b-Calm Focus Group Results
We’re excited to share with you the excellent feedback we received during our recent focus group meeting.
First a bit of background information:
In the Fall of ‘08 b-Calm donated the use of a prototype AudioSedation device to a small elementary school in a nearby school district. We were prompted by comments from the parent of a young autistic boy that our AudioSedation sound tracks might be advantageous to ASD and ADHD individuals.
Immediately, our first evaluator saw excellent results. We included some of her comments in a previous post. With that feedback we launched a school district wide trail that saw b-Calm units go into 6 different elementary schools across the district.
Immediately we began to see very positive results. With both ADHD and ASD students, teachers were able to quicly and easily put b-Calm to work and see increased student performance and participation in school activities. The evaluation continues and we continue to receive very encouraging results. While not all students respond to AudioSedation, it’s simple application and broad appeal have made it a valuable tool.
Back to the focus group:
The focus group this past Tuesday was the chance for b-Calm designers to hear first hand the results of b-Calms use in the elementary education environment. Overwhelmingly, positive comments were received as well as suggestions for further features and options that would add to the effectiveness and ease of use. Instances where b-Calm was ineffective were addressed and discussed.
Key Focus Group Comments:
Teachers found substantive improvement in attention to individual work for a majority of students.
Work with ASD students showed improved participation and reductions in behavioral issues.
The hardware provide was effective and easy to use.
Students were not stigmatized for their use of b-Calm in general education classes.
The key challenge posed to b-Calm engineers was to continue to improve and diversify the AudioSedation tracks so that they could better address the specific needs of autistic students.
We’re thankful for the opportunity to work with these teachers and will look forward to the additional feedback they can provide. Be watching our User Reviews page for evaluation data as it becomes available!
b-Calm™ Focus Group
We have a meeting this coming Tuesday (1/20/09) with our Teacher Focus Group. We’re looking forward to hearing from all of the elementary teachers who have been using the b-Calm™ with various ADHD and/or ASD students. We’re excited to gather feedback from these teachers about the b-Calm™ and the effects they have seen it have with their students and in their classrooms as a whole. We hope to learn much from this feedback and begin to meet with others within the educational field as we move closer to our February 2009 launch date.
Comments from b-Calm Trials
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been conducting a number of trials with b-Calm by different users and settings. This has included both home and school and with a variety of ages. We’ve been THRILLED with the feedback so far, and I thought it would be a good time to share some comments we’ve received.
from http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/teachingjeremiah (a great blog on ASD)
“He seemed to do better with these tracks playing in the background. One afternoon, when we weren’t doing school, he was having a meltdown on the living room floor because he couldn’t be patient about going somewhere. I hit the play button on the CD player and just walked away. Ignoring Jerry’s meltdowns does not make them go away, as any Aspie parent can confess. Within minutes though, he calmed and stopped ranting and just layed on the floor in front of the CD player listening. Then he got up after a few minutes and went in his room to play with something else. The meltdown was over! I loved that. Needless to say, I have a CD for the van now too and have even downloaded the tracks onto Jerry’s Mp3 player for travel.”
Other Comments:
He loves using it when he is asked to write anything. While he is using it, his writing is actually legible, has meaning to it, and flows” – Special Education Teacher
These are just the tip of the iceberg! We’ll keep you posted as the R&D work continues toward the full launch of b-Calm. In the meantime, if you’d like to participate in our trial please send us an email!
Curtis Carroll
Product Development Engineer
b-Calm llc
Useful Sites
In recent research, We’ve come across a couple sites that really stand out. We thought it might be beneficial to pass them along.
Teaching Jeremiah -Great blog for Aspergers ideas and homeschooling support
b-Calm llc Launches New Website
24 Novermber 2008
Ankeny, IA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
b-Calm llc is proud to annouce the launch of their new website www.b-calmsound.com. This site will serve as the online home for b-Calm and AudioSedation products developed for a variety of applications, primarily those for individuals who live with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
ADD and ASD effect millions of individuals in the United States. These people are confronted with unique challenges especially when it comes to relaxation and concentration. AudioSedation provides a unique tool to help in these situations by reducing the perception of distracting noises and providing a relaxing escape to listen too such as waves on the beach or wind in the trees.
b-Calm llc is excited to continue research and product development in this area and www.b-calmsound.com will be an invaluable tool in reaching out to teachers and families who deal with ADD and ASD every day.
For more information call 515-289-0856 or visit www.b-calmsound.com
AudioSedation Coming Soon!
November 29, 2008 by admin
Filed under AudioSedation
We’re very excited with the upcoming launch of our new b-Calm™ line of products for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Many of us know of someone who struggles with one or both of these disorders. For these individuals it can be increasingly difficult to relax or concentrate in certain situations. Often, the cause of the problem is noise related. Voices, traffic, heating and A/C sounds can all be a source of distraction and discomfort.
b-Calm™ has developed a unique audio system to address this problem and improve the quality of life for those with ADD and ASD. Drawing on our experience of providing noise relief to fearful dental patients , we’ve developed a new line of AudioSedation™ tracks for ADD and ASD. Each audio track features unique noise masking signals that dramatically reduce the perception of disturbing noises. Instead, one can hear comforting sounds such as waves on the beach or wind blowing through the trees.
Currently, we are conducting testing with the b-Calm™ both in classroom and home environments, in order to put b-Calm™ to the test. So far the results have been very exciting. Both teachers and parents are telling us that the audio tracks have been very helpful, and noticeable improvements in academic performance and overall behavior have been observed.
We expect to fully launch the product in 4-6 weeks and will keep you all posted on our work in the mean time. Until then, if you are interested in participating as one of our evaluators, please contact me through this site.
-Curtis
Curtis Carroll
Product Development Engineer
b-Calm llc
