Bluebee Pals Assistive Technology-Communication Tools
Today in small group speech and language therapy, Bluebee Pal Hudson the Puppy helped us complete our holiday crafts in a variety of ways:10 Ways to Use Bluebee Pal as an Assistive Technology Tool: An SLP Perspective
1. He called on students by name to answer questions. (Mia where is the nose?) She was able to find it on Hudson, her communication board, and her craft.
2. He used his communication board to request pieces for the craft and make choices. (I want the red hat.)
3. He commented on each student’s creation. (e.g. I like your snowman!) (That’s a great color!)
4. He even asked for help when he needed it, providing an excellent model for his peers in the group. (It’s sticky, can you help me please?)
I pre-made communication boards for the craft, and also pre-programmed expected comments and phrases in the text to speech app for Hudson, to help the flow of the session. Not all students needed the communication board to request items, however, they were helpful at the end of the session when sequencing all of the steps with Hudson. http://bluebeebpals.com
The students were engaged, attending well, and were excited to work with Hudson again. He is a celebrity when he enters the room now.
Allison Cusumano, MS Ed., CCC-SLP
Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering
School District of Osceola County
4300 Chestnut Street
Kissimmee, FL 34759
Allison Cusumano, a speech therapist, was first introduced to Bluebee Pals while working at Princeton House Charter School for students with autism. The teachers and therapists utilized Bluebee Pals to interact with AAC Devices, modeling the use of devices and communication core boards, reading stories, singing songs, and engaging in social communication in various settings. As the new Program Specialist at Osceola School District, Alison received an overwhelmingly positive reaction to a Bluebee Pal demonstration at an SLP professional development event.