As Program Manager for the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP), Rachell Johnson helps South Carolinians with disabilities live, work, and learn more independently. SCATP is a federally funded initiative that provides expertise, device loans, and training to schools and families across the state.  

Rachell’s perspective is shaped not only by her statewide role, but also by her time as AT lead for a 22-school district. She brings both a system-wide perspective and classroom-level insight to guide families, educators, and districts toward the right solutions to remove barriers. 

Most recently, she has shared how Clicker transformed writing opportunities for a self-contained elementary autism program. 

The one problem keeping students from writing

In her work across schools, Rachell saw a common struggle. Students were bogged down by the rules of writing and couldn’t yet experience it as a tool for expression and connection. 

“There are students who spend a lot of time with the mechanics of writing - maybe years and years - and they’re just not picking up on those mechanics. They’re kind of stuck there. I felt like several students were missing the opportunity to participate in writing altogether.” 

Students were spending time tracing letters or forming words without moving into real, meaningful writing. For some, the barrier was access. The students using eye-gaze communication devices needed a way to write that worked with their existing tools. 

How to move past the mechanics and into meaningful writing

Rachell hoped Clicker could be a viable solution for these students. 

“I was hoping that Clicker would be the thing to help us move past the mechanics and get into the heart and meaning of writing, so those kids don’t miss out.” 

Clicker offered exactly what she was looking for: dynamic entry points for every student, accessibility across devices, and pre-made supports like LearningGrids that made it easy to start right away. 

Why Clicker works 

Rachell found that Clicker’s flexibility made it possible to support every learner: 

“There’s something and a starting point for everybody. You might begin with a student just forming a sentence, and then they can progress. It’s dynamic, and I love that.” 

For students who rely on specialized tools, Clicker fits seamlessly into their existing systems: 

“I had some students who could only access technology through an eye gaze device. They used it to operate their communication system—so why not use the same tool for writing? And it worked perfectly.” 

The first time students saw their words on the wall 

One of the most powerful moments Rachell witnessed came in the self-contained autism program. Before Clicker, student work consisted of letter tracing. Students were performing writing but not truly participating in it. After the implementation of Clicker, she saw something brand new: 

“Once we implemented Clicker, we got true writing for the first time. And when I say those kids’ faces lit up, they really did. In the hallway, other teachers displayed student work, but these students had never had their writing displayed before. The first time their teacher printed and posted their Clicker writing was amazing. They were so excited, happy, and proud to see their words up there. I watched students go from forming a single sentence to writing full paragraphs independently, without another adult guiding their hand. It was incredible to see.” 

For schools considering Clicker, Rachell’s advice is simple: 

“If someone is thinking about implementing Clicker in your school or district, the first thing I’d say is: just go for it! You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are wonderful pre-made writing topics in LearningGrids, so you can really start using them on day one. Plus, the support from Crick Software is fantastic. You’re not doing this on your own. I would say, try it and see how your students’ writing can really grow.” 

Rachell’s final thought on Clicker: “I just love it so much. I wish more people would try it.” 

You can see for yourself, like Rachell did. Book a free Clicker discovery call.