Point To Pictures (PTP)/Scan To Pictures (STP) App Guide

     RJ Cooper here to tell you about my PTP/STP, for training 'early' Augmentative Communication skills, stimulating initiation of verbalizations, vocabulary building, matching, sequencing, and request compliance (quite a mouthful, eh?).  PTP covers a lot of ground, and I hope you use it to its fullest.  (I’ll use just “PTP” for the majority of this text, and specify “STP” when appropriate.)

     These instructions also cover a lot of ground and I hope you'll read them at least twice.  Of course, you could 'stumble' your way through PTP by just hacking, but 2 good reads of this text will really serve you well.

     PTP is for direct touching/pointing of the tablet screen.  STP is for switch(es), using a Bluetooth switch or interface (all such devices are capable of ‘typing’ the <space> to the tablet). STP can also use the entire surface of the tablet as a ‘giant switch’.  

     In STP, 2 switch Step-Scan can also be employed, where switch #2 (the <enter> key) acts as the ‘stepper’ and switch #1 (<space>) acts as ‘select’ (to get Step-Scan enabled, in the main editing area, tap the down-arrow next to Scan Speed until you see Step-Scan).

PTP'S ’START’ MENU
   When you want to start a learner, remember to tap the Start button NEXT to the learner you want to start.  Clicking on their actual name button allows you to change that learner's name. Recording the Learners’ names so the app/program can call them by name is very important, in my opinion.  Yet, I’m the only developer in all the years of AT/AAC to allow you to do this!  Computers have been able to do this since the late 1980’s, but still, I remain alone in my conviction.  Remember to put a smile on your face and speak the Learner’s name as if they were across the room; you’re voice should be ‘inviting’.

CREATING/EDITING YOUR LEARNERS’ CONTENT
     After you’ve tapped Choose Pictures and Edit Parameters for your Learner, you’ll see the main editing screen. The picture list with Labels is on the left. PTP is all about being able to create a group of pictures for a specific learner.  For 'earlier-functioning persons, at first you should always try to use pictures that are highly motivating for that learner. Eventually, you should include at least one non-desirable picture also, and observe if the learner is avoiding that one on purpose.  If all the pictures in a group are 'good', how will you know if he/she is discriminating between them?  That's why Tissue, Stop, and Lemon are here.  PTP keeps data for you and after a few days or week, the data should reflect the Learner’s avoidance of the ‘foil’.
     In bottom left, are the checkboxes in which you select whether you want the Label text along with the pic (or the text by itself!). You can select a checkbox for each individual picture/Label. 
     In the center of the screen, you’ll see a Play button which plays the Label sound of the selected Label on the left.  Below the Play button is the Record button which *wants* you to record the Label sound (which is just the Label, usually). 
     At the bottom, middle, is a large red button, Select Picture, Label & Consequence.  This is the most important button on this screen as this takes you to the area where *you* select the pictures/movies! More on that in a moment. But here are the remaining settings/parameters on this screen.

OK TO STOP CONSEQUENCE
     This allows you or the learner to stop the music (usually) of a Consequence; I generally leave this Unchecked. 

RELEASE REQUIRED
     When you click on this to turn it On/Off, it controls whether the learner will need to release their input device before PTP provides its feedback.  If On, the learner must press and release for any feedback.  If Off, just pressing down will start the feedback.

SCRAMBLE THE ORDER
     When this checkbox is checked, the pictures presented on the screen will not be in the order you set them up.  For example, if you have Tickle then Hug in the list, and Scramble is checked, the learner might be presented with Hug on the left and Tickle on the right.  If this checkbox is unchecked, the order of the pictures on the screen for the learner will be the same (left to right, top to bottom) as you set them up. This applies to all modes. Further, the order can be scrambled upon each Start of that Learner, or each time the choice screen is presented coming back from a Consequence.

# OF CELLS
     I use the term “cells” used in spreadsheets.  This is simply the # of pictures on the choice screen.

TIME/CYCLE BEFORE REPROMPT
     In direct select (ScanSpeed =0) mode, this parameter controls how long before PTP reprompts the learner.  In scan mode (ScanSpeed>0), this controls how many cycles through the complete list before PTP reprompts.

SCAN STYLE/SPEED (STP only)
       Setting this one down-arrow below 1 will set STP to 2 switch Step-Scan, meaning STP will be expecting switch #2 (<enter>) to ‘step’ through the choices and switch #1 (<space>) to ‘select’. If this setting is above 0, then STP will scan through choices, automatically, at the specified rate.

FULL-SCREEN SCAN (STP only)
       This controls whether each picture in the scan will occupy the entire screen at a time, for the Response Time duration, or all the pictures in that group will be put on the screen at once, with a scanning 'box'.  I like starting with Full-Screen enabled so as to offer little ambiguity.  Eventually, you should be able to disable Full-Screen so that the choice screen resembles a ‘real’ AAC app more closely, in a grid format.

AUDITORY SCAN (STP only)
       This tells STP whether to speak the labels for each picture/text-label as it scans.

SELECTING CONTENT FOR CELLS
     Clicking on the red Select button yields the area where you select the pictures or movies you want to appear on the choice screen. You tap the Cell you wish to change.  For all importing, you must give your picture a new Label representative of its content! In almost all cases, you will *not* want to use the Current Label, when queried.

CONSEQUENCE SOUNDS
     This is the sound/recording that will play after a selection when the picture/movie goes fullscreen.  Persons appropriate for this app generally do not know that selecting a picture will yield that actual ‘thing’ and need to be explicitly taught that relationship.  So your Consequence sound should announce or narrate the coming event.  For example, taking a picture of your door that leads outside, and labeling that “Outside,” I would suggest the Consequence sound of “Let’s go outside!” or “Time for a walk.”

IMPORT A VIDEO
     You should be able to import videos from your Camera Roll and your Videos app, and select a start and end point to play, and the picture that will appear in the choice screen.

TAKE A PHOTO
     If you have an iPad 2, for non-selfies, you will need to have your home button on the right; for selfies, home button on left.
     For all other iPads, all orientations should work.  You might have to experiment with selfies.

IMPORT PHOTO
     This button will show you your Camera roll.

SELECT A PTP MOVIE
     There are 20 built-in animations representing immediately reinforceable activities/items, in 2 categories: 1) Those that the sounds in the Movie are not re-recordable; 2) Those that are: Dance and Music.  For these 2, you can import or record music to play along with the animation.

PTP CONSEQUENCE SONGS
     This shows the built-in, as well as imported songs.

PTP PICTURE GALLERY
     This area contains built-in pictures as well as any you have previously imported. 

     Remember that anything you import and record keeps the recordings (both Label and Consequence) intact so changing a picture but keeping the Label will keep the old recordings.

A Discussion on impulsivity or Grabbiness

     When I have a learner that is too impulsive, doesn’t wait for the right time to select their choice, correction (“Wait, not yet”) generally doesn’t work.  Only experience works.  One good strategy is to employ mutual exclusivity, that is, the Consequence is something that must be done exclusively and doesn’t allow for making further attempts at selection during the Consequence.  A perfect example is Music. Most of the time, I 'chair-dance' with the Learner while the music is playing.  With my palms up and extending my hands toward the Learner as soon as the music starts, the Learner will take my hands (or at least try to, and I always make them successful, but always from underneath).  If you extend your hands towards someone with palms up, they instinctively take your hands; they reach out, usually, palms down. They might withdraw after a bit, but if you leave your hands there, 'dancing', they almost always come back to them.  If they withdraw, never take it personally.  Assume they will return at their own pace.  But once they curl their fingers downward, I curl mine upward to lock fingertips and I 'dance' their hands in ways advised by OT/PT. As soon as the music stops, I let go and move away a bit.  When they touch the screen/press their switch, I begin again.
     Another strategy I suggest is selective presentation, where I only make available the iPad/switch when it’s actually time to make a choice. I remove the switch from their reach, or I remove them from the switch (wheelchair or rolling chair) and then I do Consequence. Once the Consequence is finished, I roll them back up or put the switch back into position upon hearing PTP play the ‘didibeep” sound indicating it’s time to choose again.
A Discussion on “Switches”
     A “switch” is a simple on/off button or like device that can be positioned in such a way as to allow a Learner to easily be able to press it.  There are many switch types from “mechanical” to “electronic” (IR/eye blink, Pieso-electric, EMG, proximity, and more).  I’m not a fan of the ‘magic’ type, that is, the electronic types.  I like an unambiguous switch with a feel, click and visual clarity.  Magic switches have none of those requirements.  I carry 3 switches with me on my many assessments all year around all across the USA.  I carry my Bluetooth Super-Switch (BSS) which is 5” round and bright yellow.  I carry a smaller 2.5” red Gumball Switch and my Bluetooth Switch interface (BSI).  And I carry a small 1” yellow switch which I rarely use for hand closure or finger activation, along with my BSI.
     Positioning of the switch is critical.  Simply putting a switch down in front of someone’s hand is not optimal.  Using a stand, at the least, to get the switch onto at least a 45 degree angle, helps the Learner to avoid ‘laying’ on a switch.  That is, with a switch in such a position, it is not easy, physically, to leave one’s hand on a switch; the hand will, eventually, slide down and off.  Most times, I use one my my 4 positioning arms to get the switch into an ideal placement, where the Learner can easily get on and off of the switch.  In the case of a Learner that has much difficulty in using his/her hands, I use my Mini-Arm to get the switch near his/her cheek, with the Arm attached to the wheelchair behind the Learner’s shoulder, coming over the shoulder, and placing the switch near his/her cheek.  I do this a lot!
     Other times, I’ll use a lateral movement of his/her knee.  Or I might position the switch upside-down, using my appropriate Arm, and use the Learner’s lifting of his/her hand for activation.  With a good positioning Arm, just about anything is possible.  While on that subject, I’m not a believer in “gooseneck” or ‘flexible’ Arms; they always move.  I want the Arm to be fixed, but instantly re-positionable.