The software is highly structured. Within that structure, the child can choose what words will go together to make a sentence.
The meaning in each statement is clearly illustrated by an animated picture. The child constructs sentences by clicking on the Meyer-Johnson Picture Communication Symbols. An option is also provided to display only the words so that the child constructs sentences from words.
You will get best results from students if you use it as part of a wider ongoing program to teach sentences. This involves classroom or therapy time using laminated symbols as manipulatives to build sentences.
When using a wider program, Picture Sentence Key can be used for reinforcement. When a student successfully builds a sentence with animated symbols, the student may be rewarded by allowing him/her to make the sentence on the computer. It is also good to reinforce the sentences with real objects. For example, when the student makes the sentence, "The boy is eating popcorn," you can give the boy popcorn to eat.
Most of the nouns in the program are food items which are easily found. Picture Sentence Key gives you the flexibility of showing a minimum of pictures: one person, one verb, and one noun, up to a maximum of four people, four verbs, and eight nouns. Start with a small number of pictures and add pictures as the student gains an understanding of the program.
Picture Sentence Key: Quiz Mode Picture
Sentence Key includes a Quiz Mode to aid in evaluating a student's progress. First a sentence is animated and optionally spoken. Then the student is expected to build the sentence corresponding to the animation. Any incorrect choices are ignored, but errors will be recorded in the data. When the student successfully completes the correct sentence, the animation will be shown again for reinforcement.
Accessible by mouse, joystick, touch monitor, single switch or IntelliKeys.