	February 1998

Tickle Box

A New Electronic Reminder System

Duane Davis,
for Adaptive Learning Company

Tickle Box can help a broad range of individuals with disabilities at a very reasonable price. And now with E-Rate discounts Tickle Box can be used by schools for as little as $2 per month per prompter.

Tickle Box is a PC based multimedia tool designed to help individuals with developmental, cognitive, or behavioral disabilities improve their self-management skills and provide higher levels of independence and autonomy from adult supervision.

Tickle Box helps individuals follow through on daily tasks by providing reminders at the moment an activity needs to be done. It does this by automatically sending reminder messages from the home, school, or business computer to a telecomm carrier that then relays the message to a prompter device being carried by the recipient. Tickle Box also has an optional behavior reinforcement system that tracks and rewards target behaviors for younger users that need additional motivation to get the job done.

Tickle Box has many uses.

It could be used in school districts as classroom instructional technology for remedial training or as a longer-term accommodation. It can help teachers, teacher's aids, and para-professionals become more productive by reducing the amount of cueing they need to personally provide. It can be used by school nurses to administer medication schedules, cueing students at the appropriate time. Or, it can be provided to parents to help them provide more structure for their students.

In vocational programs, Tickle Box can be part of the transition plan for adolescents that are transitioning from school to vocational settings. Tickle Box can help them develop good job habits and routines that will increase their productivity and reduce dependency on job coaching.

Adults can use tickle Box as well. For example, teachers could use Tickle Box to remind themselves of IEP and 504 activities for each student in their classes and document compliance to the plans.

The cost of Tickle Box is very reasonable. The manufacturer has been able to take commercial-off-the-shelf pagers and turn them into prompters. This keeps our cost down. And, now with E-Rate, Tickle Box will cost schools even less.

The most costly part of Tickle Box is the on-going cost of the transmission service that relays the reminder message from the computer to the prompter device. This normally runs about $20 per month per prompter. Fortunately, schools can receive discounts between 20% and 90% on this service from the E-Rate program provided by the FCC. This means that some schools could use Tickle Box for as little as $2 per student per month... less than a dime a day.

Schools must apply for these discounts... and the FCC funds will be provided on a first come, first serve basis. So it's important that special education directors become aware of this as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, with the newness of Tickle Box, most schools are unaware that there is an assistive technology for their special needs program that can be funded under the FCC's E-Rate program.

Demonstration programs are available which have quite a bit of information about Tickle Box and the E-Rate funding. Inside the folder is a CD with a video introduction of Tickle Box, the actual Tickle Box software, plus a discussion of the E-Rate Program and links to informative web sites. Those who take a moment to load this CD on a Windows 95 computer and take a look at the "Inter" and the "School" button will get a good idea of why the product is so exciting.

Testimonials

The following testimonial letters were posted on our Parents Forum or Chadd Grant Forum located at http://www.ticklebox.com.

Posted by EVELYN GARZA on Parents Forum on Tuesday, 13 January 1998, at 8:35 p.m.

I am a mother of an 8 year-old ADHD boy. He is an intelligent, but disorganized child with a poor memory for homework or unfinished assignments.

Ticklebox has saved 3rd grade for him and helped me maintain some degree of sanity. We have used Ticklebox for several months and have had wonderful results using it as both a reminder and motivational system. We have implemented our own rewards that best suit our son's needs and desires.

He enjoys using the alpha-pager (prompter) at school and we have not had any problems from school or problems regarding disruption.

We were struggling daily trying to make sure his assignments were completed and the proper books and materials were brought home to do homework. It was extremely frustrating for all of us. We no longer have that problem because he gets a reminder at the end of the day. He enjoys printing the award at the end of the week and collecting his "reward" and i am more than happy to oblige.

Successful school, successful week. Happy teacher, happy child, happy mommy.

Posted by Candace Jacobs on Wednesday, 14 January 1998, at 9:21 p.m.

Hi Duane,

I just wanted to jot you a quick note to let you know how we feel about Tickle Box. Let me start by giving you and Donna a huge "Thank you!!!!" Tickle Box has been the perfect complement to the behavior management system we've been using at home and in school for the past 2 years. We've moved all of IIashim's target behaviors from the Token Economy Chart to Tickle Box in addition to other tasks he needs to complete. No more nagging, no more verbal reminders, and no more forgotten tasks!!!! He works hard to reach all goals set and enjoys being in control now.

We recently revised Ilashim's IEP and had the use of the word prompter added to ensure he would be able to use it in school for as long as needed. It is listed under "Appropriate classroom modifications" in the Assistive Devices category. The letter you provided for the schools was a great help in assuring them that the prompter would be used only as an assistive device.

Again, thank you both for such a wonderful concept.

Sincerely yours,

Candi

Posted by Barbara Day on Parents Forum on Monday, 12 January 1998, at 7:05 p.m.

Hi Mr. Davis,

I wanted to let you know how great things have been since my son has begun using the ticklebox pager (prompter) for school and home. He is a 13 yr old who doesn't like to be told what to do--even nice reminders---and also has severe ADHD.

At his last school he did not receive his noon medication 21 days--he had been forgetting to go and the school wasn't calling me to let me know he was forgetting to come to the clinic. He got many Ds that quarter!! The emphasis at school is that teens now need to be on their own--they now need to be responsible--no more breaks!! While we all think this is a great idea, things are different for ADHD kids--by definition. A pager (prompter) helps these kids remember to be responsible. Also the programming feature of Ticklebox lets the kid be in control--they gain self pride and respect--and things just go smoother.

The pager (prompter) even has helped my son remember about chores around home--he earns more allowance and is more motivated to do chores.

This is the best thing I have ever purchased for my son to help with his ADHD difficulties!!

Thanks for a great idea--I wish this had been available years ago--but I'm not complaining.

Sincerely,

Barb Day

Posted by Diane C. Mueller on Thursday, 15 January 1998, at 3:52 a.m.

Hiya All!!

When we first started using the Ticklebox Software, one of the first targets we addressed was the morning routine of both my children. I thought it was an easy way to start them off. They already knew the morning routine. It would show them how Ticklebox worked, without anything else seeming new. The only difference was at the end of the day. I would sit down with each child, and we would go through the checklist, together. Because we were just starting off, and because I wanted them to feel the accomplishment, this was an easy way for them to earn their points and rewards.

Initially, we found the software to be limiting, in the sense that it only allowed us to enter ten items into the list. So, I basically outlined their morning, and entered only those things that were the most important. This was okay. I even put certain parts of their routine together, as one entry. For example, when they went into the bathroom for me to give them their medications, I had them do most of the things, then, that took place in that room. These included brushing their teeth and combing their hair. Hence, the medication, brushing of teeth and combing of hair was one checkoff on the list. Excluding the medication, the brushing of teeth and hair combing used to be morning items that would get "easily forgotten". As much as I pushed breakfast every morning, it would be a matter of whether they had time, on their part. I tried to have them eat breakfast before their medication, due to the cutback in their appetites after taking them. But, due to the way our mornings usually went, I had to switch, and make sure that they were dressed and ready to walk out the door, first, then worry about whether they ate their breakfast. They do have a snack each morning, during class, so I just ensured that that snack was something nutritional.

As we started to use Ticklebox for other things throughout the day, I needed to figure out what to do with the checklist for their morning routine. So, I decided to actually print out the basic morning routine, for each child. Although times were on this printout, I made it clear to the kids that it was just a guideline, to keep them on track. So, if they got up late, or noticed themselves running behind, it couldn't be an excuse, "Well, I can't do that, because that time already went by." And, I also stressed, that the main purpose, is that they get each and every item done, late or not, before walking out of the door for the bus, or to the car on days I had to drive them.

Well, to my surprise, each morning they got up, they each came out to the desk and picked up their own list. They would follow it from start to end. At first, because of the uniqueness of it, I think they followed it like a game. It was something to follow, and complete, before a given time...like a race, in a certain sense, even though it was never put across to them in that light. To this day, they still get up and follow the list. But, I believe, that although the uniqueness of it has worn off, the reason why they have allowed themselves to consistently follow their list each morning, is because it "frees" up their busy minds. Things that I used to have to keep reminding them of, and nagging about, are now down in print, clear and concise. Though they know their morning routine, they are so easily distracted. And, due to loss of so much time, they would forget, or neglect, to do so many of the important things that they should have been doing. So, not only do they follow the list, but they are even rechecking to make sure everything is done, and that nothing has been forgotten. I think the reason why this works so well for them, is because it is like being given homework assignments. They use the homework assignment pad to write everything down...the list. When they get home, they usually have some idea of what they are supposed to be doing, but can't remember a lot of the details, so they need to keep checking back to their assignment pad...getting ready in the morning, and checking their list to make sure they do everything. Then, finishing all their assignments, and being able to go play...completing the tasks on the list, and leaving for the bus.

As far as incorporating this list into the rest of the Ticklebox program, we now put "morning routine" as one checkoff. It's all, or nothing, now. They know the routine, have been doing it for years, though not always successfully. And, because of the way they use the list as a guide, it takes away their excuses for not getting things done. It alleviates me from nagging, and gives them full responsibility for themselves. I will, on occasion, have to give them reminders to get back on task. Usually, just a simple, "Go back to following your list."

So, I guess we use Ticklebox as a progressive behavior management tool. We start off anything new with as much simplicity, as possible. As we see them progress, and accomplish the tasks or behaviors we are addressing, we add them to the list of things to be done for the day. It gives them confidence, knowing it is a reachable goal, and it motivates them to keep trying to accomplish it, so they can reap the daily and weekly rewards. As they become independent of needing reminding of certain tasks and behaviors, we will begin to remove those things from the list. Hopefully, they won't have setbacks, but if they do, then we can simply put those things back on the list, and give them more time and attention.

Two points I wanted to mention. One point was that I realized just how much they appreciate, and better handle, having things spelled out in plain and simple terms. And being as specific as possible with each and every item...that is where we found the software to be limited. But, we seemed to have managed a way around that. The other point being that with the right behavior modification techniques in place, it really shows our kids that they can accomplish those things they need to do. In turn, it makes them happier, gives them a higher self-esteem, and a better feeling of self-worth, as well as a good feeling of accomplishment. It also makes our relationships with them much stronger, and definitely more positive!!

Don't give up on your kids, or yourselves. They truly want to please, and really want to reach the place we want them to be, they just need help in finding the way that best fits them, and their learning style. Below is the list that my kids follow each morning. I just wanted to show how direct, and simple, things are put to them. (Also, I am prepared to vary the routine, when necessary, to avoid boredom).

Task Time Sent Complete
Wake up!! 7:00 AM n/a n/a
Use the bathroom 7:05 AM n/a n/a
Eat breakfast 7:10 AM n/a n/a
Check calendar/Letter day? 7:25 AM n/a n/a
Get dressed/Put clothes away 7:26 AM n/a n/a
Meds/Brush teeth/Comb hair 7:36 AM n/a n/a
Get snack/Lunch money 7:44 AM n/a n/a
Check backpack 7:50 AM n/a n/a
Jackets, etc. 7:55 AM n/a n/a
Get the bus!! 8:00 AM n/a n/a

As I said earlier, it's nothing new to them, but just the way it is presented to them is new. They have taken on a life of their own. I don't get frustrated in the morning. They remember everything. They even tell me when it's time for their meds, now!! Or, if they need lunch money, they remind me to give it to them. They even make sure their teeth are brushed, and their hair combed, without me ever saying a word!! I've even, on occasion, been able to stay in bed longer, while they went about their business!! Things run much more smoothly. And, we are all happier. But, you know what the best part is? Knowing that they feel it wasn't all that bad, and, seeing them leave the house in the morning with smiles on their faces!! Thanks Ticklebox!!

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