Welcome to Zebreda Makes It Work!—a series of videos, demonstrations, reflections and shared experiences on the practical use, customization, adaptation and creation of a wide range of Assistive Technology. Zebreda Dunham is your guide and as she proves that Assistive Technology comes in all shapes and sizes without limitation. And the best part, it’s all within your reach—and budget!
The Scrap Box is a store filled with hundreds of interesting objects: ribbons; buttons; beads; paper; colorful rip-stop nylon; sturdy paper tubes 6 inches long; bamboo like sticks; yellow spongy cylinders; and little foam squigglies.
At Onion Mountain Technology, Inc. assistive technology is our business... and our passion! We believe that every student has the right to be as independent and successful as possible, and we believe that there are tools, techniques, and strategies that can help kids learn and grow to the best of their abilities. Over fourteen years ago, we created our first LoTTIE Kits. We wanted to get low and mid tech tools into the hands of the teachers, therapists and parents who were working with students with special needs and who wanted to include assistive technology. As the years flew by, we added more kits and training to our line and services. Today we have a wide variety of LoTTIE Kits to meet the needs from pre-school through grade 12 in special and regular education settings. We provide consultations, evaluations, training, workshops and presentations as well as a full line of low and mid tech tools in our LoTTIE Kit (Low Tech Tools for Inclusive Education) product line.
Tools for Life, Georgia's Assistive Technology Act Program, is dedicated to increasing access to and acquisition of assistive technology (AT) devices and services for Georgians of all ages and disabilities so they can live, learn, work and play independently and with greater freedom in communities of their choice.
We offer a unique selection of low-tech assistive technology devices for home, classroom, and clinic use: helpful reading and writing tools, specialties that assist with low vision and visual perceptual challenges, shoe tying helpers, low-cost communication tools, visual timers, left handed products, focus and sensory tools. Wiggle seat sensory cushions, ergonomic seating devices, ear muffs for kids and other noise reduction tools, weighted vests, glare-diffusing light filters, sensory kits, and much more! Occupational therapists and teachers especially love our slant board for writing that puts hands in just the right position for handwriting, and all the left handed products we offer for students! Come discover our huge line of weighted lap pads and other weighted products that provide calming deep pressure input. Let Therapy Shoppe meet your low tech therapy needs with our exclusive weighted lap pad that includes a custom fleece cover, our quality slant board for writing, specialty left handed products, and hundreds of other low-cost assistive tools for handwriting, dressing, daily living, focusing, fidgeting, and lots more!
Pintrest offers many ideas to create low tech/ low cost Assistive Technology. Click here to view a "starter" site! or visit http://www.pinterest.com/edytheburroughs/adaptations/
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Other Low-Tech Ideas:
Highlighters A highlighter is a great way to differentiate and make accommodations. A student could use a highlighter to draw out the main ideas from a reading asssignment. A student could also receive a copy of your notes and they highlight everything that the teacher highlights on the projector or underlines on the board. This allows the student to stay at the same pace as the rest of the class without losing content and information due to slow writing or processing skills.
Porcupine Pens These are pens that have been decorated with a hot glue gun to make porcupines all over. They work really well for students that need the tactile feel. It helps students stay focused instead of tapping pencils or tearing paper or finding something else to touch they are getting the simulation from the pen and thus, still focused on their work.
Timers Sand timers, online timers, and egg timers are all effective for classroom management. This assistive technology helps students maintain focus for that period of time. If it is for the whole class an online timer helps give them a sense of perspective of how long they need to work – it also helps the class come back together. If it is for an individual student an egg timer can be a great way to keep them focused and then that child may either receive a short break or an activity of their choice. An egg timer can be a great way to keep an impulsive student engaged – the student can time themselves to finish a sorting assignment or any other quick activity.
Stress Balls A stress ball is another great way to keep students who need tactile items engaged and focused on the lesson. A great replacement for a stress ball can be a binder clip – it serves the same purpose.
Graphic Organizers Graphic organizers can be used in all subjects and grade levels. They assist students in many ways and can be differentiated for each student. They make the material less intimidating for students that shut down quickly. They help provide direction. They help students to organize content and to also pick out the essential information.
Sticky Notes Such a simple thing but it can do wonders! Sticky notes come in many different colors so each color can be designated for a specific role. The student could use them when reading a novel they cannot write in. They could use them as behavioral cues. They could have a place in the room where they place the sticky note when they have a question – thus allowing for physical movement within a lesson.