What are visual supports?

Make it Visual: Supporting

the Communication of
Individuals with ASD

Teresa Lyons, T/TAC at Virginia Tech

Karen Berlin, T/TAC at George Mason

What are visual supports? Why use visual supports?

• Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and
lots of other students with behavior or
communication challenges tend to be visual
learners. They understand what they see
better than what they hear. Therefore, they
benefit significantly from the use of Visual
Strategies. - Linda Hodgdon,
http://www.usevisualstrategies.com/

http://robsmegaphone.com/tag/street-signs/ &
http://www.lolcars.com/images_htm/crazy-road-signs.php

Why use visual supports? Why use visual supports?

• “Information presented both auditorily and • People with autism are bi-lingual: their primary
visually is more likely to be remembered language is visual. - Linda Hodgdon,
http://www.usevisualstrategies.com/viewclip.html
(Sousa, 2001). If we add active participation, • How we learn:
or kinesthetic input, we increase recall even  1% through taste
further (Cohen & Sloan, 2007).”  1.5% through smell
• Visual supports use various cues to help  3.5% through hearing
individuals perform skills with greater  11% through hearing
 83% through sight
independence.
• Visual supports bring clarity to
communication.
Visual Supports for People with Autism (Cohen & Sloane, 2007)

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 Words from the Experts Why use visual supports?
• Transient versus Non-transient
• Show what you mean. Mean what you • Provide structure
show. - Barbara Bloomfield, M.A., CCC-SLP, Consultant, • Prevent problems
Autism Spectrum. – Decreases anxiety, increases calmness
• Intervene in problem situations
• Improve communication/language
• When I see it, then I understand it. - • Give information
Linda Hodgdon, (1999). Solving Behavior Problems • Increases attention
in Autism. • Support routines
• Teach skills – a concrete method

Visual Strategies For Improving Communication Practical Supports for

School and Home by Linda Hodgdon

How can visual supports be

Why use visual supports?
introduced?
• Are quickly and easily interpreted
• Clarifies verbal information • Visual Supports are learned by purposefully
• Helps them organize their thinking using them and connecting its meaning to
• Helps the child to remember information associated activities.
• Provides info not readily known (implied) about a • Teach the tools.
given situation (i.e. to wash hands child needs to • Place the tools in all settings.
turn on the faucet)
• Are portable
• Best Practice Objective:
– Use of visual supports - 80% of the time
– Use visuals as much as or more than students do
(B. Bloomfield)
Visual Strategies For Improving Communication Practical Supports for
School and Home by Linda Hodgdon

What is needed to create

visual supports?
What kind of visual
• Velcro • 3-ring binder
• Tape • Cards
supports can be
•
•
Rings
Paper
•
•
Wallet
Computer
used to support
• Laminator • Digital Camera communication?

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 Teaching/Expanding Teaching/Expanding
CONVERSATION Skills CONVERSATION Skills
• Social and • Greeting Sequence
Conversational (Barbara Bloomfield,
Supports M.A. CCC-SLP)

– Say and Do
Strategies
(Barbara Bloomfield,
M.A. CCC-SLP)

Teaching/Expanding
CONVERSATION Skills
• Greeting Tickets
– (Barbara
Bloomfield, M.A.
CCC-SLP)
Teaching/Expanding
CONVERSATION Skills
• Courtesy Cards
Developed by Barbara Bloomfield,
M.A. CCC-SLP

Teaching/Expanding Teaching/Expanding
CONVERSATION Skills CONVERSATION Skills
Talking Tokens
• Turn Taking
• Comprehension of
• Developed by Barbara Bloomfield, conversational rules
M.A. CCC-SLP

• Comprehension of
conversational content
– Statements
– Questions
– Comments

Developed by Barbara Bloomfield,

• Comprehension of
M.A. CCC-SLP
Conversational Turn-Taking

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 Teaching/Expanding Teaching/Expanding
CONVERSATION Skills CONVERSATION Skills
• Displays different
types of exchanges • Say one thing
– Statements – Exclamations
• Learn to talk about
other people’s
topics
– Questions – Quotes

Teaching/Expanding Teaching/Expanding
CONVERSATION Skills CONVERSATION Skills
• Increasing • Provide cues
conversation

Teaching/Expanding
Assisting with TRANSITIONS
CONVERSATION Skills
• Displays the • Time Timer
purpose,
“why” of
conversation

• Count Downs

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 Assisting with TRANSITIONS Assisting with TRANSITIONS

Assisting with TRANSITIONS Assisting with TRANSITIONS

• Increasing Initiation

• Increasing
comprehension

• Increasing social
interaction

• Developed by Barbara
Bloomfield, M.A. CCC-SLP

Assisting with TRANSITIONS Assisting with TRANSITIONS

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 Assisting with TRANSITIONS Regulating BEHAVIOR
• Destinations • Five Point Scale - Kari Dunn Buron &
Mitzi Curtis
– Use of a scale to teach social & emotional
concepts
– Can help to recognize levels of stress &
anxiety
• Offers strategies to lower or increase
individual’s level of behavior

http://www.5pointscale.com/other_projects_article_5-point_scale.htm

Regulating BEHAVIOR Regulating BEHAVIOR

• Looks like
• Feels like
• I can try

Regulating BEHAVIOR Regulating BEHAVIOR

• Power Cards - Elise Gagnon
Shania Twain Greets Her Fans
By Kitty Flinn
1. Smile and put out your right hand
Shania Twain meets hundreds of people each year. After her concerts, she spends time with her
fans, greeting them and autographing pictures. She used to hug all the people she met
and shake the other person’s right
and then realized that this is not the only way, or the best way, to greet somebody she is
meeting for the first time. Some people do not like to be hugged, especially by someone hand.
they are meeting for the first time. Just like Shania, it is important for everybody to learn
to greet appropriately.
Shania is anxious to share these three key point that she has learned about greeting people:

1. Smile and put out your right hand and shake the other person’s right hand.
2. Introduce yourself and ask the
2.
3.
Introduce yourself and ask the person how they are.
Practice greetings with your friends and teachers.
Person how they are.
Following these steps will help you greet people like Shania.
3. Practice greetings with your friends

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 Regulating BEHAVIOR Regulating BEHAVIOR
• Countdown • The Fold-Up - developed by Barbara
Bloomfield, M.A., CCC-SLP

– 6 portable tools to support behavior

Regulating BEHAVIOR Regulating BEHAVIOR

• The Wait Card • The Countdown
– To help the student understand that he/she must temporarily
discontinue an activity but can return to it later. Card
– Answers the pre-
transition question of
“How much longer?”

Regulating BEHAVIOR Regulating BEHAVIOR

• The Bumper Sticker • First/Then
– A small group of behavioral directives that – To support
can show a student what to do versus students need to
what not to do. understand what
will come next
– Increases
motivation to
complete tasks

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 Regulating BEHAVIOR Regulating BEHAVIOR
• Meter • Schedule
– Use of a scale to – Provide on the go information about
regulate emotions, activities, outings, tasks, etc.
voice, or
behaviors

Let’s Explore Sites with Ready

to Use Visual Supports

• Visit http://makeitvisual.wetpaint.com