Transcript Assistive Technology for Little Ones

Assistive Technology
for
Little Ones
Cindy Cavanagh, CCC-SLP, ATP
Teresa Wyant, CCC-SLP, ATP
Mississippi Bend AEA
Bettendorf, IA
Here are some of the things
little ones learn in play:
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How to interact with the environment
How to have fun and entertain
How to make happy sounds while playing
How to communicate with family
How to move around
How big things are
How books work
How many things there are
What happens when I do THIS
What happens when I do THAT
How to make my fingers do this
Play is fun.
If play isn’t fun …
… it isn’t play.
Little ones play, not work.
Little ones learn from play.
If play is fun, little ones will:
• Want to do it for a long, long time.
• Want to do it again and again
• Learn while they are doing it
• Master skills and learn more the next
time they play with the same toy
• Be more likely to communicate
spontaneously
If play is not fun, little ones
will
• Shut down (listening, thinking,
talking, learning)
• Become agitated
• Anticipate the awfulness of the “playwork” when the materials are
presented again
• Find other ways to occupy/entertain
themselves
• Spend a lot of time unengaged
Enjoyable play is easy for
some little ones and harder for
others to find.
As educators and parents, it is
our job and our joy to make
the world an interesting and
enjoyable place to be for our
little ones.
Play and Toys go together!
Toys can be:
• Typical toys for age
• Toys from a different age used in a
more simple or more a more
complex way
• Typical toys adapted
• Specialized adaptive toys
Toys can be adapted to
provide:
• Access to the toy for little ones who
cannot access and enjoy the toy in
the typical way
• A new function or use for the toy
Sources for Adaptations and
Adapted toys:
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Local AEA or district (Early Access)
Local School district (3-5 preschools)
Lekotek [email protected]
Private therapy services (e.g. Easter
Seals; speech; physical therapy,
occupation therapy, etc.)
• Your own creativity
• References, instructions and activities
available at: www.ataccess.org
Where to buy adapted toys?
– Enabling Devices
www.enablingdevices.com
– TASH www.tash.com
– Adaptivation www.adaptivation.com
– AbleNet www.ablenetinc.com
– Mayer-Johnson www.mayerjohnson.com
– Crestwood
www.communicationaids.com
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How to adapt electrical toys:
• Power control units
– Battery
– Outlet
The Toys
Bubble Machine
• From: Enabling Devices
$143-$170
Dora the
Explorer
• From: Enabling Devices
$62.95
Big Vibrating Bug
• From: Integrations
$35.95
Nemo
• From: Enabling Devices
$49.95
Baby Biff Bear
• From: Enabling Devices
$35.95
Quack Quack
Ducky
• From: Enabling Devices
$29.95
Friendly Firefly
• From: Enabling Devices
$19.95
Dancing Lights
• From: Local
retailers (e.g.
Target)
$10-$15
Paint N Swirl
• From: Enabling Devices
$35.95
All-Turn-It
Spinner
• From: AbleNet
$93.00
Base Trainer
• From: Mayer-Johnson
$198.00
Dancing Flowers
• From: Kohl’s sale shelf
$5.00
Heart Lights
• From: Local stores
about $8-$10
BEFORE Valentine’s
day
Lamp Base
• From: Local retail
stores (e.g. Target)
$6.00
GirlBot - Infrared
• From: Toys R Us
$40.00
Tank - Infrared
• From: Toys R Us
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$40.00
BookWorm
• From: AbleNet
$239.00
Time to Sing CD
• From: various
Internet sites
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$16.98
Tickle Me Erine
• www.enablingdevices.
com
Polaroid Camera
• www.orcca.com
~ $100
Interactive
StoryBooks
• From:
www.mayerjohnson.com
$19.00 each
Switch Board
• From:
www.adaptivation.c
om
$125.00
Aquarium
• From: www.enablingdevices.com
$48.95
The Computer Toy
Computers
• Access Issues
– Vision
– Hearing
– Motor (keyboard and mouse)
– Positioning
– Attention
Computers
• Software considerations
– Age appropriate
– Attention
– High interest (movement, sound,
meaningful pictures and actions)
– Learning potential
– Recreational potential
– Opportunity for social interaction
Example of Computer
Access
• Single switch
• Two-switch
• Specialized keyboard
– IntelliKeys
– BigKeys
• Specialized mouse
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P&G TrackBall
P&G Joystick
Touch Window
Tracker
Examples of Computer
Software
• Cause-effect
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IntelliTools
SimTech
RJ Cooper
Judy Lynn
• Books
– BuildAbility
– Power Point
• Off-the-shelf preschool programs
• Shareware/Freeware (BlockCad)
Where to buy special
software?
• Judy Lynn Software
www.castle.net/~judylynn
• RJCooper www.rjcooper.com
• IntelliTools www.intellitools.com
• SimTech www.hsj.com
• SoftTouch www.funsoftware.com
• DonJohnston www.donjohnston.com
• Search freeware and shareware sites
Assistive Technology
for
Little Ones
Cindy Cavanagh, CCC-SLP, ATP
Teresa Wyant, CCC-SLP, ATP
Mississippi Bend AEA
Bettendorf, IA