Special Needs and Inclusive Library Services (SNAILS)

Infiniteach , the developer of accessibility apps for Chicago Children's Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and the Field Museum, has announced the (soft) launch of SensoryCPL, the Thomas Hughes Children’s Library app to support individuals with autism and their families! Co-founder and CEO  Katie Hench  said the goal in launching this free app ( iTunes | Play ) is to help families feel welcomed and supported anytime they visit the library. The app includes text and video social narratives, a customizable visual schedule, an emotions chart, and more. It can be used as a pre-visit planning tool or as a resource to help during a visit. If you have a few minutes, Katie would love to hear your feedback and ideas for the app as it continues to grow and change. Which features do you think are most helpful for families? What other features could we add to support families? What else do you offer at your library that individuals with autism really enjoy / appreciate? ...

The Deerfield Public Library hosted the August SNAILS meeting at their redesigned library. Tamara Kaldor from Chicago Play Pro was the featured guest speaker who shared information about using apps with children with disabilities. We also welcomed Paula Shapiro, Youth Services Librarian at the Deerfield Public Library , who shared what her library has done to serve children and tweens with special needs. Below is a recap of the meeting, but be sure to stay tuned for a forthcoming blog post highlighting in more detail Paula's innovative buddy program for tweens of all abilities. Using Apps with Children with Special Needs Tamara is a developmental therapist and advocate for people with disabilities at Chicago Play Pro. Her primary focus is working with children with special needs, but for the last several years, she has worked with librarians to help train and promote accessibility and inclusion in public libraries. As she explained during her presentation, "When I think ab...

SNAILS member Sarah Okner of Vernon Area Public Library invites you to the following program this August: Using iPads with Children with Special Needs (For Parents and Teachers) Monday, August 11, 2014, 7:00pm Vernon Area Public Library 300 Olde Half Day Road Lincolnshire, IL 60069 Explore multiple strategies for using iPads to enhance communication and relationships for children with special needs. This workshop - designed for parents, teachers, and caregivers - demonstrates early literacy apps as well as those that build play skills. There will be time for questions. This program is free and open to all adults, but registration is required. Register online , by telephone at 224-543-1486, or in person at any service desk in the library.

Sensory Storytime Presentations The fall meeting of SNAILS featured Sensory Storytime presentations by Renee Grassi of Glencoe Public Library and Sue Parsons of Plainfield Public Library. Renee and Sue covered: the what and why of Sensory Storytime three different models of Sensory Storytime what we can learn from offering Sensory Storytime Because Sensory Storytime is a relatively easy way to accommodate children with special needs at your library, we recorded the presentation for you! In addition to the main presentation, Sue demonstrated a mini Sensory Storytime including her welcome comments, the use of her little bird, Pájaro, songs, crafts, and games. A video of her demo will be included in Sue's upcoming post, so be sure to subscribe to the blog in order to receive an alert when it is posted! Sensory Storytime Ideas from the Group After the formal presentation and demonstration, we used the group sharing time to talk about our favorite Sensory Storyt...

Using iPads with children with special needs is a growing trend.   Although there isn’t conclusive research yet on the outcomes of using iPads with children with special needs, feedback from the field is mainly positive.   Teachers and librarians who are using apps with children with special needs report improvements in targeted skills.   In cases where the child’s skills didn’t improve, teachers felt that the child’s skills also hadn’t decreased.    Because children have such varying abilities, skills, needs, and behaviors, the effectiveness of iPad technology will also vary with each child.   Instruction and experiences should be individualized.   As you consider and/or implement iPad technology in your library collections and programs, here is some current discourse to consider: ·         The iPad can motivate children to practice a skill over and over again until they master it. ·     ...