Since the moment Caleigh and I drove to the Apple store and bought her iPad, I've been trying to create a functional keyguard for Proloquo2Go. Caleigh needs a keyguard no questions asked.
There have been many prototypes as you can see. I'm not sure why I kept them all, but as of today the drawer has been cleaned out.
I'm not even really sure when "the one" came into use. Maybe a year or so ago. I get emails and comments all the time asking me where we got it. If we run into a therapist of any type they get all excited and ask me all about it. I've been told to patent it...yeah, in my spare time with all my spare moola. I wish. It's made of gluesticks. Hot glued together to form a grid. Just enough of a ledge that Caleigh can rest her hand on it. Just enough texture and form that she doesn't have to look to use it. We can easily pull it off and put it on again. It's been amazing.
When Caleigh started preschool, there were questions about the keyguard. What if it breaks? What if another kid destroys it? How would we get another one? My answer: "glue it back together." Ta-Da. Fixed. I can't tell you the number of times that I have glued it back together. That's the beauty.
So the team's hesitation got me thinking about keyguards again. I used to do a quick google search all the time, but once the glue stick keyguard was in place there really wasn't much reason to look. There were rumors of P2Go designing their own, but I never found anything. Our speech therapist told me about another family that ordered an acrylic keyguard online about the time we started getting questions from the school.
So I went online, found them here and ordered one. You can order different sizes, colors and get very custom if need be. I actually talked to someone at the company because we needed a little more specific alterations with the home button cutout. We had it in our mailbox in no time.
The keyguard is made to just lay on the screen. This wouldn't work for Caleigh because she would pull it off, and when it's vertical, gravity doesn't help out. So, I used Grammie's Cricket machine to cut a nice strip of transparency and I super-glued it to the edge of the keyguard. This plastic piece slides underneath the otterbox frame and holds it down. I will say that I think the keyguard is fragile. So if you have a rough kiddo or your prone to dropping, it may not last long. For us it's no biggie, Caleigh doesn't rough up her belongs.
So far so good. It's cleaner, more see through and definitely more official looking. The true test was with Caleigh. She says she likes it and she's doing really well using it. There was no transition period. Best $20 we've spent in a long time.
There have been many prototypes as you can see. I'm not sure why I kept them all, but as of today the drawer has been cleaned out.
I'm not even really sure when "the one" came into use. Maybe a year or so ago. I get emails and comments all the time asking me where we got it. If we run into a therapist of any type they get all excited and ask me all about it. I've been told to patent it...yeah, in my spare time with all my spare moola. I wish. It's made of gluesticks. Hot glued together to form a grid. Just enough of a ledge that Caleigh can rest her hand on it. Just enough texture and form that she doesn't have to look to use it. We can easily pull it off and put it on again. It's been amazing.
When Caleigh started preschool, there were questions about the keyguard. What if it breaks? What if another kid destroys it? How would we get another one? My answer: "glue it back together." Ta-Da. Fixed. I can't tell you the number of times that I have glued it back together. That's the beauty.
So the team's hesitation got me thinking about keyguards again. I used to do a quick google search all the time, but once the glue stick keyguard was in place there really wasn't much reason to look. There were rumors of P2Go designing their own, but I never found anything. Our speech therapist told me about another family that ordered an acrylic keyguard online about the time we started getting questions from the school.
So I went online, found them here and ordered one. You can order different sizes, colors and get very custom if need be. I actually talked to someone at the company because we needed a little more specific alterations with the home button cutout. We had it in our mailbox in no time.
The keyguard is made to just lay on the screen. This wouldn't work for Caleigh because she would pull it off, and when it's vertical, gravity doesn't help out. So, I used Grammie's Cricket machine to cut a nice strip of transparency and I super-glued it to the edge of the keyguard. This plastic piece slides underneath the otterbox frame and holds it down. I will say that I think the keyguard is fragile. So if you have a rough kiddo or your prone to dropping, it may not last long. For us it's no biggie, Caleigh doesn't rough up her belongs.
So far so good. It's cleaner, more see through and definitely more official looking. The true test was with Caleigh. She says she likes it and she's doing really well using it. There was no transition period. Best $20 we've spent in a long time.
11 comments:
Cool keyguard, Holly! Though the glue stick one definitely worked. Some people, including "experts", have no clue unless it is in a catalogue.
Thanks so much for posting this. We, too, have a box full of homemade guard that worked so-so because Emma loved to "pull" them apart. Mostly made of styrofoam, heavy plastic, vinyl, etc. I think we'll give this one a try. I like how you have some of the bottom options covered and only the home screen button cut out. That is what we would need. I'll have to contact them - appreciate the tip!
Very cool! Wonder if they'll come out with a layout for the sono flex. Has Caleigh tried that program yet? We'll have to test drive yours before we order. Bet it would help Wade since he makes choices with his head. Hmmm... Thanks!
This post has given me lots to think about...I'll now try to see if I can work out what sort of screen guard my dd needs, mainly to stop her doing stuff by accident. Thanks for sharing x
Thank you for posting this information and for this blog! I found you recently and an so happy you are sharing your story (and Caleigh's) with the world.
I just attended the Closing the Gap conference and there were a few vendors with grids there but they cost more than 20 bucks. Jeanne, SLP and AT specialist
In case its helpful to some parents here, a husband emailed me to explain he was experimenting with woolen gloves with fingertips cut off to minimize skin contact with the iPad. He was trying it with his wife who had had a stroke and was using Prooloquo2Go.
It might not be an ideal solution for a hot Texas, but might be welcomed in the colder states.
Steve Jobs would be pleased with all of this ingenuity, I'm sure.
Thanks for sharing this information. I'm just amazed by your determination and Caleigh's. Keep up the good parenting!
Tim Gort
timgort.com
Ok Holly MacGyver. :)
Love it.
Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so happy to know that our keyguard is making a difference for Caleigh! We are willing to look at any app that a keyguard would be helpful for. Our goal is to provide a quality product at a price that is affordable. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Regards, Jeannie. www.laseredpics.biz
Thank you for this post! After reading it I contacted this company and ordered one cut just like yours. I just got it yesterday and it is great! It's going to make a huge difference in Natalie's ability to use proloqu2go at school. Before she was always accidentally hitting the home button or unintentionally making the screen scroll when she was trying to make a choice. I would still love to know more about how you have the screen set up with what looks like the arrow (?) button to move to the next screen with more choices on it. If you do another post about communication soon or have time to e-mail me directly I would love to know. Thanks for all of your informative posts! I love reading about Caleigh's accomplishments.
Hi, I just noticed that you're using a case that doesn't provide amplification. Do you find that the volume is loud enough for communication in everyday noisy environments?
Thanks!
Ann (SLP & AT Specialist)
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