North Carolina Assistive Technology Program

Sonya Van Horn, M.S., ATPAssistive Technology Consultant

Mary Kay Dulin, B.S.Assistive Technology Specialist

Goal

• Create ready to go activity kits adapted for – Communication– Physical needs– Vision needs– Cooperative play– Literacy– Learning

• Makes activity set up quick and easy

• Can store in containers or hanging bags

= LearningPlaying

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For young children…

Because play should…

• Be engineered for success• Provide learning opportunities for concepts

appropriate for child’s developmental stage• Facilitate active involvement of the child• Provide opportunities for the child to

communicate• Help children become empowered initiators in

play and communication• Encourage creativity and exploration• Traditional toys and play activities often don’t

provide these opportunities in an accessible way for kids with special needs

Why make adapted play boards?

Play and Brain Development

• The interaction between experience and brain activity helps the brain develop

• The more a child plays, the more the brain’s functions will improve and expand

• Toys that are appropriate to a child’s developmental stage and abilities help ensure frequent successes, building brain function as well as self esteem.

Play and Brain Development

• Researchers have found a direct link between brain function and the rising stress level caused by a lack of success during play and other activities. As a child’s frustraton or stress level rises, the level of the hormone cortisol in the brain also increases, slowing the activity in the hippocampus, which handles memory functions.

What are they learning?

• Concepts– Cause & effect– Object

permanence– Object

characteristics

• I can!

• I can make things happen

• Play is FUN!

• Helplessness

• I can’t

• I have to wait for someone to initiate play

• Play isn’t funOr

What else happens during successful play?

• Children learn about themselves and the world

• Children are enabled to interact with objects and their environment

• Relationships with others are developed and strengthened

• Self Image and self esteem are improved

Communication & Play

• Children need to be able to make choices about play activities

Communication & Play

• To play & learn effectively, children need a way to communicate with play partners

Communication & Play

• Communication provides a way for children with physical limitations to participate by directing play activities

Communication & Play

• Children need to be able to communicate what they know, need, want, like, don’t like, don’t understand, etc.

• Allows child to communicate emotions during play which can decrease aggressive behaviors

Communication & Play

Communication & Play• Many children benefit from a total

communication approach using – signs, – gestures, – vocalizations, – symbols and – voice output devices

Communication & Play Options

• Object boards that allow child to make choices

• Symbol or picture boards

• Voice output devices

BoardmakerMayer-Johnson

• Software that allows you to easily create symbols for play activities

• Can also create overlays for voice output devices using pre-made grids

Tips for Creating Activity-based Symbol Sets

• What does child need to communicate to participate in the activity?

• Plan for peer interaction • Always include multiple parts of speech, not just

nouns• Color coding

– Verbs– Descriptors– Prepositions– Nouns– Miscellaneous

• Adjust symbols to child’s needs– Number of symbols– Color– Size

• Ready made board resources

Voice Output Technology

• Voice output devices boost development of spoken words & phrases

• Children typically become more verbal in response to spoken language paired with signs, symbols & voice output

• Helps the child learn the POWER of language

• Provide a more concrete way to experience language

• Allows child to hear, see and feel language

• Many children benefit from multi-modal learning experiences

Voice Output Technology

Inexpensive Voice OutputProduct Source Cost Comments

Compact Voice Recorder

National Artcraft Co.

1/$6.9525+/$4.95Shipping: $3.95 for any quantity

Easy to activate and adaptGood voice quality

Greeting Card Insert

LS&S 1/$5.95 Very difficult to activate. Made of thin plastic, not sturdy. Not recommended

Voice-over Recorder

Voice-Express 1/$9.50 box of 50/$3.55

Good voice quality. Requires more pressure to activate. Easy to adapt. Has microphone jack for improved voice quality recording.

Scrapbook Alive

Happy n Scrappin

1/$5.99Shipping:$5.95

Out of stock

Inexpensive Voice OutputProduct Source Cost Comments

Hug Me Voice Recorder

Talking Symbols Notepad

Silver Lining Multimedia

Ablenet

$8.95

3/$49.00

Haven’t tried

Voice volume low; large, easy to activate target; built-in magnet

Engineering for Success• Carpet squares or velfoam boards• Velcro on toys, books and symbols• Cords to hold toys on play board• Foam grips• Stick on earrings• Black on white, white on black• Puff paint outlines• Magnets & cookie sheets• Page puffers

• Symbols for activity based communication

• Adapted books– Page turning– Symbols– Tactile cues– Contrast

Books

• Songboards

Music

Questions?

Gone F ishing Activity

• Includes 4 activities– Pretend play– Game– Counting– Colors

• Free Internet activities• Related books and toys

Gone F ishing Activity

Fishing Game Supplies

Amountneeded

Cost

Magnet fishing game 1 12/$4.95

Fish tray 1 12/$7.95

Fishing pole 1 .95

Symbols 1

Carpet strips 1

Blocks (Dice) 1 48/19.95

Neoprene strap 1- 4” piece 3.3 yds/$10.95

Velcro hook dots 34

Velcro loop dots 6

Grip liner 1 piece

Gone F ishing Activity

1.Put hook Velcro dots on symbols2.Cut out symbols3.Set fishing game symbols aside4.Put symbols on carpet strip5.Put 1 dot of loop Velcro in the center of each

side of the block6.Put fishing game symbols on block to create die7.Cut X at each end of neo loop and slide over

handle of the fishing pole8.Place grip liner under fish tray

Brown Bear Activity

•Adapted book

•Symbols

•Voice recorder

•Glove & stick puppets

•Free Internet activities

•Literacy kit resources

Brown Bear Activity

Brown Bear supplies

Amount needed

Cost

Book 1 $5.42

Sticks for puppets 11 500/$6.95

Gloves for puppets 1 $1.00/pair

Binder clips 12

Compact Voice recorder

1 $4.95

Plastic container 1 10/$1.00

Symbols & puppets 1

Web site handout 1

Carpet square 1

Velcro hook dots 39

Velcro loop dots 14

Brown Bear Activity

Preparing Book, Puppets and symbols1.Place one binder clip on each page of the Brown

Bear board book2.Put one piece of hook Velcro on each of the

outside corners of the front and back of the book (4 pieces total)

3.Press book onto carpet square4.Put hook Velcro dots on symbols and puppets5.Cut out symbols and puppets6.Put symbols on carpet square7.Put loop Velcro on sticks8.Attach puppets to sticks and/or glove

Brown Bear Activity

Recording a Message on Voice Recorder1.Take voice recorder out of the box2.Rotate cover so rubber button is exposed3.Press and hold button to record up to 10

seconds of speech (“What do you see?”)4.Rotate cover to save

Brown Bear Activity

Adapting Voice Recorder1.Close lid of box that voice recorder came in2.Put 1 dot of hook Velcro on the bottom of

the box3.Put 1 dot of loop Velcro on top of the box4.Place 1 dot of hook Velcro with adhesive

side up on top of loop Velcro dot5.Press the voice recorder into place on top of

the box6.Cut 1 loop Velcro dot into quarters

Brown Bear Activity

Adapting Voice Recorder (continued)7.Place one quarter on button on voice

recorder8.Put 1 dot of hook Velcro with adhesive side

up on top of loop Velcro on the button9.Press container into place over voice

recorder10.Put 1 dot of loop Velcro on top of container

for symbol11.Put “What do you see?” symbol on top of

container