What is ‘Sound and Picture’?
This is a summary of our project with explanations on the methodology used to plan an individualised activity for a key pupil.
Traditional Visual Impairment (VI) population has changed to include more children with Multiple Disabilities and VI (MDVI). Many are pre/non-verbal or have severe receptive and expressive communicative difficulties sometimes leading to withdrawal or using challenging behaviour as a means of communication.
This project therefore has two aims:
To empower educators in MDVI by developing modes of communication for these children . This will be facilitated by creating homemade educational resources using sound and pictures which can be used right across the curriculum.
To empower and enable children to play a more active role in their own learning . They can then develop a means of communication through which they can express their thoughts, wants and needs increasing their self-esteem, motivation and control. Resources will contain freeware, MP3 audio recordings, digital pictures and movies. They will be trialled, evaluated and modified as required by each partner.
These individualised resources will enable children with MDVI to develop an awareness that communication is reciprocal. It will also reinforce skills of choice making, independence and thereby fostering inclusion.
Institutions in this partnership are the sole provider of education and support for learners with a visual impairment and cater for pupils with MDVI.
A parallel support material called the 5-step model (initiated in the ImPAcT MDVI project, 2003-3006), has been used to plan the pupil profile and design the chosen activity for the chosen pupil. For more details about the ImPAct MDVI project, log on to:
http://www.mdvi-euronet.org and on the link called "ImPAct MDVI"on the left side of the site.
Thanks!
In this section, we would also like to thank all partners, pupils and professionals who have worked on this project. Also, our thanks are extended to colleagues from across Europe who have contributed to this project:
Jonas Löfkvist from Ekeskolan Sweden, Dick Lunenborg from Bartiméus The Netherlands, John Norgaard from Sonokids The Netherlands, SPRIDA Communication Centre in Örebro Sweden for borrowing the program Sarepta during the project.
And finally, a big thank you to the EU for providing us with the funding to realise this project and facilitate European links.