Categories
Events News and Events

SCSU Creating Switch-Adapted Toys for Local School

Toys and switches on table from SCSU's Adaptive Toys Workshopby Lauren Tucker, Ed.D.

The graduate students in Southern Connecticut State University’s Assistive Technology Program participated in an adapted toy workshop this spring to learn how to increase the accessibility for many toys. Unfortunately, many switch-adapted toys are very expensive and have limited options. To learn the process of adapting and to give back to the community, the SCSU Special Education department purchased toys and the materials for graduate students to adapt several toys.

SCSU graduate students learned a solder-free method of toy adaptation using lever nuts.  They explored the essential components of toy adapting, wiring, and circuitry. After the toys were adapted by the SCSU students, they were donated to ACES Village School in North Haven.  As stated on their website, Village School provides collaborative educational, emotional, and physical services to children ages 3 to 14 years with a range of cognitive, physical, behavioral, language, and medical challenges.

Village School celebrates the diversity of their student population through innovative and individualized instruction. The teachers and speech pathologists were able to utilize the switch adapted toys in their classrooms for cause and effect activities, teaching motor skills, and recreation! The adapted toys included a spin art activity, a dancing pig, a dancing cactus and more! The SCSU Assistive Technology program is excited to continue their toy adapting workshop in the future semesters. Click here to view a video summary of the workshop class.

Categories
General News and Events

Using AT for Everyday Tasks

Written by Stacey B. Fulton, OTR/L, ATP, CAPS & Carlie Clayton, OTR/L

EASTCONN’s Assistive Technology Department teamed up with EASTCONN’s EXCELS program for an all-inclusive Thanksgiving activity! Our team included students, related services (OT/Speech) and a paraprofessional working together with assistive technology to make it possible to create a yummy Thanksgiving treat. In order to make pumpkin pie in a cup, two students were given a guided recipe book on an iPad with auditory and visual support to increase independence. Another student utilized a switch to activate a blender to crush graham crackers to make the “crust.” These tools enabled the students to make a delicious treat for themselves and their classmates with greater independence. The use of assistive technology can make for a more inclusive holiday and provide increased independence for people of all abilities!

https://www.facebook.com/wherelearningcomestolife/videos/1011585019698137/

Students working on individual recipes using their Assistive Technology   Student follows the recipe sequence one page at a time by listening to the directions read and following the visual steps.  Student uses a switch and Powerlink to turn the blender on to crush the Graham crackers.

 

Categories
AT Success Stories News and Events

Despite School Closures, Switch User Doesn’t Miss a Beat!

Written by Stacy Fulton, EASTCONN Assistive Technology Specialist, ATP, OTR/L, CAPS

When school buildings closed in mid-March due to COVID-19, I joined the ranks of Connecticut’s educators, therapists and AT providers who were forced to find creative, alternative ways to provide direct services. One of my biggest challenges was how to provide appropriate services for a student with significant physical and visual impairments who required assistive technology in order to participate in his educational programming. Because this young man would need to work from home, EASTCONN’s AT team decided to offer a crash course in technology to the student’s mother. She was excited and eager to learn how to use his extensive array of equipment; once it was delivered, we established a training schedule that suited her needs.

Every Monday, we presented one new “device” with our student’s mom. We shared videos to reinforce the technology set-ups and functions and taught her how to connect and use them. With this training she was able to support her son’s progress in communication, cognition, participation in virtual class meetings and leisure activities.

EASTCONN Training VideoThe devices that were presented include an access switch, iPad/talker with GoTalk Now for making choices through auditory scanning, Powerlink to participate in functional home activities, All-Turn-Spinner to increase his participation in virtual class meetings, Step-by-Step Communicator to share novel information during virtual class meetings, a laptop computer with switch access for accessing auditory books and switch websites, and a switch-adapted Uno Attack game for social interaction and leisure. The student’s mom quickly mastered each device and was able to utilize them at home with her son on a daily basis. Mom successfully

adapted to holding the switch for the student, since he was awaiting the arrival of a new switch mount. Mom happily shared his success with the devices at home by sending videos to our team. If you’d like to see how well this student used his assistive technology, click on the following link to view one of the videos (and see his priceless smile) while using the Powerlink to participate in a food-prep activity with his mom.

Click here to see Video on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cjghuber/videos/1127137150956057/.

Student helping mom using switch/Powerlink to activate the blenders