About 350 years ago when I was in college, I worked in a special ed classroom that had an AbleNet “All-Turn-It” spinner . This clever sturd...
Since it’s the holiday season and many parents are looking to find gifts for their children, I thought today would be perfect to share a qu...
Since it’s the holiday season and many parents are looking to find gifts for their children, I thought today would be perfect to share a qu...
This week, at Beit Issie Shapiro, a small group of occupational therapists and speech therapists from the day programs gathered in the library to “play” in a workshop led by Frank Marciano, engineer, maker, father to a child with disabilities,…Read more ››
About 350 years ago when I was in college, I worked in a special ed classroom that had an AbleNet “All-Turn-It” spinner . This clever sturd...
Image Source - (@iAmMaccing) Apple's switch control is an accessibility feature that allows users with very limited mobility to control their entire iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch in combination with ability switches and other adaptive devices for mobility impairments. No matter how comfortable users are with technology, researching and practicing switch control tips and tricks will lead to becoming a switch master in no time. Start your journey by joining online communities, watching video tutorials and connecting with Apple Support. Join Communities Apple Support Community Apple's community is a great first place...
About 350 years ago when I was in college, I worked in a special ed classroom that had an AbleNet “All-Turn-It” spinner . This clever sturd...
Holiday Toy Switch Adapting: For many children with physical disabilities, playing with off-the-shelf toys is not possible. Depending on their unique abilities, a toy may not be accessible. However, if a child can move their foot, head, arm, mouth or any other part of their b…
No-Solder Battery Interrupter: A battery interrupter is a tool that adds a switch jack to (aka "switch adapts") an electrical device. This is usually done for the purpose of allowing a person with disabilities to use that device, by using an "ability switch," which can be anyth…
Since it’s the holiday season and many parents are looking to find gifts for their children, I thought today would be perfect to share a qu...
Battery interrupters used to be cheap. I know I’m dating myself, but who else remembers getting them for under five bucks? They are such useful little buggers to have around so that battery-operate…
For those not following us over on our Facebook group I wanted to give a quick update and share our latest addition. Back in November we welcomed this sweet guy to our family. Yonder is a certified skilled companion dog(assistance dog) who has been amazing for Junior. Though this post ,over on Junior's regular blog, was written just a week after he joined our family it shares a great deal about what he does and how he has impacted Junior's life. An assistance dog may not fall under adaptions but he has certainly benefited Junior and changed his life so we wanted to share about him here. He is a very smart dog who came to us trained in a multitude of commands but for Junior these skills are only a small piece. Yonder is his bridge to the world, he helps others see past all the medical stuff and the chair and instead see the young man that uses the chair. We still get the stares but now they are almost always accompanied by a smile, "hello", "cool dog"," whats your name","I like your dog, "whats your dog do", etc. He is not the disabled boy in the chair he is the boy with the cool dog. Yonder also knows when Junior is getting stressed out, he helps him calm down and helps him handle things like doctors appointments without going into a panic. At a recent medical test Junior started to stress and Yonder put his paws up on the edge of the bed and licked Junior's cheek to let him know he was there. He then laid back down beside the bed so they could finish the test and Junior was able to stay calm. We have rain here right now and weather changes are hard on Junior, Yonder jumped on his bed and gave him a "hug" when he was having a hard time and Junior was quickly smiling again. (these pics are from the past several weeks but a little sample of how Yonder helps Junior stay calm) With Yonder helping Junior stay calmer it means Junior is able to do more. He has more energy because he is not so stressed and that in turn means he doesn't need as much oxygen. With Junior's health issues he often is unable to go out for long periods of time. Yonder is his constant buddy, always ready to hang out with him, watch tv, play a game, help with a craft, etc. Movie time enjoying a walk and stopping to watch the geese Decorating the tree back at Christmas Helping Junior roll the ball down the ramp. Also helping him with daily activity like taking off his socks, one of Yonders favorite things to do and now he not only takes them off but has learned to take them to the laundry. We joke that he is our laundry dog because he also loves taking folded laundry to the closet for us. Yonder loves to work and especially loves helping Junior when we are out in public. For example at a recent walk to Hobby Lobby(yes we have a Hobby Lobby in walking distance which can be quite dangerous but is great for morning walks since it is very empty then,low germ risk), Junior found something he wanted to get with some Christmas money. Yonder got it for him and put it in his lap, then gave it to the cashier, then got the bag from the cashier and put it in Junior's lap. He was able to be Junior's hands and make him feel some independence, I had one very proud boy who grinned the whole time. If you are considering an assistance dog for you or your child be sure to look into Canine Companions for Independence.
Resources and ideas for teachers and caregivers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex or multiple special needs.
Foil Capability Switch: In Assistive Technology, one of the major areas that is considered for people with significant disabilities is switch access. Using a capability switch or accessibility switch, someone can control their environment, play with a toy, use a comp…
Since it’s the holiday season and many parents are looking to find gifts for their children, I thought today would be perfect to share a qu...
If you’ve been planning to begin using switch-accessible iPad games in your AAC work but haven’t quite gotten it all figured out, this post is for you. We’re delighted to introduc…
Visually stimulating toys like this Orbeez Magic Light Up Globe are great for children with Cortical Visual Impairment but they can be even more fun if they are switch adapted so the child can cont…
Walk into almost any program that has been serving people with AAC needs for awhile, and chances are that they have a box or cupboard with AT that is a little past its prime. Among all those treasu…
DIY Hybrid Sonoff Smart Switch for $10: I wanted to replace all my home wall switches with smart switches but everything I saw either looked ghetto, was overly expensive or failed to fit in the small footprint of standard North American switch boxes. I had played with the ever popular Son…
No-Solder Battery Interrupter: A battery interrupter is a tool that adds a switch jack to (aka "switch adapts") an electrical device. This is usually done for the purpose of allowing a person with disabilities to use that device, by using an "ability switch," which can be anyth…
Wouldn't it be great if your child or students could control switch-operated toys with the iPad ? Phil at PAW Solutions has come up with a...
Positioning switches is critical for folks with severe and profound physical challenges. Getting the AT Switch “just right” reduces fatigue, increases accuracy, and makes communication …
Here Are The Common Types of Electrical Switches Used in DIY & Household. In DIY Works, Theoretical Knowledge Around Them Becomes a Barrier.
Homemade Switch Activated Pouring Measuring Cup Instruction Sheet: I have attached directions on how to make an adapted switch activated pouring measuring cup for adults and children with physical or intellectual disabilities to participate in a cooking activity. You can make your own using a mirror ball rotating…
A few years ago I was trying to figure out a way for Junior to use a tray in bed or while lounging in his recliner. The issue was it needed to be at an angle so Junior could see what it had on it. This is what I came up with. It is a tray with a PVC frame and a leg in the middle so it is angle adjustable. The tray itself is a piece of shower board which was cut to the size we needed. It was also measured and had the cutout added so it went around Junior(thanks to my dad, can you believe we brought the board piece back on the plane during a visit?). I made a pvc frame just a little smaller then the tray itself and then attached the tray using velcro. I didn't have a drill or I would have used screws to attach it(if you do this be sure to inset the screws so your child does not scratch themselves on them). I purchased a bunch of pvc and cut it to the correct lengths, cutting the top bar in half and adding a joint with three openings. For the center leg a length of pvc was attached to the top of the tray frame(I cut several lengths that can be added for different heights if needed depending on where the tray is being used). Using a three opening joint at the base. use a small length of pvc at the base of each side of the leg. I then used a section of a giant pool noodle to pad the leg. When we use it the tray goes at Junior's waist and the leg goes at an angle between his knees(the cross portion at the bottom of the leg goes under his knees, a bonus is that it keeps his legs and hips correctly positioned). I added some clips to the top of the tray to hold paper for coloring, it also has a piece of velcro in the center to hold other items. These pictures were taken this past summer after our lengthy hospital stay which is why Junior is in the bipap even while awake. I will get some pictures when he uses it later today so you can see the leg position. Okay here are pics of Junior using his tray this evening. He is sitting in his recliner.
