Enjoying the Rain

Personalizing PODD

Personalizing PODD is awesome. Yeah, it’s a lot of work but oh, so worth it! Originally I printed out the generic 12 per page PODD book. I put it all together by putting the generic pages in page protectors, taping on the page numbers and threading all the pages onto 3 split key rings. I’ve added a binder back to use as an easel. I started right off using the generic book. After my first two weeks of using the first 2 pages (Quick Words, only), I ventured onto page 2a via [more to say]. I worked with this generic version for a few days and quickly figured out that I needed to make this page more personal to Grace.

Page 2a- generic version

Moved columns around

First I moved the columns around. Then quite quickly I decided to go ahead and start adding the high contrast symbols that I think Grace could see/use better. I also moved some of the icons around as you can see below. It’s incredible how easy I flow through the book when it’s personalized for Grace.

Page 2a personalized for Grace

The activities page, our page 11a, is the best example of personalization so far. I changed the generic page to Grace’s preferred & regular activities. You can see the difference here:

Page 11a- generic version

Page 11a- personalized for Grace

Personalizing this page has made communicating with PODD flow so quickly for Grace's regular activities. For example: As the weather has become nicer we go outside all of the time. I can zip through Grace’s communication book so quickly to communicate that we are going to do water play outside.

“Grace, I have something to say”

Starting on page 1- [more to say]

turn to page 2a- [I want...do an activity]  

go to section 11a [outside activities]

go to page 11e [water play]

Repeat in English Word Order: “ Grace, we are going outside to play with water.”

And I get big smiles and usually a happy “yes or please” signed by Grace.

Note that this page does continue with a touch of [turn the page] to offer additional regular activities on 11b. I see from the picture above that I have already personalized the page again. Since that picture I moved the [watch TV] to 11b because that is not a regular activity for Grace. I put [squeezes & pushes] in its place. And as I review the page while writing tonight, I think I need to put in an icon for [activities at school] so we can get quickly to regular activities done at school. This icon will have a number in the top right corner to get it to the school section- section 25, I think.

Personalizing Grace’s communication book is like magic. Once I modify a page to suit Grace’s needs, it’s amazing how communication flows while using the book. And I can tell Grace knows there is magic in her communication book. She gets time to process what I am saying as using the communication book slows down my speech. She sees my hand movement around the book and knows that she gets something from my using this book to talk to her. I feel Grace really listens when I use the communication book to talk with her. And, she’s still reaching for her communication book from time to time, like she has something to say. It’s happening, I believe.

Side note: As I proofread this post, I realized how cool it is to say, "...with the nice weather we are always going outside.". Just a few years ago, when we moved into the house we live in, now, I remember having such a hard time getting Grace to be happy outside. We didn't spend much time outside. Now, we have a hard time getting her to stay inside. This make me happy.

Maybe- just maybe, I believe

We were on the porch the other day. I was busy cleaning the turtles' tank and Martin was playing water with Grace. Grace started fussing a bit with him and then started hitting her Communication Book. I stepped in to help with the navigation of the communication book. While touching keywords on her communication book,  I said to Grace, "Grace, I have something to say. It [looks] like you want to change [more to say] your [activity]. "I see you want to do a different activity. [outside activity] [not] [water play]... You don't want water play anymore..." Then Grace reached out and hit the book. Her index finger was closest to [ball]. And I swear Grace looked over to the side where a white ball was laying on the ground next to her wheelchair. "You want to play ball with Martin.” Grace then patted her chest, which means "yes or please." I picked up the ball and gave it to her and Martin joined her play. She was happy. And I was thrilled. I believe Grace knows her communication book is meaningful and gets her what she wants, when she wants it, where she wants it.
BTW: The words in brackets are the keywords I touched as I navigated Grace's Communication Book. I found, this is an easy way to indicate words in her Communication Book when writing