Pamela A. Shea, Director
Crotched Mountain School Alumni Library and Media Center
Greenfield, NH

 
Crotched Mountain School provides k-12 education to approximately 125 children who have varying disabilities. The Alumni Library and Media Center is part of the school and prides itself on being very accessible for those children. Here, we talk about equal access for all in terms of acquisition of information. I believe that adaptive technology is the equalizer for many children and we strive to match children to equipment so they may achieve as much independence as possible.

The Library has computers with adaptive equipment of all types: screen enlargers, voice activation, single switch access, touch screens, an array of track balls etc. Part of the Library also includes a small theater which offers surround sound, closed captions, an alternative audio amplification system, computer graphic projection capability, and video input from satellite dish, antenna, vhs, laser disc, etc.
 
My responsibilities cover these areas, a professional staff library and 2 employees, one is working on our web site and the other keeps this library open evenings and one afternoon on the weekend. Our web site is: http://www.cmf.org
 
Over 500 audiobooks are included in the Library's current holdings of over10,000 books, video, laser disc, cd software and music. Most tapes have a matching book title. I find audiobooks that include sound effects, music and a variety of speakers to be the best for my children.

TIPS:

	Keep tape players and headphones readily available and plugged in.
	Many special needs children have difficulty attending to a story being read to a class. Distractibility is always a problem. The application for headphones in a quieter space may be an alternative until the child has developed a lengthier attention span. The headphones will help the child focus on the story.
	To build a positive listening experience, be sure to check the headphones and volume before putting them on a student. Too loud can be damaging to young ears as well as extremely uncomfortable, making the listening unpleasant.
	As time goes on, adding a second listener may increase the child's enthusiasm. Sharing a familiar story with a friend is always more fun. Its important to remember that you are building positive experiences to not only lengthens the child's listening skills, but also to bring a less distractible child back to the group to join his/her classmates.

IT WORKS!
Here's an activity that's a PROVEN SUCCESS for introducing the tape player to children:  
  
As a primarily residential school, many of our children are not able to go home each weekend. One of the ways to help children communicate with home has been for children to make their own audiotapes to send to their families. This has been very successful because most families will send an equally entertaining tape to the child. This activity really helps children to get comfortable with the tape player. They know already that it will produce something enjoyable.
 
Again, it's a positive experience building upon itself. Children begin to look forward to listening to tapes from home but also recordings of fabulous books.
 
(Publisher's note: Check out our April 1 newsletter (request to subscribe by dropping a note to audiobooks@prexar.com) for a similar project for the entire class! Another idea for kids who do live at home, is to have kids make tapes for a family member, like an older brother/sister or aunt/uncle, who live elsewhere.)
 
IT WORKS!
Here's a hint to making the entire listening experience easy and positive:
 
Frequently, children have trouble managing the tape players buttons. To make accessing this equipment easier, the use of a switch allows a child to hit a bigger object which turns the tape player 'on' or 'off'. This also reinforces 'cause and effect' activities in a very positive way and is an empowering experience for special needs children in that they can make something happen, they can control the 'on' or 'off'. This all by itself is a great success and a wonderful way to introduce the tape player to any child.
 
You may e-mail Pam Shea at shea@cmf.org
 
EDUCATORS:
If you make good use of audiobooks in your approach to education and feel you have some good tips and inspiration to pass on to others, would you like to be considered for our Educator of the Month feature?
 
If so, contact Heather Frederick, Publisher at Audio Bookshelf at 1-800-234-1713 or audiobooks@prexar.com
We want to honor you!