Tools of Our Trade

Discrete Trial Staff Members get help from many sources to enable them to more easily perform the duties of their job.

Many autistic children are non-verbal or have limited communication skills. So, one of the biggest challenges that D.T. staff members face is in trying to find ways to communicate with our autistic students. As visual learners, we have found that for our kids, a "picture" really is worth a thousand words.

From the mountains of paperwork to the hundreds of toys that we work with, these are some of the tools of our trade:

	PECS (Picture Exchange Communication)-We have literally hundreds of images to choose from. Foods, toys, activities, places and people, are just a few of our many categories. If we don't have it, we can make it.
Communication Books- Each student has their own communication book that has been personalized with the PECS that pertain to them. From the lunch table to the classroom they are an invaluable tool.
	Daily Schedules- When the students are ready, they are introduced to their daily schedules. Posted on the walls they provide each student with a visual picture of what they will be doing, step-by-step, throughout the day.
"On the go" Visual Aides: From the classroom to the playground to wherever a child's schedule takes him, D.T. staff members have a variety of portable communication tools to choose from.
	Our Tool Boxes: You can always tell when you see a D.T. Staff Member. They are the ones who carry their tools around in tote bags, duck bags, aprons, clip boards and wherever else they can put them. Come check us out!