VIDBE-Q Volume 69 Issue 2
with tangible symbols and switch technology can be an effective functional
communication intervention for children with visual impairment and additional
disabilities that professionals serving this population may wish to consider
implementing (Ali et al., 2011; Bracken & Rohrer, 2014; Ivy et al., 2014; Ivy et al.,
2020; Lund & Troha, 2008; Parker et al, 2010; Parker, 2009, Parker et al., 2010).
Before beginning the intervention, preference assessments were conducted
with all learners to identify highly preferred items that had multisensory features
(i.e., an auditory component, interesting tactile elements etc.). This was to ensure
that a tangible symbol to represent the item could be made and that the student
could be enticed with the item without needing to use their vision and without
verbal prompts. Tangible symbols were created by the researchers to represent
each item used in the intervention (Figure 1). Detailed implementation steps for
each phase are listed below. Steps with an asterisk indicate an adaptation made
specifically for our learners with VI and additional disabilities.
