iPad Success

For those of you out there that have worked with or have a child that is nonverbal you understand the frustration of not being able to understand what the individual wants. I have worked with many kids over the years that are nonverbal, including my sister. I am working with a teenager who is using an iPad to communicate using the program Proloquo2go. This is a text/picture menu system with voice output. She has done very well with things like requesting food, yes/no, and a few other reinforcing items. Today while I was working with her, she said, "I want to go to Walmart" I told her we can't today. She said again, "I want to go to Walmart." I told her not today. She then went into an entirely different menu area in the iPad and said "Why not!" I was blown away. I had never gotten such a thought provoking question. I was so impressed. I know these kids that are nonverbal have so much to say but just don't have a way to express themselves. In the end I still couldn't take her to Walmart but I told her that when her mom came to pick her up we would ask if she could go to Walmart with mom.