Tip of the Month June 2019 - Backing up your device
Good Practise around iPad Communication Apps - (Touch Chat, Proloquo2go, LAMP)
This quick guide outlines some good practise and practical advice around using and protection of your communication app.
It covers...
- Adding personalized vocab
- Transitioning at the end of the school year
- Password protecting your editing
- Guided access
- Backing up your user area
So...you have an iPad with a communication app on it to support your child/student’s communication skills.
 |  |  |  |
That’s great and you will be able to really start making some progress with communication BUT watch out!!! There are a whole lot of hazards ahead that we would like to help you navigate around. We have learned through experience the traps ahead and can help you know how to avoid them!
Adding personalized vocab
It’s great to add personalized vocab to your communication app. In fact it’s essential so it has the words in it that your student/child wants to use to talk about thing that are important and meaningful to them. There is nothing worse than seeing a client who has had their device for over a year and no new words have been added... no names of classmates, favourite toys or places in their city they love to visit.
So vocab needs to be added but it needs to be added in a structured and systematic way so it makes sense to your child/student where they need to go to find those words.
Suggestion...
Make a list of personalized vocab that needs to be added. These headings may be useful so you can ensure it is organised in the right place
- People...family/friends/pets/classmates/support adults/therapists/caregivers
- Favourite places...school/shops/parks/playgrounds/cafes/restaurants/nanny’s house
- Favourite activities/things to play with
- Favourite foods and drinks
- School and home activities that happen regularly on a daily basis
- Personal sayings/language e.g. “out the gate”, “choice”, “that’s lit!”, “stink”
Some of this vocab will already be in your device and some may needed adding or changing the name e.g. you might do jump jam every day but the word gym class is there
Suggestion...
One or two people in the team are allocated to be the vocab adders
All team members keep a list of words that need adding and allocate 1 or 2 people who are in charge/responsible for adding vocab on a weekly basis.
If a word is missing team members add it to a list or notebook and then allocated person uses list to add those words. The advantages of this are that one person is then overseeing the structure and place of added words so it is thought about and systematic rather than new words being added in random places by everyone. The person who is adding the words has a quiet space to think about the structure rather than adding words quickly on the fly. They are likely to remember to re set guided access and the password to protect the editing at the end which often gets forgotten if it’s done on the fly. They can choose to do a backup if they have added a lot of vocab (see next point) and they can check that all needed vocab is in the system.
NB. Make sure you spend time showing and modelling new words that have been added to your child/student.
The list is a good way of knowing what has been added and you can go through it with your student/child regularly to review all new added words.
E.g. ‘’we added the horse you are riding this term at RDA...his name is Beauty...do you remember where we put his name...it was under groups/animals...let’s see if we can find it”
At the beginning of the new school year and when you first get your device there will be lots of words to add but once you have done that you should have to add less and less.
Transitioning at the end of the school year
This is so important and where so many times it all falls over!
At the end of the school year when your student/child is transitioning to a new class or school, have a practical transition meeting around their communication.
Make sure the new team have some training around the device. Get the old team to show them how it works and how to use it. Take some videos of the child using it so the new team get the idea. So much of the school year can be lost if the new team are not on board from day 1.
Identify in writing who is going to be the new vocab adder/backer upper for this year and make sure everyone knows the system for collecting words that need to be added.
Guided Access
Use guided access to stop your student getting into settings and creating havoc!
Guided access is a MUST if you have students who like to tutu! They shouldn’t be using their communication device for anything else other than communicating! No games, learning apps, YouTube clips! It’s their voice and they need to have access to allow them to communicate all the time. Guided access helps with this.
If the child has the device it should always be in guided access mode.
Watch this YouTube clip to show you how to set and then go in and out of guided access.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3U01XmdOSU NB: If the device goes totally flat it will NOT be in guided access after it starts up again after being charged. You will need to turn guided access back on before you give the device back to the student.
Write yourself a reminder note beside the charger so you triple click as you unplug from the charger.
NB: Sometimes the volume buttons don’t work in guided access.
Check you have enabled them from the guided access screen
 |  |
Password protecting your user area from being edited or deleted
Use password protection to stop your student deleting their user area or doing their own editing! In many apps one swipe can see hours of your work disappear? L
See instructions for how to set your password protection here. Each app is different.
TouchChat
https://touchchatapp.com/support/articles/programming/turn-8220allow-editing8221-on-or-off
Proloquo2go
https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/protect-share/hide-show-edit-options
LAMP
https://aacapps.com/support/video/setting-and-using-a-menu-passcode#title
NB: Don’t forget to re set the password if you have switched it off to do some editing!
Backing up your user area
Added a whole heap of your own vocab and images? Spent a lot of valuable time doing this? At some stage it is highly likely disaster will occur! Assume it will! The device may break, get lost, get thrown out a car window, get hosed down with the garden hose, the entire app deleted, the user file deleted, the user file get set to Italian...we have seen it all J
Please back up your user area if you have spent any time at all editing it. That way it’s a 5 minute job to re install the app and/or the user file rather than hours re adding all that lovely personalized vocab again.
Make it a general practise that you back up at the end of every term or any time you have spent a bit of time adding new stuff e.g. at the start of the school year when there are new kids in the class and new teachers.
Possible Ways to back up your user areas
- Via iTunes and then onto a memory stick or computer (You need to download iTunes onto a computer but don’t need to have an account or be online)
- Via Dropbox (you need a dropbox account and to be ‘online’ through a WiFi or data connection to back up to dropbox)
Touch chat
https://touchchatapp.com/suppo...
Proloquo2Go
https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/protect-share/automatic-backup-dropbox-google
LAMP
https://aacapps.com/support/faq/how-do-i-back-up-and-restore-my-ipad
You can also do this via Dropbox. This is a quick way of backing up but will require you as a team to make your own Dropbox account to sync it to. If you have any trouble ask your school IT team for support.
TouchChat
Proloquo2Go
LAMP
https://aacapps.com/support/reference/how-do-i-make-a-backup-of-my-wfl-vocabulary-file
Created by Polly Thomas, June 2019.
To download this Tip of the Month as a PDF, please click here
Good Practise around iPad Communication Apps - (Touch Chat, Proloquo2go, LAMP)
This quick guide outlines some good practise and practical advice around using and protection of your communication app.
It covers...
- Adding personalized vocab
- Transitioning at the end of the school year
- Password protecting your editing
- Guided access
- Backing up your user area
So...you have an iPad with a communication app on it to support your child/student’s communication skills.
| | | |
That’s great and you will be able to really start making some progress with communication BUT watch out!!! There are a whole lot of hazards ahead that we would like to help you navigate around. We have learned through experience the traps ahead and can help you know how to avoid them!
Adding personalized vocab
It’s great to add personalized vocab to your communication app. In fact it’s essential so it has the words in it that your student/child wants to use to talk about thing that are important and meaningful to them. There is nothing worse than seeing a client who has had their device for over a year and no new words have been added... no names of classmates, favourite toys or places in their city they love to visit.
So vocab needs to be added but it needs to be added in a structured and systematic way so it makes sense to your child/student where they need to go to find those words.
Suggestion...
Make a list of personalized vocab that needs to be added. These headings may be useful so you can ensure it is organised in the right place
- People...family/friends/pets/classmates/support adults/therapists/caregivers
- Favourite places...school/shops/parks/playgrounds/cafes/restaurants/nanny’s house
- Favourite activities/things to play with
- Favourite foods and drinks
- School and home activities that happen regularly on a daily basis
- Personal sayings/language e.g. “out the gate”, “choice”, “that’s lit!”, “stink”
Some of this vocab will already be in your device and some may needed adding or changing the name e.g. you might do jump jam every day but the word gym class is there
Suggestion...
One or two people in the team are allocated to be the vocab adders
All team members keep a list of words that need adding and allocate 1 or 2 people who are in charge/responsible for adding vocab on a weekly basis.
If a word is missing team members add it to a list or notebook and then allocated person uses list to add those words. The advantages of this are that one person is then overseeing the structure and place of added words so it is thought about and systematic rather than new words being added in random places by everyone. The person who is adding the words has a quiet space to think about the structure rather than adding words quickly on the fly. They are likely to remember to re set guided access and the password to protect the editing at the end which often gets forgotten if it’s done on the fly. They can choose to do a backup if they have added a lot of vocab (see next point) and they can check that all needed vocab is in the system.
NB. Make sure you spend time showing and modelling new words that have been added to your child/student.
The list is a good way of knowing what has been added and you can go through it with your student/child regularly to review all new added words.
E.g. ‘’we added the horse you are riding this term at RDA...his name is Beauty...do you remember where we put his name...it was under groups/animals...let’s see if we can find it”
At the beginning of the new school year and when you first get your device there will be lots of words to add but once you have done that you should have to add less and less.
Transitioning at the end of the school year
This is so important and where so many times it all falls over!
At the end of the school year when your student/child is transitioning to a new class or school, have a practical transition meeting around their communication.
Make sure the new team have some training around the device. Get the old team to show them how it works and how to use it. Take some videos of the child using it so the new team get the idea. So much of the school year can be lost if the new team are not on board from day 1.
Identify in writing who is going to be the new vocab adder/backer upper for this year and make sure everyone knows the system for collecting words that need to be added.
Guided Access
Use guided access to stop your student getting into settings and creating havoc!
Guided access is a MUST if you have students who like to tutu! They shouldn’t be using their communication device for anything else other than communicating! No games, learning apps, YouTube clips! It’s their voice and they need to have access to allow them to communicate all the time. Guided access helps with this.
If the child has the device it should always be in guided access mode.
Watch this YouTube clip to show you how to set and then go in and out of guided access.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3U01XmdOSU NB: If the device goes totally flat it will NOT be in guided access after it starts up again after being charged. You will need to turn guided access back on before you give the device back to the student.
Write yourself a reminder note beside the charger so you triple click as you unplug from the charger.
NB: Sometimes the volume buttons don’t work in guided access.
Check you have enabled them from the guided access screen
| |
Password protecting your user area from being edited or deleted
Use password protection to stop your student deleting their user area or doing their own editing! In many apps one swipe can see hours of your work disappear? L
See instructions for how to set your password protection here. Each app is different.
TouchChat
https://touchchatapp.com/support/articles/programming/turn-8220allow-editing8221-on-or-off
Proloquo2go
https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/protect-share/hide-show-edit-options
LAMP
https://aacapps.com/support/video/setting-and-using-a-menu-passcode#title
NB: Don’t forget to re set the password if you have switched it off to do some editing!
Backing up your user area
Added a whole heap of your own vocab and images? Spent a lot of valuable time doing this? At some stage it is highly likely disaster will occur! Assume it will! The device may break, get lost, get thrown out a car window, get hosed down with the garden hose, the entire app deleted, the user file deleted, the user file get set to Italian...we have seen it all J
Please back up your user area if you have spent any time at all editing it. That way it’s a 5 minute job to re install the app and/or the user file rather than hours re adding all that lovely personalized vocab again.
Make it a general practise that you back up at the end of every term or any time you have spent a bit of time adding new stuff e.g. at the start of the school year when there are new kids in the class and new teachers.
Possible Ways to back up your user areas
- Via iTunes and then onto a memory stick or computer (You need to download iTunes onto a computer but don’t need to have an account or be online)
- Via Dropbox (you need a dropbox account and to be ‘online’ through a WiFi or data connection to back up to dropbox)
Touch chat
https://touchchatapp.com/suppo...
Proloquo2Go
https://www.assistiveware.com/support/proloquo2go/protect-share/automatic-backup-dropbox-google
LAMP
https://aacapps.com/support/faq/how-do-i-back-up-and-restore-my-ipad
You can also do this via Dropbox. This is a quick way of backing up but will require you as a team to make your own Dropbox account to sync it to. If you have any trouble ask your school IT team for support.
TouchChat
Proloquo2Go
LAMP
https://aacapps.com/support/reference/how-do-i-make-a-backup-of-my-wfl-vocabulary-file
Created by Polly Thomas, June 2019.
To download this Tip of the Month as a PDF, please click here