Anonymous wrote:Have you tried signing time DVDs? They are tailored for kids (both babies and older kids). My kid learnt how to sign from those DVDs. They are interactive and use music to engage kids. If you kid likes music, he will love these DVDs.
Here is the link to their website:

http://www.signingtime.com/

Hope it helps!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is six years old, on the spectrum, with major issues in expressive communication. We've tried speech therapy for over two years now, and there has not been much progress. He can say some words -- "I don't know" is his default response to any question -- and can speak more easily with prompts, but often seems to have problems getting a word out on his own. We are coming to accept that he will likely be mostly non-verbal, and are considering whether to take up sign language to supplement his communication skills. The alternative is to wait for him to learn to type and rely on assistive technology.

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this?

And if we go forward with sign language, should I learn it first, so that I can help him learn it later? Or should the family learn it at the same time, so we can determine in real time whether sign language is appropriate for him? Also, are there affordable facilities near Bethesda that teach sign to people with hearing (parent or child)? I don't think DVDs or apps will be that effective for me — given my old brain, new languages are hard to learn.

Also, any thoughts on learning ASL versus signed speech?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I'm baffled by the bolded. There are many assistive tech solutions that don't involve typing. I would probably choose symbol based AAC over signing, and definitely over typing, in your situation.

Do you have a gage of his receptive language skills? In my experience (special ed teacher) kids who have low receptive and expressive language skills often benefit from a keyword approach using either sign or high tech AAC. So if we were playing a game, I might say "hey WAIT a minute! It's MY TURN!" and sign or model on a device the words WAIT MY TURN.

If I did choose sign, I'd use ASL signs, but not with ASL grammar. I'd use a keyword approach, with English word order, but just the most important words signed or modeled.

That is actually how people who sign do things - it is very much an abbreviated language. You don't sign many of the words that you would speak or write.

You learn the gestures and abbreviations from someone fluent in sign language.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sign_Language

http://m.mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=13107d

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is six years old, on the spectrum, with major issues in expressive communication. We've tried speech therapy for over two years now, and there has not been much progress. He can say some words -- "I don't know" is his default response to any question -- and can speak more easily with prompts, but often seems to have problems getting a word out on his own. We are coming to accept that he will likely be mostly non-verbal, and are considering whether to take up sign language to supplement his communication skills. The alternative is to wait for him to learn to type and rely on assistive technology.

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this?

And if we go forward with sign language, should I learn it first, so that I can help him learn it later? Or should the family learn it at the same time, so we can determine in real time whether sign language is appropriate for him? Also, are there affordable facilities near Bethesda that teach sign to people with hearing (parent or child)? I don't think DVDs or apps will be that effective for me — given my old brain, new languages are hard to learn.

Also, any thoughts on learning ASL versus signed speech?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I'm baffled by the bolded. There are many assistive tech solutions that don't involve typing. I would probably choose symbol based AAC over signing, and definitely over typing, in your situation.

Do you have a gage of his receptive language skills? In my experience (special ed teacher) kids who have low receptive and expressive language skills often benefit from a keyword approach using either sign or high tech AAC. So if we were playing a game, I might say "hey WAIT a minute! It's MY TURN!" and sign or model on a device the words WAIT MY TURN.

If I did choose sign, I'd use ASL signs, but not with ASL grammar. I'd use a keyword approach, with English word order, but just the most important words signed or modeled.

That is actually how people who sign do things - it is very much an abbreviated language. You don't sign many of the words that you would speak or write.

You learn the gestures and abbreviations from someone fluent in sign language.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sign_Language

http://m.mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=13107

Anonymous wrote:My DS has ASD and had severe expressive disorder when he was six. He had severe echolalia and couldn't answer most questions. He would say I don't know to answer most questions till recently. We saw no improvement the first few years of therapy but he continued to receive speech therapy for 9 years and now can hold short conversations. I tried sign language. I tried PECs. At the end, I understood that if he can answer some questions even with help or just to say I don't know, he can talk. In other words, he can produce the sounds for the speech and if he can sign something, he can say it. If he can't say it because of expressive delay, he can't say it in any form. For years, I have giving him words for everything. Point it, sign it, say it, put it in a sentence, give the meaning, repeat it, ask it in a question, give synonyms, give antonyms, and don't accept I don't know as an answer, give him acceptable answers and let him pick one and say it. He would get frustrated at the beginning and he would always pick the last option for answers to end the conversation but when he started to get the carrots instead of ice-cream he caught on. Now he asks for meanings and tries to understand how to use a word.

I understand augmented communication devices help if the child is non-verbal but he is verbal and can communicate so how can augmented communication help with a verbal child?

My be my DS has a different problem than OP's. I am not saying my way is correct or augmented communication is wrong in this case but I am wondering if 2 years of therapy is enough. OP, have you tried other speech therapists?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is six years old, on the spectrum, with major issues in expressive communication. We've tried speech therapy for over two years now, and there has not been much progress. He can say some words -- "I don't know" is his default response to any question -- and can speak more easily with prompts, but often seems to have problems getting a word out on his own. We are coming to accept that he will likely be mostly non-verbal, and are considering whether to take up sign language to supplement his communication skills. The alternative is to wait for him to learn to type and rely on assistive technology.

Does anyone have any advice on how to approach this?

And if we go forward with sign language, should I learn it first, so that I can help him learn it later? Or should the family learn it at the same time, so we can determine in real time whether sign language is appropriate for him? Also, are there affordable facilities near Bethesda that teach sign to people with hearing (parent or child)? I don't think DVDs or apps will be that effective for me — given my old brain, new languages are hard to learn.

Also, any thoughts on learning ASL versus signed speech?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I'm baffled by the bolded. There are many assistive tech solutions that don't involve typing. I would probably choose symbol based AAC over signing, and definitely over typing, in your situation.

Do you have a gage of his receptive language skills? In my experience (special ed teacher) kids who have low receptive and expressive language skills often benefit from a keyword approach using either sign or high tech AAC. So if we were playing a game, I might say "hey WAIT a minute! It's MY TURN!" and sign or model on a device the words WAIT MY TURN.

If I did choose sign, I'd use ASL signs, but not with ASL grammar. I'd use a keyword approach, with English word order, but just the most important words signed or modeled.