Blake – Shine On!

Blake is a Grade 1 student at Houston Christian School, an independent school in Houston, BC. He is supported by a dedicated team of educators and family members, including his mother, Cheri Kobes (LST), along with Dawn Bishop and Debbie Vrolyk (Intervenors), Jill Weeres (Speech-Language Pathologist), Jamie Corpuz (Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) and Denise Perry (Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments). Additionally, Meaghan Bresser from the Provincial Outreach for Students with Deafblindness was involved in his support.

The SET-BC team, consisting of Darren Mitzel (Provincial Coordinator/Educator), Arika Klassen (Speech-Language Pathologist), and Kim Heinrich (Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments), collaborated with Blake to explore assistive technology solutions aimed at enhancing his communication with peers and adults in the school. Additionally, various devices were trialed to support Blake’s vision needs.

Finding the right solution for Blake took time, as we needed a device that could effectively address both his communication and vision challenges. Through research and creative collaboration with the SLPs, we identified the NovaChat device with TouchChat communication software, which allowed symbols to expand or enlarge when selected, as the most accessible fit for Blake.

To support his vision needs, Blake and his team trialed several visual magnifiers, including the Prodigi Connect, ClearviewGo, CloverBook, and an iPad Pro. Ultimately, the iPad Pro with an anti-glare screen protector was the best fit, as it reduced glare while offering portability. In addition to meeting his vision needs, Blake also discovered useful applications that supported his curriculum access, making the device an ideal solution due to its larger size and functionality.

These solutions provide a strong foundation for enhancing Blake’s ability to communicate with both peers and adults in the school. With continued modeling and support, Blake will undoubtedly gain confidence in using the devices, allowing him to express himself more effectively, access the curriculum more easily, and share his knowledge with others.