How to Use Visual Aids to Help Teach Students With Moderate to Severe Disabilities :How to Use Visual Aids to Help Teach Students With Moderate to Severe Disabilities Holly Livingston SPED 501 Azusa Pacific University


Organize the Student’s Activities :Organize the Student’s Activities Daily schedules Mini-schedules


Organize the Student’s Activities :Organize the Student’s Activities Activity checklists


Organize the Student’s Activities :Organize the Student’s Activities Calendars Choice boards


Provide Instructions for the Student :Provide Instructions for the Student Visual display of classroom assignments File cards


Enhance Daily Lessons :Enhance Daily Lessons Real objects Photographs Colored pictures


Enhance Daily Lessons :Enhance Daily Lessons Black and white pictures Line drawings Diagrams Symbols


Labeling Items :Labeling Items Containers with various items Signs


Labeling Items :Labeling Items Lists Charts Messages


Encourage Appropriate Behavior and Social Skills :Encourage Appropriate Behavior and Social Skills Rules and routines


Encourage Appropriate Behavior and Social Skills :Encourage Appropriate Behavior and Social Skills Pictorial representations of social stories


Encourage Appropriate Behavior and Social Skills :Encourage Appropriate Behavior and Social Skills Cues for behavior expectations


Teaching Communication Skills :Teaching Communication Skills Picture communication boards Making requests using graphic symbols


Teaching Communication Skills :Teaching Communication Skills “Board/Maker for Windows” (Mayer-Johnson, inc., 1998)


Teaching Communication Skills :Teaching Communication Skills “Writing With Symbols 2000” (Mayer-Johnson, inc., 1999)


Teaching Communication Skills :Teaching Communication Skills “Picture Exchange Communication System” (PECS)


Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) :Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Students exchange single pictures for items or activities they really want. Students generalize this new skill by using it in different places, with different people and across distances. Students select from two or more pictures to ask for their favorite things. These are placed in a communication book.


Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) :Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) 4. Students construct simple sentences on a detachable sentence strip using an “I want” picture followed by a picture of the item being requested.


Picture Reading :Picture Reading Pairing pictures with text Student associates each word with a picture or symbol Learns to read on his/her own


Picture-Word Booklets :Picture-Word Booklets Guides student through daily tasks Teaches cooking with recipes Teaches multiple-step housekeeping chores Other daily living skills Promotes self-determination Increases independence in vocational settings


References :References Autism/picture exchange communication system (PECS) for children. Retrieved from http://autism.healingthresholds.com (2009). Picture Exchange Communication System. Wikipedia. Retrieved (2009, October 16) from http://en.wikipedia.org Slater, J.M. Increasing literacy skills in students with disabilities: a pictorial approach.


References :References Snell, M.E., & Brown, F. (2006). Instruction of Students with Severe Disabilities. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc..  (2000). Teaching Students With Autism. A resource guide for schools. Retrieved (2009, October 16)