Assistive Technology: Access to Learning and Leisure: Low-Tech Assistive Technology

In class number four we were introduced to low-tech assistive technology. I had never considered this to be a tool to enhance learning in the classroom. We had quite a few Dollar Store items shown to us and we were asked to think about how the products may be useful for a student with a disability or delay. We were shown how a large binder could be used as a writing wedge, foam rollers to increase the size of a writing utensil and many other ideas. Our task for the afternoon was to go to a Dollar Store of our choice and shop around for five items we thought could assist a child in learning more efficiently. We were also asked to make our own low-tech assistive technology and bring it to class next week.

When I first walked into the dollar store I didn't know where to begin and I had no ideas. I found a couple items I thought had potential but without a "great" ideas for uses. Then I found a few more and after about 20 minutes I was on a bit of a roll. I was taking pictures of all the items I found, so I stopped to check how many items I had taken pictures of and realized I had found many more than the five required items.

1. These are little lights that attach to students fingers. They could be very useful for students when reading. The lights would help them focus on a section of reading instead of becoming overwhelmed with too much print. They are a fun toy other children play with, so the students find them enjoyable to use and do not stand out as being different. The different colors are fun and may be good for a student who focuses better on one color.

2. These sponge paint brushes are a more stable surface for students with poor fine motor control. They could be adapted further with a lager handle. A regular paint brush is quite slippery when covered in paint, but this sponge has more texture, so even covered in paint it creates more resistance for the student.

3. The tap light could be used as a communication button for a non-verbal student. This could be used as a visual cue to the teacher that the student has a question, needs something, or would like to participate. These lights usually come with double sided adhesive, so the button could be attached to the desk, or travel with the child from room to room. Small light (the size of a cookie) are available as well, and may be more useful as a portable version.

4. The suction clock may be useful for a student with anxiety, so they can keep track of where they need to be when, students in need of a visual schedule or with children who have organization difficulties. The clock is a suction so may be moved from room to room with the child and can attach to the desk. For students with visual schedules, a clock is often shown next to the activity picture. A student could therefore look to see if the clock is at the same time. This could also be useful for students who need to know how much time they have left to complete work. It would help them stay focused to keep working and reassure them they still have time to complete the work.

5. White board pens and markers - These are an excellent tool for helping develop printing skills in young children, or children having difficulties. The erasable function of the white board helps students be able to write and erase quickly. It can diminish the frustration of having to be perfect (erasing a hole in the paper). White board pens are easy to write with, as they do not require a lot of pressure or cause the writing surface to rip when too much pressure is applied. These are very useful for student who do not enjoy writing. Different colors can be used, which also adds to the appeal.

A few other products I found that could be used to assist learning are magnetic clips - a very strong clip to hold papers, used as a hook, etc.

An echo microphone- to encourage children to speak louder, because they hear themselves echo back.

shower puffs with long handle - to assist in cleaning for students with lack of movement/flexibility or used for painting, |as a sensory experience for students with Autism, etc.