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Teaching COVID-Related Concepts to Students with Multiple Disabilities or Deafblindness

Tips on how to teach COVID-related concepts to students with multiple disabilities or Deafblindness using Google Slides and a video with Pictello.

and by Julie Lemman

It can be difficult for learners with multiple disabilities or Deafblindness to understand various COVID-related concepts, such as the importance of wearing masks, staying home, and washing hands frequently.  We have put together two different formats to present these concepts.  The first uses Google Slides, and the second is a social story about masks made with Pictello.

Google Slides:  Functional Science Activity about Masks

The following photos are excerpted from an adapted science lesson taught in a self-contained classroom of students with DeafBlindness and multiple disabilities. Please be aware that DeafBlindness is a spectrum of varying levels of dual hearing and vision loss, and the dual sensory loss is unique to each individual. This lesson was designed for students who have varying functional vision levels and have been able to visually access screens with adaptations and assistance from family members or interveners at home. 

One of our goals was for the students to see that EVERYONE wears a mask and for the students to see this specifically with people they know.

ASL sign for "science"
ASL sign for “science”
Masked people standing in the street.
All around, people are getting sick. We need to get food from the store.
Images of nose & mouth and mask with text
Cover nose and mouth.
Image of woman wearing mask in grocery store
Kim went to the store. Why? To buy food.
Woman wearing a mask.
LaJoy has a mask.
women with mask walking her dog
Sarah has a mask.
Interpreter wearing mask
Interpreters have masks too. With clear plastic!
Two images of empty school
School is empty.
Man signing
School is closed.

For more American Sign Language (ASL) resources check out Lifeprint.com.

Man signing
We stay home.
Photo of classroom crossed out
No classroom.
Student's face blocked out with photo of home and Zoom icon.
Photo of student (blacked out here) with “Home” and Zoom

Pictello Social Story:  We All Wear Masks

We made this story using Pictello, with staff members greeting each student and talking about different situations during which they wear masks.  The audio component is helpful for students who are blind or who have low vision.

Collage for COVID-related concepts

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