Community Travel Program Level Two

Time, Money and Spatial Concepts

Last year, students were familiarized with the structure and routine of lessons. We stayed close to them, carefully guided their activities, and we built up their confidence and self-esteem. At level two, we begin to turn up the expectations. We increase the challenge. The lessons get harder, but the rewards are greater. We stop talking so much about independence and we start expecting independent behaviors.

The lessons that follow introduce many levels of abstraction. We talk not only about independence, but also about responsibility. We talk not just about knowing left from right, but we ask that students learn to use a compass and use cardinal directions. We teach them how to position their bodies to landmarks, to sequence, to give and receive (and follow) directions. We put a heavy emphasis on time management and on money management. We talk about the senses and how to control them. We do basic relaxation and centering techniques (body management). We ask that students understand what it means to selectively attend, to concentrate, and to describe. We end the year with a final examination for students who use power wheelchairs; a drivers test, part written exam and part actual driving over a route.

Outcome Objectives

The student will have the following experiences:

01. Be introduced to the relative cost of merchandize
02. Practice comparison shopping for relevant items
03. Practice orienteering (learning to use a compass)
04. Practice using the senses
05. Practice moving in defined spaces using landmarks, spatial concepts, left/right, and cardinal directions
06. Practice sequencing (following one, two, etc.) step directions
07. Practice giving and receiving directions
08. Practice describing objects, landmarks, surfaces
09. Practice being independent and responsible
10. Practice using the telephone and setting up lift bus appointments
11. Practice using a two way radio and a cell phone
The student will attain the following knowledge (be able to repeat to the teacher):

01. State what the years lessons are about
02. Review (know) basic facts about the program
03. Recognize a need to budget money for lunch and free time
04. Explain (review) what "money management" means
05. Explain (review) what "time management" means
06. Explain the relationship between independence and responsibility
07. Explain what selective attention is and how to do it
08. Explain what it means to concentrate (pay attention)
09. Explain how to call the lift bus
10. Explain how to use a two way radio and/or a cell phone
The student will demonstrate competence in the following:

01. Ride the Lift bus independently
02. Eat at a self-selected time
03. Eat lunch independently (with teammates)
04. Put away and get coats from the locker at an appropriate time with no prompting from the teacher
05. Get on the bus at the correct time independently
06. Window-shop independently
07. Follow one, two, and three step directions to locate objectives (using landmarks)
08. How to call the lift bus
09. How to use a two way radio and/or a cell phone
These are the lesson themes for level two:

Lesson One: Independence/dependence & responsibility/irresponsibility
Lesson Two: Visual Training
Lesson Three: Time Management
Lesson Four: Money Management, Budgeting
Lesson Five: Space Management: Orientation to Space
Lesson Six: Sequencing
Lesson Seven:Space Management; traveling routes; cell phone use
Lesson Eight: Smart Shopping
Lesson Nine: Final review/test; drivers test

Level Two Lesson Plans

At the beginning of the year especially, but also throughout the year, we review all the rules and expectations that were established last year. These include safety on the lift bus, wheelchair driving skills, locker use, restaurant behaviors, free time expectations, time, space, money and body management issues, etc. A good amount of redundancy is built into the community travel program. There is a great deal of verbal drilling, repetition, and practice. Because students in special education are more apt to be absent for medical reasons (appointments, surgeries, etc.) or school functions, this redundancy enables the student to keep up with classmates. Also, students in special education often require repetition to develop competence. We found with experience that this very structured and redundant approach works.

Lesson One: Independence/dependence & responsibility/irresponsibility

Outcomes for lesson one:

01. Learn the concepts: "responsible" and "irresponsible
02. Practice being responsible while driving a power cart (if appropriate)
03. Practice responsible time, money, and space management
01. Ride the lift bus independently to the mall
02. Put coats in locker; find a place to sit; problem solve:

What does it mean to be independent? Dependent?
What does it mean to be responsible? Irresponsible?

03. Today's lesson is about acting independently and responsibly. Give examples of behaviors that have already occurred:

A. On the bus: did you ride alone with no staff? (independence); Did you behave on the bus? (what would have been irresponsible?)
B. From the front doors to the lockers (the trip); Did you travel alone, or did the staff lead you or tell you how to get there? Did you behave on the way? (run over anyone, drive fast?)
C. At the lockers: did we take your coats off, put them away, put money in? Did you lose your money, leave coats on the floor? Did you help each other?
D. From lockers to the benches for problem solving: did we lead you or tell you how to get here? Did you get lost, stop for some candy, start a fight?

04. Demonstrate time and money management: Free time for ten minutes. Play one video game and spend no more than 50 cents:

A. Did you go and come back independently or did we take you?
B. Responsible with time: did you come back on time?
C. Did you handle your own money or did you get help from staff?
D. Did you spend more than 50 cents?
E. What are the consequences if you act irresponsibly on community travel?
05. Each team member takes a turn leading the group to a destination. The leader is in front; everybody else follows in a line.

A. Did you lead without being directed by an adult? Did you get where you were going?
B. Did you goof off, stop leading, waste time?
06. Each member asks for directions at the information booth and then follows those directions:

A. Did you ask for help or did we ask for you?
B. Were you polite?
C. Did you remember the directions?
D. Did you follow the directions?
07. Find the restaurant where you will eat; ask for a table, be seated, eat with teammates:

A. Did you eat alone or did we have to eat with you, did you order yourself, did you pay your own bill?
B. Did you talk loud or soft, did you spill anything, were you polite, did you use money management skills, did you order food that you could eat easily, were your face and hands clean when you left?
08. Free time until 1:15; get on the bus when it arrives:

A. Did we have to tell you that it was time to get coats and get on the bus or were you independent with time management?
B. Were you ready when the bus arrived? (did you have your coat, was it on, was your money put away, did you have your purchases?)
09. Lunch and free time

Meals during the second year begin in September at a sit down restaurant where students order from a waitress and receive help as needed. The restaurant used is Hudson's Cafe in Marshall Fields where the community travel program has been going for twenty years. The school system of Saginaw gave this restaurant our highest award of appreciation for the kind and attentive service our students receive from the Hudson's staff.

Last year ended with the students eating independently at a table separate from the teaching staff. We begin year two with students showing off their ability to eat together as a team, independently and responsibly.

In November, when the holiday season fills the mall with shoppers, we move out of Hudson's Cafe and allow the students to eat in the mall food court. For the rest of the lessons after November, students always eat in the new location. Here are the rules that they must follow when using the food court:

A. Students may eat at the restaurant of their choice; they do not all have to select the same location
B. Students are responsible for handling their own money and for doing their own ordering
C. Students must order their food "to go" so that they aren't given a tray to balance as they drive wheelchairs across the room
D. The team must eat together at the same table
E. Students must wait for teammates to arrive before eating
F. Students may go to the bathroom at anytime, but must let the teaching staff know
G. Students must clean the table after lunch
H. Students must check in with the staff before going to free time
I. Bonding time is after lunch if necessary
During the second year of lessons, we introduce two way radios (walkie talkies). These are sometimes used for specific lessons, but most often they are issued to students for use during free time. Here are the rules and behaviors associated with the communication radios (and or with cell phones):

A. Learn how to turn on the radio
B. Talk with the radio about a foot from the face. Students should be able to see the "on" light when they talk
C. Do not talk when others are using the radios; wait your turn
D. When not in use, keep the radios in your pouch or in a safe location. Never put the radio down and leave it (like on a game in the arcade)
E. Use radio etiquette: identity yourself first; when done talking for a moment say "over;" when the conversation is over say "over and out"
F. Keep the radio on at all times; be alert in case the teachers call you
G. Call when you arrive at a location and when you leave a location. We must know where you are at all times.
10. At Millet:

Last year the staff took many of the pictures with the digital camera. This year, students are taught to use the camera and a student is assigned as the photographer for the day. At the end of the day, the pictures are placed on computer, printed out and added to student journals. Working on the journals is the main focus at the end of the day.

A. Take receipts to Sally
B. Return everything borrowed
C. Get your notes to take home
D. Go to the bathroom, cath, change as needed
E. Play in the gross motor room or gym if available
F. Make purchases if you have money left (pop, candy)
G. Learn to tie your shoes, zip and unzip, use snaps, etc (OT issues)
H. Read, color, listen to music, play with the marble machine
I. Get on the internet and surf
J. Center; relax
K. Review the route from therapy to the bus and back

Lesson Two: Visual Training: Using your Vision

Outcomes for lesson two:

01. Learn five senses
02. Learn/practice visual proprioception
03. Learn to study a face
01. Put coats away in the food court lockers, find a seat in the food court; problem solve

What did you learn during the last lesson? (Two-way radio rules, food court rules, independent vs. dependent, and responsible vs. irresponsible)

Name five senses

02. Proprioceptive awareness training

A. Where are your eyes? (on your legs? on the side of your head? Below your nose?)
B. How many eyes do you have? Cover one eye at a time. Can you control both eyes at once?
C. Can you see better with one eye rather than the other? Name your eyes
D. Can you move your eyes? Who controls your eyes? (Do I?)
E. Practice moving the eyes (cover one eye if necessary); Practice head turning first if necessary (more in an exercise/yoga fashion)
01. Up
02. Down
03. Straight ahead (forward)
04. Right
05. Left
06. Behind
07. Roll the eyes (demo up/right/down/left/up, etc)
08. Near
09. Far
F. Practice staring at another person's eye (get a fix) long enough to tell the eye color
G. Practice looking at a pen tip for one second, five seconds, etc.; demonstrate how hard it is to ""pay attention"
H. Learn eye skills:
A. Tracking: follow a pen tip in an H pattern
B. Scan (eye sequence) a mall map (first we look at one spot, then two, then three, etc.)
C. Convergence (look at your nose)
I. Describe a person using scanning (looking sequences: hair color, hair length, eye color, number of eyes, color of shirt, kind of pants; shoe type)
J. How do eyes move to read? (left to right, one word then the next); practice reading signs
03. Take a picture of a face (that is displaying an emotion)
A. Which eye will you use to look in the camera viewfinder?
B. Get the whole face in the picture frame and take the picture
C. Look at the picture and say what the emotion is (how do you scan a face for emotion? forehead; eye size; lips, etc)
04. How to study a store front
A. Look for a sign (where will it be, where to direct the eyes)
B. Look for doors (are there any; study the door- how will you look)
C. Look in a window
D. Look at something in the window
D. What color is the thing? Shape?
05. How to use the eyes while driving (where to put them)
A. Good drivers look far down the road, straight ahead
B. Good drivers do not stare off to the sides for any long length of time
C. Good drivers use their eyes to drive (they are not distracted by sounds)
D. Good drivers do not get too close to other vehicles or people
06. Eat lunch independently at the restaurant.

Lesson Three: Time Management

Outcomes for lesson three:

01. Learn the difference between an analog and a digital watch
02. Learn to measure how long things take using a watch
03. Learn the concept: "semi-independent lesson"
01. Put coats away (if appropriate); find a place to sit; problem solving:

What did you learn during the last lesson? (the five senses; how to use the eyes)

What three times do we need to be responsible about when on community travel lessons? (leaving the school, lunch, leaving the mall)

02. Look at an analog watch and observe time ticking by. Watch a second tick off, five seconds, etc. Examine and compare watches (analog, digital, talking)

03. Hold your breath for one second; five, ten, etc.

04. Is one second very long? one minute?

05. Split up and meet in a new place in 5 minutes

06. Go to Penney's. Travel to Sears. Measure how long it takes to get from one end of the mall to the other

07. Semi-independent lesson practice:

A. Learn the concept: "semi-independent lesson"
B. Meet at various places at specific times (5 to 15 minute intervals)
C. Use your eye skills to describe the location (look at three things: sign; door/opening; in a window)
D. Report back with the walkie talkies
08. Lunch and then free time

09.Use walkie talkies for free time or as is appropriate for the group. Do this for all the remaining lessons.

Lesson Four: Money Management, Budgeting

Outcomes for lesson four:

01. Learn about budgeting money
02. Learn what a $1.00 will buy ($3.00 and $5.00)
03. Review (identify and differentiate) coins and bills
04. Practice making change
01. Put coats in lockers, find a place to sit, problem solve:

What did you learn during the last lesson? (the three times you are responsible for, three kinds of watches, about semi-independent lessons)

You bring 5 dollar bills to the lesson. Your teacher says to budget your money so you have enough to eat, buy a toy, and play a video game. Review how to budget your money.

A. Use the calculator; put in the amount students brought
B. Use real dollars to demonstrate as well as the calculator
C. Give the students options and an example of budgeting (so much for lunch, arcade, to buy themselves something)
D. Each student says how they will budget their money
How do you keep your money from getting lost?

A. Keep it in a pouch (wallet, purse)
B. Don't play with your money; put it away until you need it
C. Don't take off your pouch or put down your wallet or purse (don't leave on the seat of the power cart or on a video game or on a bus seat)
D. Don't put other items in the pouch with the money (keep coins and bills separate)
Review the coins and bills (how do you look at a coin or bill with your eyes? corner of bills, color of coins, size of coins, etc):

A. Differentiate pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters
B. Differentiate bills, one, five, ten, twenty
C. Practice making change
02. Go to Kay Bee Toys. Find something that costs $1.00. Then go to the candle store, Disney store, and then the dollar store and do the same thing.

03. Go to the same four stores above and find items for $3.00

04. Repeat the above with $5.00 limit.

05. Travel to a restaurant in the food court. Students decide what they will eat for lunch. Use calculators to determine how much will be left for free time.
06. Eat lunch in the food court; free time after lunch.

Lesson Five: Space management; orientation to space

Outcomes for lesson five:

01. Learn the concept: "landmark"
02. Review the concept: "orientation check"
03. Differentiate the cardinal directions for left and right
04. Learn to use a compass
05. Introduction to positional concepts
06. Practice using left/right, cardinal directions, and positional concepts to give and to get directions
01. Put coats away; find a place to sit; problem solving:

What did you learn during the last lesson? (money management, how to budget)

Review: what is a landmark? (give examples, practice)

What are landmarks used for?

What kinds of messages might a landmark give us?

02. Discuss what an orientation check is and practice doing them
03. Show how what is on your left or right side changes every time your body moves
04. Go to the middle of the mall and use a compass to label the halls; label N/S/E/W as the cardinal numbers.
05. Demonstrate how N/S/E/W do not change when you move your body; compare with left and right.
06. Do orientation checks using cardinal directions
07. Discuss and practice using positional concepts (across from, next to, between, next to the last, at the end of the hall, second store on the left, etc.)
08. Each student follows directions (given by the teacher or another student) using landmarks, positional concepts, left/right, and cardinal directions.
09. Each student gives directions to another student using landmarks, positional concepts, left/right, and cardinal directions.
10. Eat independently in the food court

Lesson Six: Sequencing

Outcomes for lesson six:

01. Learn what it means to sequence
02. Learn to read a map by using eye sequences
03. Learn ADL skills using eye and hand sequences
01. Put coats away; find a place to sit; problem solving:

What did you learn during the last lesson? (about landmarks, what they are, when they are used, what messages they can convey, orientation checks, positional concepts, following and giving directions using landmarks and positional concepts)

Discuss what it means to sequence (counting and A,B,Cs).

A. What is the community travel daily sequence? (checklist , bus, lockers etc.)
B. What is the locker sequence?
Go to a mall map. Discuss the sequence for looking at the map (eye sequences)

A. First, decide how you will scan your eyes to do the study (in what sequence); have the students decide and then carry out their plan
B. Second, locate the center of the mall and scan to and from the center to the ends of the four hallways (look for the black lines/edges and scan along those)
C. Third, locate where you are on the map (look for the arrow and the words "you are here"
D. Look for a symbol list on the edges of the map (search with eyes over quadrants; upper/lower; right half/left half; upper right, lower right, etc.
E. Notice colors and how they might be used for understanding the map
F. Look at the numbers and follow along from one to the other (are they in a sequence?)
Use ADL skills to learn about sequencing:

A. What is the sequence for tying shoe laces in a bow?
B. How do the eyes show the hands where to go?
C. What is the sequence and eye skills needed for buttoning?
D. What is the sequence and eye skills needed for zipping?
07. Practice sequencing (as a team) time permitting:

A. Go the front door of the mall by Ruby Tuesdays; wait there 30 seconds
B. Travel to the middle of the mall; wait there one minute
C. Travel to JC Penney's; wait there two minutes
D. Travel to Marshall Fields, wait there one minute
E. Travel to Sears; wait there two minutes
F. Keep doing this until lunch time
G. Travel to the food court; wait one minute, review rules, eat lunch
04. Eat independently in the food court

Lesson Seven: Space management; traveling routes
Using the phone

Outcomes for lesson seven:

01. Learn the concept: "route" or "travel route"
02. Learn what to do if you get lost
03. Learn how to travel a route using landmarks
04. Learn how to use a cell phone
05. Practice using a cell phone to call for assistance (and to call STS)
01. Put coats away; find a place to sit; problem solving:

What did you learn during the last lesson? (how to sequence)

What is a route?

Why (how) do people get lost; what does it mean to be lost?

A. Haven't studied the space (never been there before.... you went somewhere you weren't ready to handle; nothing looks familiar)
B. You don't have any landmarks
C. The landmarks have no messages that you know (you can't remember the landmarks messages; you forgot to assign messages to the landmarks)
D. You don't know any routes
E. You left it up to someone else to keep track of where you were in space and now you can't find them
What strategies do you use if you do get lost?

A. Stop and assess the situation
B. Tell yourself "Do not panic" (excessive fear or anxiety blocks the ability to perceive clearly and to problem solve accurately; panic endangers.
C. Listen and look for familiar landmarks and clues. Take note of unfamiliar input.
D. If you hear or feel a familiar set of landmarks align your body to re-establish orientation
E. Rethink how far you traveled when you were sure of your location.
F. If you do not receive a familiar set of landmarks, search (move) in the immediate area to find familiar input.
G. Ask for assistance from appropriate adults (like who?).
H. Use your cell phone and call for assistance
02. The team plans a straight line (no turns) route (give some examples).

A. List the beginning location
B. List the end destination
C. List three landmarks along the route
D. Assign messages to the landmarks
03. The team plans a route with one turn (give some examples).

A. List the beginning location
B. List the end destination
C. List the landmark used to signal the turn in the route; what is its message?
D. Assign messages to the three landmarks along the route
04. Follow a route assigned by the teacher. When the destination is reached, call the teacher on a cell phone. Review how to use the cell phone first.

A. How will you use your eyes (search sequence) to studying the face of the cell phone?
B. Learn what each of the symbols on the phone mean
C. Learn how to punch in and send a number
D. Learn phone etiquette
A. Say hello before you start talking
B. Know what you are calling about, don't engage in unnecessary discussion
C. Speak clearly into the mouthpiece
D. Say goodbye when the conversation is over
05. Call the Millet Center. Pretend you are calling STS. What you should know about STS:

A. You have to call them a week before you intend to use the system
B. You have to verify that they got the order correct, call a day or two before the trip
C. They only have to wait for you for three minutes, after which they can leave
D. They will not give you an exact time for pickup, only a half hour range
E. They tend to run late in bad weather
F. You have to put the money in the fare box, the drivers are not supposed to handle cash
G. Drivers are supposed to lock down your wheelchair, but they might forget. It is your job to make sure you are locked down
H. They may have other people to pick up and drop off besides you
06. Eat lunch independently.

Wheelchair Driving Test

Outcomes for lesson eight:

01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
01. Put coats away, find a place to sit; Problem solving:

What did you learn during the last lesson? (how to travel routes using landmarks, how to use a cell phone)

What did you learn during the last lesson? (how to price something, how to comparison shop, how to window shop, your sizes)

Take the drivers training written test and drive over a route (if appropriate for the group)

Wheelchair Driving Test

Name: __________________________________
Time and Date: ___________________________________
Location: _________________________________________________________________

1. Should your power be on or off when you stop your wheelchair?

2. Should your power be on or off when you are on a bus lift?

3. Which side of the hallway should you drive on?

4. Should you fasten your seatbelt when you are in your chair?

5. Can you run into the cart in front of you?

6. What will happen if you drive poorly? (what will we make you do?)

7. If you have to turn around, should you back up, or go forward and then turn?

8. If you have no choice except to back up what should you do before backing?

9. How fast should you drive in a public place like a mall?

10. Can you pass the leader?

11. Where should your head and eyes be while you are driving?

12. What should you do if you see a child coming (or someone in a walker or stroller)?

13. When you come out of a store, should you stop and look both ways, or just drive out without looking?

14. Do you change your speed when you enter a store?

15. If you get out of your power cart what should you do with your key?

16. If you get out of your power cart where should you park it?

17. Should you leave items (walkie talkie, pouch, wallet, things you purchased) in your power cart when you walk into a store or restaurant?

18. Can you zig zag down a hallway or drive in tight circles over and over again (we call this "buzzing")?

The driving route includes the following:

01. A short straight ahead (and return) route. The examiner looks to see if the student is driving at a safe speed, is driving on the correct side of the hallway, is looking straight ahead, and makes safe decisions when faced with pedestrians.

02. Stop to discuss with the student what the next task will be. The examiner looks to see if the student has shut off their power.

03. The student is instructed to drive into a store and to the back of the store, turn around and drive out of the store and stop by the teacher. The examiner looks to see if the student turns their power down when entering the store, drives carefully down aisles, and looks both ways when leaving the store.

04. The instructor sets up a narrow passage (two chairs a few feet apart for example) and has the student back up through the opening and then drive forward out of it. The examiner is looking to see if the student carefully uses their eyes to guide movement as they backup.

Eat lunch independently.

Lesson Nine: Final Exam

Outcome for lesson nine: Review/test all major concepts for the past year (bring a compass and community travel lesson booklet)

01. Put coats away, find a place to sit; Problem solving:

02. What does it mean to be independent? Dependent? Give examples
03. What does it mean to be responsible? Irresponsible? Give examples

Drive to a store front, ask the students:

04. How do you use your eyes to study things? Study the store front using the eyes

Drive to Penneys. Ask the students:

05. What three times do we need to be responsible about when on community travel lessons? (leaving the school, lunch, leaving the mall)
06. What do we mean when we say "budget your money"? Give us an example how you might budget your money.

Drive to Marshall Fields, ask the students:

07. What is an orientation check? Do one for us.
08. What is route? How do you read a compass? Use a compass to demonstrate

Drive to Sears, ask the students:

09. How do you center yourself (body management) and why is it important?

10. Go to four stores you want to visit at free time. Find a landmark (description) for each store and come back and tell us what it is. When you are finished with this you have free time.

11. Lunch in the food court at 11:30 exactly (or whatever is appropriate).

12. Wrap up: Discuss next years lessons; look in the ctp booklet; discuss what an independent lesson is.

Below: Ebooks
IIBN Site Index - Teaching O&M to Blind Children - Teaching Students with Travel Disabilities - Wayfinding Technologies