Well it's been so long since I've been on here I'm not sure where to start. The best thing will be to briefly cover as much as possible then come back and cover each topic with more detail.
Elysha has finished year 12 and received her HSC. Yesterday she started her first official day at Nova which is the service we decided to get her involved with. Elysha was assessed by ADAC who stated she was too high functioning for community access so she is in a preparation for work program.
Nova was the only program in the MacArthur area that had good deaf support so we have gone with that. Another bonus is that two other friends from the very early years are also there so Elysha is very happy with the choice.
Elysha has been accepted for a companion dog from the guide dog association and is to meet a hopeful candidate next week,, Jake. Fingers crossed that they like each other.
The next step will be to then see if the two of them are likely candidates for Pet Therapy training as we feel Elysha would really enjoy this type of job.
Elysha is also volunteering one day a week at Starting Point, a KU program for children with disabilities. Elysha goes in on a Monday and helps out with the lunches.
PROLOQUO2GO
Proloquo2Go is getting better and better. The best improvement to date is that all backing up can be done direct from your iPod iPad or iPhone onto your iTunes account and it's a proper backup and so easy to do.
I am now the proud owner of an iPad and yes I am aware that they're new ipeds etc coming out that will work with window systems and be about a third of the price but Prologue2go will only work on apple devices so the ground. Work there is limited.. I love my iPad.
I'm actually just sitting on the couch typing this up now as I'm watching the TV. It's so light and easy to carry around and apps are very reasonable on it.
PICTELLO
Elysha has finished year 12 and received her HSC. Yesterday she started her first official day at Nova which is the service we decided to get her involved with. Elysha was assessed by ADAC who stated she was too high functioning for community access so she is in a preparation for work program.
Nova was the only program in the MacArthur area that had good deaf support so we have gone with that. Another bonus is that two other friends from the very early years are also there so Elysha is very happy with the choice.
Elysha has been accepted for a companion dog from the guide dog association and is to meet a hopeful candidate next week,, Jake. Fingers crossed that they like each other.
The next step will be to then see if the two of them are likely candidates for Pet Therapy training as we feel Elysha would really enjoy this type of job.
Elysha is also volunteering one day a week at Starting Point, a KU program for children with disabilities. Elysha goes in on a Monday and helps out with the lunches.
PROLOQUO2GO
Proloquo2Go is getting better and better. The best improvement to date is that all backing up can be done direct from your iPod iPad or iPhone onto your iTunes account and it's a proper backup and so easy to do.
I am now the proud owner of an iPad and yes I am aware that they're new ipeds etc coming out that will work with window systems and be about a third of the price but Prologue2go will only work on apple devices so the ground. Work there is limited.. I love my iPad.
I'm actually just sitting on the couch typing this up now as I'm watching the TV. It's so light and easy to carry around and apps are very reasonable on it.
PICTELLO
Developers of Proloquo2go have also brought out another wonderful app. It's called Pictello. Cheap 19.95 and sooooo very easy to use. You can make up social stories or talking story books or photo books it is just brilliant. Last night I quickly went onto google image and downloaded pictures I wanted to make up a story or two for Elysha. They automatically went to my photo section. Then went into Pictello started the story and imported photos from my album and made two books up for Elysha. One about her day and one about her brothers wedding. These can then be shared on line thru a network.
MAKATON GONE KEY WORD SIGN HERE TO STAY
Makaton has left our land and Newcastle University has started an organization with all the states called Key Word Signing Australia. So Kim will still be available to take orders but resources are a bit limited at the moment.Also Kim will only be available a couple of days a week at the office this year so if you have enquiries best to check out exactly when he will be in.
I still have some Makaton blue & green books left and some CD roms but once they are gone that's it. I also have a couple of big workshops coming up in the next couple of weeks so I dont expect stocks to last long.
New books will be coming out later this year. There is also a new resource that I am sure you will all love but you will have to wait to hear more.
Yes I will be drawing the graphics for the new books so there is a lot of computer work ahead of me, I am also thinking of cutting back on signing workshops as I am reaching a time when night work is not as appealing as it once as. Lisa will still be doing workshops and I will do some here and there.
Yes I will be drawing the graphics for the new books so there is a lot of computer work ahead of me, I am also thinking of cutting back on signing workshops as I am reaching a time when night work is not as appealing as it once as. Lisa will still be doing workshops and I will do some here and there.
Also because of my interest in Proloquo2Go I am finding I am spending a lot of time going to groups and explaining this and showing how to work the program.
So throughout Australia now there are no Makaton workshops they will now be called - Key Word Sign Workshops.
BUT they are the same signs, the same theory, the same everything it will just be a totally Australian based organisation using a different name and a different list or compilation of signs. For your knowledge you will still be using the same information and doing the same thing to support your children just not calling it Makaton. Which I am pretty sure will be happily received within the Deaf community as there is more understanding of Key Word Signing and less confusion in reference to what it is called.
HANDS CAN TALK
I am getting involved in a couple of other projects that I will be able to tell you more about later. All I can say now is that they look really exciting, include technology and will assist in signing.
For myself, I am currently redoing my Tiny Hands book as I sold the last copy and want to put in new better graphics. Have also taken back Key Sign -a supplement to the Makaton Vocabulary as the contract has expired with Newcastle University and as Makaton name cannot be used anymore. Have decided to remove the Makaton wording, see if there needs to be any additions, consider changing to all my own graphics if all are available on this one and it should be available soon.
For myself, I am currently redoing my Tiny Hands book as I sold the last copy and want to put in new better graphics. Have also taken back Key Sign -a supplement to the Makaton Vocabulary as the contract has expired with Newcastle University and as Makaton name cannot be used anymore. Have decided to remove the Makaton wording, see if there needs to be any additions, consider changing to all my own graphics if all are available on this one and it should be available soon.
I am also thinking of redoing the Sign & Sign with me but maybe this is all tooo much at this stage. This is one that can wait but I am very proud to say this book has reached 10,000 sales which makes it a best seller - not bad hey for a little book designed for special needs and never sold out of a shop or advertised.
John & his mate are also working on a music CD to go with the book but I have given up on nagging them - its been 18 months of asking and they are the musicians so I think this maybe one of those dream time things.
We were also talking about doing the next edition of the Sing & Sign with me book for the next age group up but I think again I have streched myself as far as I can and it will again have to sit on the back burner.
We have managed to produce some extra visual sign resources and Deaf Australia Inc have endorsed a number of the See Sign & Say books and some of the Sign Hand Cards. This is a very slow process but we will get there.
Dont forget the website has been updated and you can now shop on line. You can also go to the articles page for interesting articles that I will try to regularly update.
If you would like to you can join us on Hands Can Talk on Facebook - become a follower, have your say, start a topic or ask a question. I do regularly go on there with information but even though I have quite a few followers they are a very quiet lot so sometimes I feel as though I'm talking to myself. Which my children can tell you I enjoy doing at home all the time.
IPAD
Well I found that although I had a great time typing this up on the iPad I could not do spelling corrections or formating on the iPad so had to come back to the computer to finish off. But that didnt matter it was quick and easy getting the main bit done whereever I was and then just doing spell check and tidying up when I was finished.
Will post this now and come back on regularly to give more updated information on what I have talked about. Please let me know if you need anything explained and I hope you enjoy reading whats coming.
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