people who live there. This new land is full of signs and road maps and, worst of all, acronyms...but you don't know what they mean and you aren't sure who to trust for help.

Do2Learn has developed some content that can be helpful as a cross cultural guide into the world of disabilities. Our Disabilities section includes:

definitions of disabilities as written under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
information on the evaluation and identification process

characteristics and strategies for twelve different disabilities.

A screenshot for just some of the info on strategies for individuals who are Twice Exceptional

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) development tips
Acronyms and Terms defined in a way that makes sense
Teacher Toolbox including Classroom Management, Learning Strategies, and Education Resources

These are just some of the resources available under the Disabilities tab on our home page at Do2Learn. Tell us...what did you find most confusing about navigating the new world of disabilities? Is there anything else you think we should add?

JobTIPS for Folks with ASD

2011-05-17T07:56:00.000-04:00

Do2Learn has developed JobTIPS, an exciting free program designed to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gain meaningful employment.

Finding employment is tough for many individuals right now, but this is especially true for individuals with ASD who are seeking work. Communication, social, and organizational deficits often cause challenges and misunderstandings in the workplace in terms of task completion, interpersonal interactions, and coping with stress. These are challenges all of us face, but again, people with ASD may struggle more with managing these stressors.

JobTIPS approaches the goal of obtaining meanginful employment for folks with ASD in two ways:

1. JobTIPS provides a free web-based curriculum that the user with ASD can access himself in order to learn strategies on how to find, get, and keep a meaningful job. This includes videos, printable materials, situational stories, Why? boxes, and coping comics to make the content interactive and fun while facilitating deeper understanding of concepts and generalization of skills.

2. The Transitional Toolbox educates teachers, job coaches, parents, transition coordinators, Vocational Rehabilitation staff, and clinicians how to teach appropriate employment skills by providing them with strategies across the developmental range as well as materials. The content for this section is being developed now, and should be ready this summer!

We are excited for more people to learn and use JobTIPS, and are thrilled that JobTIPS has received such attention and praise recently! The Autism Society of America profiled JobTIPS in April, which you can check out here. Autism Speaks noted how JobTIPS helps to level the playing field, and the National Institutes of Health remark that JobTIPS fills a critcal gap for teenagers leaving school and therfore most of their ASD-related services.

Check out JobTIPS and tell us what you think! What do you think is the hardest part of gaining meaningful employment for folks with ASD? And...what's your favorite part of JobTIPS! We love feedback!

JobTIPS - Helping Folks with ASD Find Meaningful Employment

2011-05-13T12:59:00.000-04:00

Do2Learn has developed JobTIPS, an exciting free program designed to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gain meaningful employment.

Finding employment is tough for many individuals right now, but this is especially true for individuals with ASD who are seeking work. Communication, social, and organizational deficits often cause challenges and misunderstandings in the workplace in terms of task completion, interpersonal interactions, and coping with stress. These are challenges all of us face, but again, people with ASD may struggle more with managing these stressors.

JobTIPS approaches the goal of obtaining meaningful employment for folks with ASD in two ways:

1. JobTIPS provides a free web-based curriculum that the user with ASD can in order to learn strategies on how to find, get, and keep a meaningful job. This includes videos, printable materials, situational stories, Why? boxes, and coping comics to make the content interactive and fun while facilitating deeper understanding of concepts and generalization of skills.

2. The Transitional Toolbox educates teachers, job coaches, parents, transition coordinators, Vocational Rehabilitation staff, and clinicians how to teach appropriate employment skills by providing them with strategies and materials across the developmental range. The content for this section is being developed now, and should be ready this summer!

We are excited for more people to learn and use JobTIPS, and are thrilled that JobTIPS has received such attention and praise recently! The Autism Society of America profiled JobTIPS in April, which you can check out here. Autism Speaks noted how JobTIPS helps to level the playing field, and the National Institutes of Health remark that JobTIPS fills a critical gap for teenagers leaving school and therefore most of their ASD-related services.

Check out JobTIPS and tell us what you think! What do you think is the hardest part of gaining meaningful employment for folks with ASD? And...what's your favorite part of JobTIPS! We love feedback!

JobTIPS for Folks with ASD

2011-05-12T13:32:00.000-04:00

Do2Learn has developed JobTIPS, an exciting free program designed to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gain meaningful employment.

Do2Learn - What's It All About?

2011-05-10T08:35:00.000-04:00

Do2Learn is a great online resource that offers educational materials for educators and parents of children with special needs.

Our Mission:
The mission of Do2Learn is to use technology and the web to provide special learning resources for individuals with disabilities and the professionals and caregivers who serve them.

Working with leading educators, clinicians, and parents, we develop games and learning materials targeting specific deficits of individuals with neurological disorders including ASD, fetal alcohol effects, intellectual disabilities, attention disorders, learning and communication disorders and others. We specifically address deficits in the areas of behavior, socialization, communication, coping, and daily living skills.

Do2Learn has many tools and strategies online, including visuals for schedules, educational games, emotions and coping printables, and JobTIPS, a program for helping adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder seek and gain meaningful employment.

We will be profiling our programs on our blog, and we love feedback, so let us know what you think! Until then, check out our website at http://do2learn.com/