SWOMA Conference
October 20-21, 2017
Houston, TX
An Active Learning Approach
to Orientation and Mobility
Presented by Kate Moss Hurst
Statewide Staff Development Coordinator
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Outreach Programs
Use your laptop, smartphone or iPad to visit Active Learning Space during this presentation www.activelearningspace.org
An Active Learning Approach to Orientation and Mobility
Presented by Kate Moss Hurst, Statewide Staff Development Coordinator and Co-Developer of Active Learning Space
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Outreach Programs
My Background
· Not an O&M….Teacher of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing
· Worked at TSBVI Outreach for past 27 years
· Family Specialist for 14 Years with Texas Deafblind Project
· Education Consultant for 3 years with Texas Deafblind Project
· Statewide Staff Development Coordinator for Outreach for past 10 years
· Collaborator on Active Learning Space website
My Goals
- To show you why Active Learning is important for working with babies or older individuals functioning developmentally below age 5
- To share specific tools for learning about Active Learning, specifically the Active Learning Space website and the Active Learning Study Group
And you…..
· Who are you?
· What do you know about Active Learning?
· What do you know about Active Learning Space or the Active Learning Study Group?
Big Questions?
- How would you describe the way typically developing infants and toddlers learn?
- What do they spend most of their waking time doing?
- Do children with visual impairments, especially those with significant additional disabilities spend most of their time doing these same things?
Figure 1 Picture of an infant playing with toys from Creative Commons.
What is Active Learning?
An educational approach which
· emphasizes all individuals learn best by active participation
· focuses on creating developmentally appropriate, enriched environment to meet a specific individual’s needs
· can be used to provide instruction in ECC, standard curriculum
· targets individuals under developmental age of 5
Why is it needed with this population?
· Developmentally sensorimotor and pre-operational level learners
· Do not have access to environment - necessary for learning foundational concepts and skills
· May be passive or withdrawn
· Often develop stereotypical and/or challenging behaviors
What is Active Learning Space?
· Website
· Developed collaboratively by Penrickton Center for Blind Children, Perkins School for the Blind and Texas School for the Blind
· Hub for English-speaking countries to learn and share about Active Learning approach
www.activelearningspace.org
Figure 2 Screen shot of Active Learning Space home page.
Home - Sign Up for the Newsletter
Figure 3 Home page showing sign-up for the mailing list for Active Learning Space.
What can you find there?
· Lectures by Patty Obrzut, OT and Assistant Director of Penrickton Center for Blind Children
· Information on Active Learning approach based on the works of Dr. Lilli Nielsen
· Videos of individuals using Active Learning
· Links to resources on Active Learning including training, articles, other related websites
· Public forum for building a community of practice
Patty Obrzut Lectures
Video of Patty Obrzut, OT and Assistant Director of Penrickton Center for Blind Children introducing herself. http://library.tsbvi.edu/Player/13382
Principles of Active Learning
Available Now
· Overview of Active Learning
· What Is Play?
· Pathways to Learning
· How Special Needs Children Spend Their Day
· Dynamic Learning Circle
o Patty Obrzut on the Dynamic Learning Circle
o When Things Go Wrong
· Five Key Points of Active Learning
· Five Phases of Educational Treatment
o Patty Obrzut on Five Phases
o Phase 1: Offering
o Phase 2: Imitation
o Phase 3: Interaction
o Phase 4: Sharing the Work
o Phase 5: Consequence
Coming Soon
· Communication
· Social and Emotional Development
· Talking through an Activity
· Self-Identity
· Effects of Stress and Anxiety
· Stereotypical Behavior
Stage 1 of the Dynamic Learning Circle
Video about Stage 1 of the Dynamic Learning Circle from Active Learning Space. http://library.tsbvi.edu/Player/13136
Video Showing Instructional Techniques
Video showing Phase 1: Offering from Active Learning Space. http://library.tsbvi.edu/Player/13381
Assessment (ECC Areas)
· Assessment tool – Functional Scheme
· Series of webinars from 2015-2016 on how to complete this evaluation at http://www.tsbvi.edu/selected-topics/active-learning-2
· Used in Developing District Capacity in Active Learning (DDCAL) pilot by COMS and other team members on 6 students this past year (4-8 more next year)
DDCAL Pilot Teams
2016-17
· Region 7 – Longview
· Region 9 – Wichita Falls
· Region 13 – Austin
· Region 20 – San Antonio
2017-18
· Region 3 – Victoria
· Region 11 – Ft. Worth
· Region 14 – Abilene
· Region 16 - Amarillo
Functional Scheme
- Gross Movement
- Fine Movement
- Mouth Movement
- Visual Perception
- Auditory Perception
- Haptic-tactile Perception
- Smell and Taste
- Spatial Perception
- Object Perception
- Language non-verbal, verbal, comprehension
- Social Perception
- Emotional Perception
- Play and Activities
- Toileting Skills
- Undressing & Dressing Skills
- Personal Hygiene
- Eating Skills
Areas completed by COMS
· Gross Movement – with PT
· Visual Perception – with TVI
· Auditory Perception – with SPL
· Haptic-Tactile Perception – with OT/TVI
· Spatial Perception – with TVI
For some COMS
· Object Perception – with TVI
· Language – with TVI, SPL, Classroom Teacher
· Play and Activities – Classroom Teacher, TVI
Milestones
Figure 4 Image of Milestones for Spatial Perception from the Functional Scheme.
Milestones
Figure 5 An example of a completed Milestone page for Gross Movement from the Functional Scheme.
Initial Assessment Sheet
Figure 6 Example of the Gross Movement Level 0-3 months during an initial assessment.
Updated Assessment Sheet
Figure 7 Example of progress in Gross Movement score after 6 months using the Functional Scheme. Each date reflects updated information.
Evaluation Summary
Figure 8 Sample of a completed Functional Scheme Assessment Summary.
Implementation
· Active Learning and General Education
· Can Active Learning be Used for General Education?
· Resources Aligning Goals to the Standard Curriculum
· Expanded Core Curriculum
· FIELA Curriculum
· Arts and Crafts
· Classroom Environments
· Grasping
· HOPSA Dress and Track
· Journey Sticks
· Map Sticks
· Orientation and Mobility
· Promoting Independent Sitting
· Prone Activities
· Science
· Using a Little Room
How to Teach Standard Curriculum (and work on O&M)
Video clip of a Science Lesson using Active Learning from Active Learning Space. http://library.tsbvi.edu/Player/13065
What can be learned?
· body parts
· knowing where things are relative to your body
· learning concepts like up, down, under, over, etc.
· learning how to move parts or all of your body
· utilizing all your senses
· learning how to use adapted devices
· being able to ask for help
All related to ECC and in particular to O&M
Materials
· Attractive Objects
· Materials: Some Tips for Choosing Materials
· Points to Consider When Choosing Materials
· Sources for Materials
Perceptualizing Aids
Figure 9 Series of pictures showing various perceptualizing aids that can be purchased from LilliWorks.org that includes: a Little Room, a girl on a Essef Board playing outside, an Essef Board and Ladder, and a boy on a Support Bench.
Things You Should Buy
Available in the US from Lilliworks.org
· The Essef Board
· The HOPSA-dress
· Little Room
· Multi-Functional Activity Table
· The Resonance Board
· Scratch, Position and Grab (SPG) Boards
· The Support Bench
Things You Can Make
· Activity Wall
· Books
· Buncher
· Crafts Activities and Projects
· Elastic Board
· Mobiles
· Mounts for Musical Instruments
· Pegboard Books for CVI
· Position Board
· Resonance Board
· Tabletop Mobile
· Trays and Boards
· Vests, Aprons, Gloves, Scarves, Belts
Figure 10 Pinterest image: Active Learning Vests and Belts
An Active Learning Approach to Orientation and Mobility – Hurst, K. – 2017 SWOMA Conference 10
Figure 11 Activity Wall.
Figure 12 Pegboard book.
Figure 13 Buncher
Figure 14 Elastic Board
Figure 15 Mobile with beads
Figure 16 Tabletop Mobile
Figure 17 Scratch board
Figure 18 Position and Grab Board
Figure 19 Young girl using a free-standing Position Board.
Figure 20 Wrist scarves
Figure 21 Vest with objects attached using Velcro
Figure 22 Gloves with objects attached using Velcro
An Active Learning Approach to Orientation and Mobility – Hurst, K. – 2017 SWOMA Conference 10
Training
Figure 23 Screen shot of Training page at http://www.activelearningspace.org/training-events
Resources
· Active Learning Space Newsletters
· Dr. Nielsen's Books
· Related Articles
· Suggestions for Funding Sources
· Webinars
· Websites
· Forms
Figure 24 Pinterest image of Books about Active Learning by Dr. Lilli Nielsen.
Active Learning Study Group
Figure 25 Screen shot of page showing archived Active Learning Study Group Webinars on Active Learning Space.
Forum – Building a Community of Practice
Figure 26 Construction logo indicating that the Public Forum page of the Active Learning Space is currently undergoing a remodel. Image courtesy of Creative Commons.
Need ACVREP credit?
· Webinars approved for 1 continuing education credit by ACVREP
· Next year - beta testing a self-paced online course; anticipate offering ACVREP credit for as well as a micro-credential.
One last plea…
· Active Learning - best practice approach for individuals at the earliest developmental levels no matter their age
· The Functional Scheme - great evaluation tool for this population, especially for ECC including O&M
· Active Learning Space, Active Learning Study Group webinars - two ways to educate yourself
Questions? Comments?
· Contact me at or
· Contact Charlotte Cushman at or
· Post to the Active Learning Space Forum
SWOMA Sponsors
Region 4 Education Service Center (ESC), Houston
Figure 27 Region 4 ESC logo.
Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired
Outreach Programs
Figure 29 IDEAs that Work logo and OSEP disclaimer.
An Active Learning Approach to Orientation and Mobility – Hurst, K. – 2017 SWOMA Conference 10