Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Paula's Place: Learning Lab and Software Training



The South Carolina Autism Society would like to announce the addition of Paula’s Place to their main office in West Columbia. Paula’s Place is a learning lab dedicated to individuals with autism of all ages, parents, educators, paraprofessionals, and therapists to learn how to use various software and how to create supports for school and home use.

Paula’s Place contains software for visual supports, behavioral and communication supports, social stories, and various software that can assist individuals with ASD with accessing assistive technology and assisting with the curriculum.  Software that will be available will be text-to-speech, word prediction, speech recognition, and Microsoft Accessibility Options (which assists with access to the computer).  Switch Access is also available for physical involved individuals that require assistance with accessing technology.

Please contact Delilah delilah@scautism.org (803)–750-6988 Ext. 108 if you are interested in using the lab or if you’re interested in individualize training as well as more information.  Paula’s Place will officially open on April 23, 2015 and will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week.  The lab will have early morning hours on Tuesdays, starting at 7:00 AM, for educators, therapists, or early risers and evening hours on Thursdays, until 8:00 PM.

Valeska Gioia, a Nationally Certified Autism Consultant and Nationally Certified Assistive Technology Practitioner (ATP) will be assisting and training individuals on the software and guiding them to create needed materials. 

This lab was created in Paula Devan’s memory, who was an individual with autism.  Paula worked at the South Carolina Autism Society for many years.  She was loved by all who knew her, and worked with her.  Paula was a remarkable, funny, and loving woman who is greatly missed.
                                To access the CDR Library: http://uscm.med.sc.edu/CDR/index.asp

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