DESCRIBER: A title: "Soliz and Camila: Communication." On the beach, Camila sits on a blanket, moving her feet in the sand.
NARRATOR: Providing children with real-life experiences in the natural environment is essential to communication development. For the Magdelano family, being outside in nature allows Soliz and Camila to attach meaning to concepts that can seem so abstract to a child who is deaf-blind. After all, there is no better way to teach a child about camping than to actually go camping!
DESCRIBER: At the campsite, Soliz and Camila sit in their wheelchairs.
HEATHER JOY: Can you believe this, Camila? How beautiful! You get to look up at the trees. WowÉThereÕs our tent. All set up for the night.
NARRATOR: The family and school use the total communication method with the children, which includes speech, sign language, and picture symbols. Though Soliz and Camila do not yet speak or sign, they can respond to yes/no questionsÑSoliz by touching one of the hands of his communication partner, and Camila by moving her head to one side or the other.
DESCRIBER: In the living room of the familyÕs house, Soliz and CamilaÕs aunt, Amy, shows us two binders filled with picture symbol cards. Many of the cards have tactile elements, for example, a small bell attached to the ÒmusicÓ card.
AMY: These are the books weÕve made; one for Soliz and one for Camila. And theyÕre a modified pod. ThereÕs four categoriesÑeat, drink, go, play. And within each category weÕve made cards. So hereÕs eat, and then you flip it open, and then there are your choices. So for each category thatÕs how it goes. DrinkÑflip openÑchoices. We still need to put a go sign there. Here are the go choices. And we need a play, and play choices.
DESCRIBER: Soliz and his mom sit facing each other. She points to the communication book.
HEATHER JOY: Do you want to go? Do you want to go? ThereÕs a category Ògo.Ó Yes or no?
DESCRIBER: As she speaks, she signs yes with her right hand and no with her left. Soliz touches her right hand.
HEATHER JOY: Yes?
DESCRIBER: She removes the bathroom card from the book and holds it up. She signs as she speaks.
HEATHER JOY: Do you want to go potty? Yes or no? Potty? All right. See that? IÕm going to ask you one more time, okay? Just to be sure. Do you want to go potty? Yes or no? Yes. Okay, weÕre going to go potty.
NARRATOR: Soliz and Camila have predictable and consistent communication partners they can trust, who allow them Òwait timeÓ to process information that is coming in, assign meaning to it, and respond.
DESCRIBER: At an outdoor restaurant, Amy holds a juice box and a small bowl in front of Soliz, waiting for him to choose. Eventually he touches the juice box.
NARRATOR: The family honors multiple forms of communication from both children. Soliz and Camila use a combination of eye gaze, facial expression, body posturing, and touch to indicate their needs and interests. Underpinning all of their communication development is the feeling that they are safe and secure with their family.
DESCRIBER: At the campsite, Soliz sits in a wagon with his dog, Sammy, while his grandma sings to him using a monkey doll.