"This
program has connected us with a dream we never thought would come true.
We had very high expectations for video conferencing with LCDC and all
of our expectations have been surpassed. It has connected us with a
world beyond our reach. Gains, growth and development have been great
for each child. We are seeing results from Miller Method strategies
that amazes us on a weekly basis!"
Connie Gale, Principal
"Video
Conferencing has been a wonderful educational tool for staff and
parents using the Miller Method. It provides immediate feedback and
allows us to tap into Dr. Miller’s years of experience working with
children with Autism."
Dr. Margaret Quell, Director
"The VCO
program has helped our son Adam enormously. Having the LCDC partner
directly interacting in our therapy session makes a world of difference
... he can see what Adam is doing and make suggestions as we are
working together."
Sherry Hoty, Parent
"Accessing
Dr. Miller's expertise through video conferencing has been extremely
valuable for the clients and the families that I work with in my
private practice. His experienced eyes continually gauge the
interacting components of the work: child, parents, therapist, goals,
procedures, activities and progress over time. Dr. Miller makes
suggestions while our activities are underway and gains immediate
feedback on the child and team interaction.
Dr.
Miller's cogent comments always convey respect for the work being done
and offer a vision of what needs to happen next. During each video
conference session, Dr. Miller readily shares specific strategies and
procedures designed to advance the child and team's progress. My own
growth as an interventionist has been accelerated by video conferencing
oversight from the Language and Cognitive Development Center.""
Sue Henry
LCDC is
currently using VCOs -- after the 4-day training program at the LCDC
Boston site -- to certify teachers and therapists in the Miller
Method™. Teachers and therapists-in-training learn to work with
children on LCDC's elevated structures, where to stand, how to
"narrate" what the child is doing, how to orient and engage the child,
to cope with tantrums, to elicit communication, and to teach reading
and writing and work with numbers.
VCO sessions
are organized in different ways: A teacher may request help with a
child's tantrum behavior or with the use of LCDC's Symbol Accentuation
Reading Program; an occupational therapist may seek consultation about
using the Elevated Square; a speech and language therapist may seek
consultation about using LCDC's Sign and Spoken Language Program; a
parent may want consultation to help generalize her child's new
language. At the end of a VCO session, the parent, teacher or clinician
reviews the session face to face with the LCDC consultant and helps
plan for the next session. At some sites, one session each month is
devoted to a group VCO session in which parents and therapists discuss
a child's status and help modify the program so that it is more likely
to advance a particular child's development.
Not all
systems are compatible with each other. For information about
compatible systems at dramatically reduced prices, contact Professor
Bruce Auerbach, parent of a special child, who has volunteered to help
other parents, schools and clinics get started with the Miller Method
via videoconferencing. Professor Auerbach can be reached at DrBruce@comcast.net or at his college (610) 970-4736.
ISDN Telephone Lines
Transmission Costs
Video Conference Oversight Costs
For Further Information:
LCDC’s mailing address is:
Language and Cognitive Development Center, Inc.
While the Center uses phone consultation supplemented by videotapes as
well as the internet chat room, by far the most effective modality for
distance consultation is the use of videoconferencing – known as
videoconferencing oversight (vco) -- with schools, clinics and families
concerned with children on the autism spectrum. In the following we
describe the videoconferencing oversight (vco) program in some detail.
Those interested in feedback about the Center’s Distance Consultation
at various sites, should contact Dr. Arnold Miller by e-mail ArnMill@aol.com.
What is LCDC’s Video Conferencing Oversight Program?
The Video Conferencing Oversight (VCO) Program provides direct support
to parents, teachers and clinicians who wish to implement LCDC's
cognitive-developmental systems approach, known as the Miller Method™,
in their home, school or clinic. The VCO links the LCDC consultant via
a video conferencing system to the remote site so that participants can
see and hear each other. The beauty of VCO is that it allows the LCDC
consultant to participate in the treatment or education of a
developmentally-delayed or disordered child and suggest more effective
interventions to parents, teachers or clinicians.
LCDC's Experience with Video Conferencing Oversights
Beginning
fifteen years ago with regular telephone conversations supplemented by
videotapes with schools and families remote from the Center, the
program evolved into video conferencing as the technology became
available. Today, LCDC has or has had VCO arrangements with over 20
schools, clinics and families in the USA and in Canada. Most of these
arrangements are for two, one-hour sessions per week. VCOs have proven
their value and been cost effective for school systems with growing
populations of developmentally disabled children and limited staff
resources.
All Saints School, Ontario, Canada
Broadmoor School
Mentor, Ohio
Vermillion, Ohio
Miller Method Therapist
London, Ontario, Canada
Establishing Video Conferencing with LCDC
To setup video conferencing there must be a video conferencing system
at the remote site that is compatible with the system used at LCDC.
Video conferencing systems may consist of a computer with a Pentium
chip and a special video conferencing card or a device called a codec
which does not require a computer and projects images through a
television monitor. At both sites there must be ISDN telephone lines
capable of transmitting and receiving both audio and visual signals set
up at both sites. A camera and microphone at the remote site transmits
audio and visual signals related to a therapy session through the ISDN
phone lines to LCDC. At LCDC a camera and microphone picks up the
consultant's image and voice and transmits it through computer or codec
to the remote site where it is transferred either to the computer
monitor or to a television monitor.
The
video conferencing system requires specially prepared ISDN phone lines
designed to transmit audio-visual information. These lines can be
installed by your local telephone company and are available in most
cities and towns. Professor Auerbach can guide you in this area as
well.
These
vary depending on the distance between the remote site and LCDC and the
number of ISDN lines involved. Contact your local telephone company to
determine transmission costs in your region.
Typical
VCO contracts are for two, one-hour sessions per week -- or an average
of 8 sessions per month for $2000 paid in advance of each month's
service. Transmission costs are not included in this fee and are paid
for by the remote site which initiates the call. LCDC also contracts
for four, one-hour sessions per month for $1000.
Interested
parties may contact Dr. Paul Callahan, at (800) 218-5232 or (617)
965-0045 to obtain more information about the VCO program or any of
LCDC’s other programs.
154 Wells Avenue, Suite 5
Newton, MA 02459