It's almost time to get back to school! If you are a teacher of a student with a multiple impairment including deafblindness or blindness, you need to read this!! Communication is at the very top of my priority list when it comes to being a teacher. Our kiddos need consistent opportunities for expressive and receptive communication. The second priority on my instruction list is creating defined spaces. Defined spaces allow our students to be anchored in space/environment/body and then sets the framework for anticipation. If you are unsure on how to use a calendar box system, read these articles: Let Me Check My Calendar by Robbie Blaha, Routines by Millie Smith (via TSBVI), Learning & Instruction for Calendar Box Systems (via NCDB) The student communication desk idea follows tactual symbols/calendar box system strategy and using a defines space. The students that use these desks that are pictures are those with multiple impairments or show Autistic like behaviors and have significant vision impairments. All of the students are non-verbal. The teacher has done a terrific job of implementing tactual/object symbols for instruction. She was stumped because using a traditional finished box was not working. We needed to find a solution that would help students establish that a concept/lesson/symbol was finished but wouldn't fly away (if thrown) and was unique enough that they could comprehend "finished". Solution: The object symbols (routine for the day) are laid out across on top. The blue or red felt area that is perpendicular is the finished area. Notice that it is a defined area that is unique. It is a clearly defined finished area. Students place finished symbols on the felt area. These two areas teach spatial awareness (across and top/bottom), literacy (left to right, reading symbols) and self determination (students make choices and can communicate based on the location of the symbols) and communication. The student communication desk also teaches compensatory skills including communication and reading their name by tactually identifying their desk (notice the symbol placed at the bottom right of the desk and on their chair). Their academic piece as well as any career ed/work for reward also follows a consistent communication system. Notice the discreet trial training boards (penny boards) that have each students' unique symbol. Note: We placed their boards and binders on the desk for the purpose of this picture. All of these items may be on the desk at one time depending on activity. It is important to note that each of these items have a specific and consistent placement for students. I can't reiterate enough that knowledge is key for using the communication desk idea. You must have knowledge of calendar box systems, creating tactual symbols and communication strategies. There are some terrific articles out there about incorporating, implementing and standardizing tactual symbols for students with vision impairments. Here is one that I really like from Paths to Literacy. The tactual symbols pictured were created from the APH Tactile Connections Kit. It's a quality kit that can be purchased on quota funds via APH. Make sure you have a quality hot glue gun and hook & loop (Velcro, too!). Always remember that symbols should be easy to replicate (always save extra fabric or duplicates of object). Symbols can be eaten, slobbered on and tossed in a heartbeat. I love this desk idea especially for our nonverbal students that do not use a complex communication system. You can build on these symbols and concepts. I love that this teacher uses consistency for the students. And yes, it does implement Expanded Core Curriculum objectives!!
A curriculum for multi-sensory impaired childrenfrom MSI Unit,Victoria School,Birmingham Heather Murdoch, Sally Gopsill, Annick McLinden, G...
I was hanging out one day in our school and I found some really old stuff like floppy disk and these diskette binder sheets. I looked at these sheets and inspiration struck!! I didn't have any disks hanging around but I did have some binders. I serve on our school augmentative assistive tech team. I love it because I learn so much collaborating with some brilliant minds. A colleague on my augmentative team taught me about using partner assisted scanning-PODD (check out the video about this later in this post). I have students that have severe multiple impairments that I want to engage using calendar box systems. They all have wonderful interveners. These students are at the basic level of using symbols. Most of my students in this situation have CVI. I think using the partner assisted scanning system is a great fit for several of them. I came up with this binder symbol idea to help prepare them to use the partner assisted scanning technique and to incorporate more language (using symbols) into daily routines. Enter the diskette binder sheets!! **The pictures are from a prototype trial. You could easily use a different color binder. White may not be the right color binder background** Here's the "how to": 1. Make symbols using pictures, real symbols or a combination of both. The real object symbols are helpful for basic level students because it allows the tactual feel to the picture. Consult your CVI matrix to help with progressing student to picture only. 2. I like arranging the pictures landscape. The pictures in this post are portrait because it was a better fit for the particular student. 3. Place velcro on the front of each pocket (this allows you place the symbol on the outside/front of the pocket). I would discourage your from keeping the pictures inside the pockets because it washes out the symbol. (See both above and below pictures). 4. The goal is to use the binder symbol system to train the student to look at choices and then to make them. They are placed at opposite corners on purpose. The opposite corners are to help with identifying a clear choice for students (if placed too close together, it could potentially be too difficult for the adult to interpret the choice). 5. Use blank disk sheets for instruction. As you can see from the pictures, it is visually confusing to place choices (in front) with the other symbols in the pockets (see example picture below). I included this picture to point out this confusion. Here are some examples of the real object symbols. The top picture is the student's Eagle Eyes symbols. We were lucky to get the actual wiring that is used. The bottom picture is for the weekly music therapy. The black background is an excellent visual choice for the symbols. Check out the partner assisted scanning technique. I have watched several YouTube videos on this and this is a great one for our students. If you watch other videos, you can see that this strategy can bring a lot of language to use. The students learn the system and can anticipate where the pictures are. The binder symbol system is a very basic way to pre-teach the skills needed to advance to the partner assisted scanning technique. Students may just keep working at the binder symbol system level as well.
June is Child Vision Awareness Month. Vision is a very important sense for all of us, but even more so for our AAC users. Those who nee...
Many of us work with learners who have significant visual difficulties along with another disability such as hearing loss, autism, or intellectual disabilities. Today, we look at the Communication …
A collection of 15 (mostly free!) apps perfect for kids who are blind or visually impaired. Listed in categories ranging from visual stimulation to communication and fine motor needs.
Use of eye gaze may be the only way to access AAC for students who are severely physically impaired, other than Partner Assisted Scanning. Eye Gaze responses are sometimes the only mode of communication for significantly disabled students who can't move any other part of their body. However, use of high tech eye gaze systems has a long and often fatiguing learning curve. Get your AAC users started with these low-tech eye gaze boards to provide practice with eye gaze and offer immediate access to communication. Use of low-tech eye gaze boards and Partner Assisted Scanning are often used before or in conjunction with these high tech systems. Watch my freee Partner Assisted Scanning video! Get your eye gaze users started with this is set of 6-location picture communication boards for eye gaze users. There are • 4 core word boards, plus • 1 for “something’s wrong,” a game topic board, a t.v. watching topic board, and a book reading topic board; a set of 9 core word boards making up the 36 universal core a set of 6 core word boards making up the 36 universal core 23 boards in all. • For students who are unable to reliably reach to touch/point, eye gaze responses may be the best way to access communication systems. Be among the first to learn when I post new resources: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Susan-Berkowitz For direct selectors, try my Core Words to Go and my set of Activity Based Communication Boards
Switch skills are a basic in classrooms for learners with multiple or significant disabilities. Switches give children (and adults) with limited motor skills the ability to control nearly anything. Unfortunately many teachers, paraprofessionals and others working with our students do not receive much training in teaching switch use. Some assume that the ability to hit a switch for cause and effect activities (make the toy walk or make the computer game change) is the ultimate goal, but that isn't true. A switch or switches are a means to an end. The switch is a tool for controlling other things - toys, games, appliances, computers, power wheelchairs and more. Teaching switch use is about moving from learning what the switch does to learning to use the switch to do things. Our goal should never be to "activate the switch 10 times in 30 minutes" or "in 8 out of 10 trials"; instead our goal is to complete a task, be it leisure, vocational, academic or something else using a switch or switches. Many of our students get "stuck" on cause and effect, not because they aren't capable of more, but because we don't know how to tell when they are ready for more or what to do next. Once a child can activate a switch and anticipates/attends to what the switch does they are ready for more. If you are not sure if they are anticipating or attending then make the, "least dangerous assumption" and presume competence and move on. Ian Bean has a great slide show you can look at called, "Beyond Cause and Effect." The free Switch Progression Road Map is also a must read. What do we do next? That depends. If the child is capable of using two switches then we introduce a second switch. This might be two switches at the hands or sides of the head; it might be one at the hand and one at the head; it might be two finger switches or one at the left elbow and one at the right knee... the possibilities are endless. Whatever two locations the child is able to activate deliberately and with control. The first learned switch site usually (but not always) becomes the "chooser", "selector" or "this one" switch. The new switch site becomes the "mover", "scanner" or "not this one" switch. Now the student begins work on two switch scanning. Don't worry if the student doesn't "get it" at first, it is a learning process! Moving beyond that single switch for cause and effect is a huge gift you are giving your student! Linda Burkhart has a great hand-out on moving from cause and effect to two switch scanning . See below for software and websites to use to work on two switch scanning. Here is a link to an animation of two switch scanning. What happens if the child is only able to activate a single switch? Well, no matter the location of the switch, we start to work on timing the switch hit. If the child can see and hear we start working with an auditory and visual scan with a long enough pause over each choice for the student to decide and activate the switch. If the child has vision or hearing difficulties we enhance the scan to accommodate for challenges, verbal prompts for a student who has vision issues, bright lights or colors that correspond with the scan for those with hearing problems, tactile cues such as vibration for students who are deafblind. You can see an animation of single switch scanning here. There are many companies which sell software for teaching switch use and there are two companies which sell subscriptions to online switch activities. Additionally there are now apps for iPad and Android to teach switch skills. Again it is advisable to avoid software or apps, especially expensive ones, which focus ONLY on cause and effect, the goal is to move students past this as soon as possible. (Note this list is of software that teaches switch use and is not inclusive of all switch accessible programs or apps.) Software: Judy Lynn Software Inclusive TLC Marblesoft Online Programs: A comparison of two online, subscription based switch programs. Apps: iPad: Judy Lynn Software Inclusive TLC Sensory App House
Sources for Materials Here are a list of sources for purchasing some of the specific materials shown on this website.Able Net Inc. - https://www.ablenetinc.com/ 1-800-322-0956Switches/computer/communication devices Achievement Products - http://www.achievement-products.com/ Products for children with special needs Adaptations by Adrian – 1-888-214-8372 www.adaptationsbyadrian.com Adapted clothes- ponchos and outerwear Benik Corporation – www.benik.com 1-800-442-8910 Benik Vests, elbow/hand splints Brookstone – www.brookstone.com 1-800-846-3000Hand-held massagers Materials MenuMaterialsAttractive ObjectsExample of Selecting Materials for a Position BoardIdeas from the FieldKinetic SandLoop
Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism
Many of us work with students who may benefit from using object schedules or objects for communication. However, making that decision and figuring out how to best use them is not always a simple matter. There is not nearly as much information out there about how to make object schedules or even decide what objects to use. So today I want to give you some examples. I will also talk about how I make the decision to try object schedules.
Tangible Object Symbols for Spring Weather Sun: I used a round tap light for $1 from the Dollar Store (you have to add 3 AAA batteries) with bright yellow foam (99c) cut outs in the shape of a Sun. I felt it would stand out better on a dark background so mounted it on thick back foam core. Child can push the sun on and off. If you have a battery interrupter, you could hook the Sun up to a switch and have the child turn it on and off that way. Pair with song Mr. Sun Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun Please shine down on me Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun Hiding behind a tree These little children are asking you To please come out so we can play with you Oh, Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun Please shine down on me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9NE-9ub7qU Rain: I found some grey rain cloud looking yarn on clearance at Michael's. I also used sparkly bright blue paper (99c a sheet) to make the rain drops. I would pair this with a rain stick and have the child listen to the sound. For another sensory idea, use a misting spray bottle to make it gently "rain" so the child can feel it. The Umbrella Song words Down come the rain drops SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH! (stamp feet on the splashes) Let’s run for cover, DASH, DASH, DASH! (run on the spot) Pitter patter, pitter patter, DRIP, DRIP, DROP! (clap hands in rhythm) I’m under my umbrella till the raindrops STOP! (put up pretend umbrella) http://www.letsplaykidsmusic.com/the-umbrella-song-rainy-day-songs/ Windy: For this I used a pinwheel, again easy find this time of year at the dollar store or craft stores for $1. If the child is able to blow on their own, have them blow to move the pinwheel. If they are unable to blow have a switch set up to a small fan and have them hit the switch (cause and effect). Attach ribbon to the fan to make is more visibly interesting. Put light things in front of the fan the children can blow and move by turning on the fan...leaves, bubbles? http://www.preschoolexpress.com/theme-station12/wind-march.shtml Cloudy: This I made with the black foam core and cotton balls, again from the dollar store. (most of us have them lying around the house) Have the children touch the clouds and talk about "soft". Cloud songs: http://preschoolexpress.com/music-station08/cloud-songs-rhymes-mar08.shtml
Implementation Active Learning is more than equipment or materials. It is an approach that can be used to implement instruction in general curriculum and expanded core curriculum, and also to support therapies such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, music therapy, and speech therapy. These ideas can also be used in the home or community.Some things
Tactile Electronic Communication Board (Aided AAC): Introduction The objective of this project was to create an interactive Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tactile board that a young man in our community, who is non-verbal, could use to express what he wants/needs by pressing the ass…
Updated 11/4/2012 Cause and Effect Apps Tap/Touch Anywhere BuzzBack Cause and Effect $0.99 - Cause and Effect for low vision, blind and deaf-blind individuals ***NEW*** Hippi 1 $2.99 - Six different cause and effect activities ***NEW*** Who's There? $0.99 - Cause and effect story app ***NEW*** Baby Finger HD Free - Touch any where for random image and sounds or letters or numbers ***NEW*** iBaby Buttons - Create buttons which show images and play sounds ***NEW*** Hidden Grid $2.99 - Lite Brite style app Let Loose Free -Throw things at a picture Baby Dazzler $0.99 - touch the screen to add stars and sound effects to the image Draw with Stars Free - touch to draw stars, touch again to make the shoot Fluidity HD Free - touch the screen to make the glowing fluid flow and move Koi Pond Free - interact with your pond and its creatures Kid Fireworks Free and Fireworks $1.99 - touch the screen to make fireworks explode Little Gems Visual Scene Free - you finger is gravity sending the glowing gems spinning Reactickles Magic Free - beautiful sensory based cause and effect Somantics Free - Touch, tilt and camera create a unique interactive sensory experience Color Ripple for Toddlers Free - create rainbow scene with bright colors all with a touch Tap and See Series $2.99 - apps designed for learners with CVI (Cortical Vision Impairment) to encourage looking, tracking and other visual skills Colorful Balloons Free- touch the screen an balloons are released Cause and Effect Sensory Light Box $1.99 - the name pretty much covers it Early Targeted Touch/Tap, Drag or Scroll Interactive Alphabet ABC $1.99 - Touch the letters on the screen to hear the letter, word and sound effect ***NEW*** Press Here $0.99 - A story book where things happen when you touch the dot ***NEW*** Peeping Musician $2.99 - touch a musician to make her play Rad Sounds $4.99 - touch to play music (switch accessible) Bubbles $0.99 - touch to pop bubbles or balloons Catch the Cow $2.99 - touch the cow to make something happen (switch accessible) Sounding Board Free - create communication boards using your pictures or included clip art (switch accessible) Hatch Free - touch the egg repeatedly and see what hatches Fish Fingers 3D Interactive Aquarium $0.99 - touch the water and fish come to your finger, tilt the screen and water splashes, interactive fish move when you do Baby Drums $2.99 - allows multi touch with scrolling and targeting - or not! Play lots of instruments. Refined Target Touch/Tap Aunty Maggie's Recipe $2.99 - Choose ingredients to make a secret potion (switch accessible) Picture Chase $2.99 - with your pictures and music as back ground chases of cats and butterflies, for example, ensue Picture Pusher $0.99 - learn how to target, drag and drop by putting images into a box, use your own pictures if you want Touch Trainer $4.99 - instructional activity to teach targeting Switch Accessible (using an iOS switch interface such as the APPlicator) Games Catch the Cow $2.99 - click the cow to make something happen AAC Sounding Board Free - create communication boards that scan using your pictures or included clip art Photo VOCA $37.99 - create communication boards that scan using photos PicBoard $7.99 and TalkBoard $17.99 - create communication boards using pictures in your albums Speak for Your Self LAT Kids Free - customizable AAC Companies Selling Multiple Switch Apps Apps from tBox Predictable $159.99 - for literate users an advanced text to speech system with scanning or direct select that includes social media integration Scene and Heard $49.99 - visual scene based display AAC created using "hot spots" Apps from Conley Company/TapSpeak TapSpeak Button $9.99 - record a message for play back, store each as long as you like TapSpeak Button Plus - $34.99 - same as above but includes symbol set Tap Speak Button Plus for iPad $34.99 - same as above but for iPad TapSpeak Sequence $19.99 - record and store sequential messages for playback TapSpeak Sequence Plus $34.99 - same as above but includes symbol set Tap Speak Choice for iPad $99.99 - create communication boards with 1-56 messages per page, text-to-speech and a full symbol library Apps From Alexicom Alexicom Elements Storymaker $9.99 - create switch accessible books Alexicom AAC Free - make communication boards Alexicom Elements (Child or Teen, Male or Female) $19.99 each - customizable communication page sets Alexicom Elements Core (Preschool, Child, Teen or Adults, Male or Female) core vocabulary based AAC Apps from Attainment Read to Learn $39.99 - 85 stories with graded comprehension checks. Incudes Life Skills Readers, Safety Skills Readers and Focus on Feelings Books Go Talk Now $79.99 - complete AAC app with scanning, symbols included Apps from RJ Cooper Rad Sounds $4.99 - click to play music Scan-A-Word $4.99 - spelling app with scanning switch support Scan-to-Pictures $4.99 - AAC training program Apps from MarbelSoft (prices vary) MarbleSoft Click To Read Book Series ($9.99 each) each book has a story tied to the common core and related questions, works with touch or a switch(es) titles include: "My Country", "A Leader Is", "I Can Help", and "Recycle It" (these work fantastic with the Unique Learning Program). Books use the SymbolStix Symbols. Koppy Kattz $19.99 - cause and effect through more advanced memory games for one or more players using switches or touch Scan and Match $19.99 - find the match using your switch(es) Switch Kids $9.99 (limited free version as well) - three kind of games include cause and effect, multiple choice cause and effect and sequential cause and effect Apps from Creative Communicating ($9.99 each) E-I-E-I-O Adapted Play Book Peanut Butter Adapted Play Book Inclusive series of apps (about $2.99 each - see page for ever expanding list)
Perfect for students with CVI (Cortical Visual Impairment) - this flipbook goes over the 10 Characteristics of CVI and gives you EDITABLE space to create your own "CVI Schedule" or "CVI Strategies" list, separated by characteristic. Use this to: *Think through the strategies you need to be using for your students with CVI *Better understand the 10 characteristics of CVI *Communicate the "why" and "how" of using these strategies *Keep staff and families on the same page *Customize in whatever way suits your needs best! *Add multiple tables per page to describe strategies for multiple students!!!* What IS editable: The cover page (add your student's name!), tables, strategy lists, and overall layout of most pages -EDITABLE via POWERPOINT What IS NOT editable: The title of each tab, the description of each characteristic Check out the preview video for more information
Mobiles Some children may benefit from use of an activity mobile. Although not as properly equipped as a Little Room, these perceptual aids provide an easy way to hang items so that a child can independently manipulate the objects with his/her hands, feet or mouth. There are many different kinds of mobiles that can be
Updated 11/09/2015 This is an update of the post listing online switch activities for learners with multiple or significant special needs. The activities listed are chosen because they can be used with switches, they are simple and they are enjoyable. The activities listed are free. Some activities may require set up by an assistant before switch use. Although care has been taken not to include switch activities with any violence or graphic images teachers and others still need to check activities for age and general appropriateness before use. Cause and Effect (and Press to Play): Cause and Effect Sensory Light Box Carbon Lehigh School District Fisher Price Infant Games* Help Kidz Learn* Hiyah* Ian Bean* (Downloads) Kneebouncers* Priory Woods Videos Revamped* Owlie Boo* (any of the activities under "Pressing Keys" with switch set to space bar or enter) Rock Paper Scissors Mother Goose Bugs Musical Monkey Transportation NGFL Switch User Activities SEN/Switcher* Sensory Stories (Downloads) Shiny Learning Silly Books (look for the "click through books" and set mouse arrow over "next") Special Bites* Build a Snowman Christmas Stocking Magic Discover What is in the Garden Humble Brussel Sprouts Penalty Shoot Out One Switch Wonder Roast the Turkey Rudolph Gets a Fright Rudolph Melts the Snowman Single Switch Scanning/Timed Single Switch Response (sites may include some cause and effect games as well): A Sliding Puzzle for Helen (download)* Bullseye CBBC (UK only) CBeebies (UK only) Cow Jumped Over the Moon Doorway Online Pelmanism (memory) Same or Different? Moving Targets ePlayground (four completely accessible games) Help Kidz Learn* Ian Bean* (Downloads) Learn about the Rainforest Mother Goose Jack Be Nimble My Switch Games by Scott McKay* NGfL Papunet* Priory Switch Juke Box Priory Woods Kids Only* Penalty Shoot Out (Soccer) 10 Fat Sausages African Sounds Bugz Farmyard Sounds Find Out About Shapes 5 Little Ducks 5 Little Speckled Frogs 5 Naughty Monkeys Tooting Reindeer Sarah Greenland Games SENICT Software SEN/Switcher* Shiny Learning * Blast the Pirate Ship Car Crusher Crazy Chicken Fireworks Fly Swatter Special Bites* Baseball Switch Game Baseball and Spikeys Baseball and Pumpkins Switch Recycle Sort Tar Heel Reader (online adapted ebooks) Tar Heel Typer (online switch keyboard) The Great Fish Race (download only) Whiteboard Room Resources Two Switches (unless otherwise noted you must click in the area of the game and then use tab and enter to play): Accessible Book Launcher* Bug Memory Fruit Memory Space Memory Sensory House (tab and enter)* Special Bites* Tar Heel Typer (online switch keyboard) Chrome Apps and Extensions Electra Just Touch Plazma iPad Apps Jane Farrell's List of Switch Accessible Apps Note: using the Puffin Browser app makes many switch accessible websites work on the iPad! Subscription Sites with Free Trials Busy Things is a switch accessible site for young children out of the UK. You can try it out for free for two weeks. Ginger Tiger is another switch accessible subscription based site. Help Kidz Learn Subscriptions are listed here. They DO take PO's. Also be sure to check out Game Base and One Switch for other (usually more advanced) switch games. *Those sites with a star have multiple activities to try out! Wednesday's With Sam lists these by activity instead of website if that is useful for you.
Many of us work with students who may benefit from using object schedules or objects for communication. However, making that decision and figuring out how to best use them is not always a simple matter. There is not nearly as much information out there about how to make object schedules or even decide what objects to use. So today I want to give you some examples. I will also talk about how I make the decision to try object schedules.
Explore our comprehensive collection of classroom resources, including classroom posters, engaging activities, classroom management techniques, and more. Enhance your teaching and inspire your students with these valuable insights.
Five Phases of Educational Treatment Interacting with the LearnerIt is imperative that all individuals with multiple special needs be given the opportunity to participate in educational programming that meets the learner's developmental needs. In her book Are You Blind? Dr. Nielsen describes how some children with multiple special needs exhibit severe anxiety or behavioral challenges
Options for exploring museums and famous places with virtual reality and visual impairment
Attractive Objects Adapted from Space and Self, (Nielsen, 1992)Most objects could be perceived as useful as equipment for the “Little Room” or the Position Board. It is the children’s reaction in the form of increased activity that indicates whether an object is attractive.The list of objects presented here is meant as inspiration and to demonstrate
Tactile Braille Communication CardsUse this cards to assist with communication with students that are Deafblind (deaf blind, deaf-blind, DB) low incidence, severe profound or those with multiple or additional disabilities. With modifications this could also benefit students with autism or those that...
Complex Child is an online monthly magazine about caring for a child with complex medical needs or a disability.
Assessment Functional Scheme and Other Assessment ToolsThe Functional Scheme assessment and re-assessment tool was developed by Dr. Nielsen to meet the needs of children and adults with multiple special needs who are functioning at a developmental level under 48 months. The purpose of the tool is to create the best possible basis for developing an
Many of our AAC learners struggle with vision issues which makes it a challenge for us to create effective communication and visual supports. So when SLP Rachael Langley offered to share her high c…
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Are you looking for spring craft ideas for your students with cortical visual impairment? Check out these five high contrast, eye-catching crafts...
Signature offer qualifications in Deafblind Communication from Level 2 to Level 3. With various levels of awards and certificates available.
This digital in-class and distance learning interactive activity is specifically designed for students with CVI, low vision, early intervention, multiple disabled including AAC/switch users. It has high contrast and uncluttered background perfect for CVI students. The student will identify 20 different shapes with instant feedback from a choice board of 3 shapes *A Video file which can easily be used across platforms including phones and Ipads *A PDF file which can easily be printed and laminated *A PowerPoint file with student interaction & instant feedback ✔︎ Distance Learning Tips: You can open PowerPoint to play the files over Zoom with your student. Note that files uploaded to Google Slides looses its audio effect. Visit my store for other packages like this in different themes and for other learning resources at TpT Store or Boom Store and don't forget to follow me to be the first to know about my new products and upcoming sales. To get TPT credit to use on future purchases, go to your My Purchases page and beside each purchase, you will see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, you get a feedback credit for future purchases. I greatly value your feedback as it will help determine how I create other products.
Hi friends! I am excited to share another DIY project: a sensory light bridge! This is another easy peasy project that you can make in about an hour (thanks again to my awesome husband for making the frame). The original idea came because of the wedge mats (do you see them in the background--they are yellow and black). Many of the students in this class require a lot of physical support. The teacher and I were brainstorming about different ways we could provide instruction especially when the students are placed on the floor. A light bulb went off for me and thought about having a PVC "bridge" that could hang items above students when they are on the floor. Check out how the idea turned out! Different toys that create a sensory activity for kids with blindness. Use assistive technology to add light for kids with Cortical Vision Impairment I hit up Lowe's and bought some PVC pipes. We bought the 2 inch pipes and caps. My hubby designed this to be broken down to two pieces (in the middle there is a T cap that connects them). The legs are a simple T stand. It took about 15 minutes to assemble (including cutting PVC pipe). Now comes the fun part! Thanks to the teacher for taking this idea and making it awesome!! She added rope lights, garland, hanging toys that make sound, beads and paper lanterns. The lights and the CD player (it's on the ground) are hooked up to a switch (it's the big yellow button on the floor). The above picture shows the rope lights turned on and the below picture is with lights turned off. Look at how fun it is when the lights turned on! I love the versatility of the sensory bridge. The teacher uses the sensory bridge when the students are lying on the mat (notice how long many items are so students can bat at them) but you can also take the Rifton chairs and line them up (as pictured). The students take turns using the switch. Blind students can sit in their Rifton chairs to access sensory activity in a preschool classroom As always, I will point out that these activities help provide Expanded Core Curriculum instruction. Can you see how? You can easily list assistive tech, orientation and mobility and sensory efficiency skills when students engage with the sensory bridge. Other areas such as self-determination (making choices and choosing to engage) and recreation and leisure (playing with items for fun) are also areas. Keep in mind to be on the lookout for visual or auditory clutter! Know your students and know what overwhelms them. Think about slowly integrating items. Watch for students to "see" items. All in all, this project will cost you about $7 and is a great item for early childhood. Have fun!
Here is a simple adaptation to create a ball that makes some noise. This is a great tool to work on catching or hitting a ball for children who are visually impaired or who are just learning how to catch. By adding the noise to the ball, it provides additional sensory input for the child to locate where the ball is traveling. I had an old tennis ball and ping pong ball that I used for this project. Cut a large slit in the tennis ball using an exacto knife. Cut a small 'X' in the ping pong ball again using an exacto knife. Push some metal beads or BB's inside the ping pong ball. Now push the ping pong into the tennis ball. You can glue the tennis ball shut or use duct tape to close it back up but this does quiet the noise. If you leave the slit in the tennis ball alone the ping pong ball will not fall out and it makes a louder noise. You can still bounce the ball as well. The additional noise will help the children to focus their attention on the ball coming towards them.
