Communicator 5 Likes and Dislikes Needs Assessment Adapted from Pat Dowden, Ph.D., CCC-SLP (2002) A checklist can be helpful when searching for initial likes and dislikes for an individual with emerging communication skills. To use this list, interview familiar partners or conduct some trials with the items. Mark if a type is liked or disliked and then indicate specific preferences or non-preferences for items in the comments column. After each section, we have provided some ideas of page sets that exist in the Emerging User. In addition, you can write down ideas to adapt existing page sets or create a new page set that would be motivating for the individual during the evaluation/assessment. Auditory Auditory would include sounds you make (e.g., reading, singing) or sounds you cause (e.g., sounds from a pet, environmental sounds, etc.). Be careful about eliciting startle reflexes in individuals with significant sensory-motor impairments. Voices Music Toys Siblings, parents, friends; talking, reading a story, singing a song Favorite songs (recorded or sung by family members), favorite radio stations, favorite musical instruments, or songs/music styles not preferred Sounds associated with favorite toys and unpleasant toys Computer Animals Environmental Sound effects with computer games, positive and negative Favorite pet, favorite farm animal sounds or people imitative animals/sounds, or animals/sounds not preferred Vehicles, car or bicycle horns, crowds, voices, baby crying, doors slamming or environmental sounds not preferred Bubble Wrap, Farm Animal Book, Pick Items, Any of the Scenes, Any of the Music Page Sets, Play Together (requests singing), Videos Ideas to Adapt Page Sets (e.g., add sound to matching games, change sound or images)
Tactile This can mean feeling objects, pets or people as well as being touched (e.g,. head rub, foot rub, back scratch). Temperature Hot or cold on the skin Blowing Air Fan or hairdryer Textures Liquids, sand, beans, macaroni, dry oatmeal, popcorn, rice, jello, foam, soft clay, finger paints, pudding, oil, Silly String, lotion, bubbles, wet oatmeal, cotton, feathers, cotton towel, flannel cloth, fur, sheep skin, nylon fabric, wool, carpet square, sand paper, paint brush Rest Surfaces Floor, carpet, tile, bed, mat Vibrations Massager, tapping Stroking or massaging skin, combing hair, washing face, tickling, rough housing Bubble Wrap, Play Together (requests eating or bubbles) Ideas to Adapt Page Sets (e.g., bring in IR page set to turn a fan on/off, modify requests for preferred tactile item sound or images)
Visual This would include looking at objects (e.g., books, toys, television or movies), watching people do funny or ordinary things, etc. Again, be careful about eliciting startle reflexes from some individuals. Television Movies Computer Screen Lights Mirror Window (Looking Outside) Watching favorite show/s or favorite character/s, favorite advertisements or non-preferred Watching favorite show/s or favorite characters, exceptional advertisements for a movie Screen with moving colors and shapes, with characters that move (with or without sound) Spinning or blinking lights, Christmas lights, overhead lights turned on and off Looking at self, watching movement reflected, mirrors that distort Watching trees/shrubs/flowers in the breeze, animals moving (e.g., birds, butterflies, dragon flies) Bubbles Watching someone blowing bubbles, watching them land, popping them Moving toys Vehicles (with or without sound), mobile Fish With fish and with moving parts Animals Household pets, farm animals, jungle animals Faces Familiar or unfamiliar Any any to preferred images, characters, etc.)
Taste or Texture in the Mouth This includes eating or drinking various foods or tasting instead of consuming (e.g., ice chips, oral swab with flavor on it). Be careful about dietary and eating restrictions in some individuals. Temperature Hot or cold items Tastes Sweet, sour, salty, spicy Textures Solids versus liquids, soft versus crunchy Consider favorite foods as well as disliked foods in the following categories: Snacks Foods Vegetables Fruits Meat Dairy Drinks Play Together (requests eating), Pick Items (several food scenes) requests for preferred food or items)
Smells Think of preferred and non-preferred types of smells. Toiletry Products Perfume, after shave, shaving cream, mouthwash, toothpaste, detergent Strong Smelling Foods Bread, fish, banana, strawberry, coffee Environmental Smells Spices Garbage, cut grass, flowers Peppermint, onion, garlic, curry, vanilla, chili, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, honey Pick Items (several food scenes) requests for preferred items, images of preferred items) Kinesthetic This includes moving or being moved. Dancing Swinging Spinning Bouncing Play Together (requests let s move ) requests for preferred activities, videos with preferred actions)