Developed by:

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Developed by
1023 South U.S. 27 St. Johns, MI 48879 Phone
800.274.7426 Fax [phone] TTY
989.224.0246 E-mail matr_at_edzone.net . Web
site www.cenmi.org/matr
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Michigans Assistive Technology Resource

• The overall purpose of MATR is to provide
  information services, support materials,
  technical assistance, and training to local and
  intermediate school districts in Michigan to
  increase their capacity to address the assistive
  technology (AT) needs of students with
  disabilities.
• MATRs Web site is www.cenmi.org/matr
• Services to schools are FREE and include
• Support to IEP team members during the process of
  considering AT.
• Equipment loan program to schools for trials of
  AT.
• Software loan library for parents and school
  personnel.
• Training/inserviceinservice workshops, intensive
  trainings, and development of training materials.

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• This document was produced and distributed
  through an IDEA Mandated Activities Project for
  Michigans Assistive Technology Resource awarded
  by the Michigan Department of Education. The
  opinions expressed herein do not necessarily
  reflect the position or policy of the Michigan
  Department of Education, the Michigan State Board
  of Education, or the U.S. Department of
  Education, and no endorsement is inferred. This
  document is in the public domain and may be
  copied for further distribution when proper
  credit is given. For further information or
  inquiries about this project, contact the
  Michigan Department of Education, Office of
  Special Education and Early Intervention
  Services, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, Michigan 48909.

STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW The
Michigan Department of Education complies with
all Federal laws and regulations prohibiting
discrimination, and with all requirements of the
U.S. Department of Education.
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Compliance with Title IX
What Title IX is Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972 is the landmark federal law
that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether
it is in curricular, extra-curricular, or
athletic activities. Title IX states No person
in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be
excluded from participation in, or denied the
benefits of, or be subject to discrimination
under any educational program or activity
receiving federal aid. The Michigan Department
of Education (MDE) is in compliance with Title IX
of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended,
20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq. (Title IX), and its
implementing regulation, at 34 C.F.R. Part 106,
which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The
MDE, as a recipient of federal financial
assistance from the United States Department of
Education (USDOE), is subject to the provisions
of Title IX. MDE does not discriminate based on
gender in employment or in any educational
program or activity that it operates. The
designated individual at the Michigan Department
of Education for inquiries and complaints
regarding Title IX is Ms. Roberta E. Stanley,
Director Office of Administrative Law and
Federal Relations Michigan Department of
Education Hannah Building 608 West
Allegan P.O. Box 30008 Lansing, Michigan
48909 Phone [phone] E-Mail
stanleyr_at_michigan.gov
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Assistive TechnologyAccess to Play and Literacy

1023 South U.S. 27 St. Johns, MI 48879 Phone
800.274.7426 Fax [phone]
www.cenmi.org/matr
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Objectives

• Define assistive technology
• Identify indicators of appropriate assistive
  technology
• consideration and documentation
• Gain awareness of assistive technology continuum
  and
• tools as it relates to early childhood
• Discuss available local, state and, national
  resources

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What Is Assistive Technology?
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IDEA 97 Assistive Technology
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA 97 (Public Law 105-17) mandates the
provision of assistive technology and offers
clear definitions of assistive technology devices
and services.
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Legal Definition
Assistive Technology Device Any item, piece of
equipment or product system, whether acquired
commercially off the shelf, modified, or
customizedthat is used to increase, maintain, or
improve the functional capabilities of children
with disabilities. (Section 300.5)
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Legal Definition

• Assistive Technology Service
• (a) Evaluation of the needs of a child with a
  disability, including a functional evaluation of
  the child in the childs customary environment
• (b) Purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing
  for the acquisition of assistive technology
  devices by children with disabilities
• (c) Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing,
  adapting, applying, retaining, repairing, or
  replacing assistive technology devices
• (d) Coordinating and use of other therapies,
  interventions, or services with assistive
  technology devices, such as those associated with
  existing education and rehabilitation plans and
  programs
• (e) Training or technical assistance for a child
  with a disability or, if appropriate, that
  childs family and
• (f) Training or technical assistance for
  professionals (including individuals or
  rehabilitation services), employers, or other
  individuals who provide services to employ, or
  are otherwise substantially involved in the major
  life functions of children with disabilities.
  (Section 300.6)

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• Idea Facts
• IDEA 97, Part B (Children and Youth age 3 and
  older) requires IEP teams to consider the
  assistive technology needs of students during the
  development of an IEP.
• IDEA 97, Part C (Infants and Toddlers Up to Age
  3)
• The individualized family service plan shall
  containa statement of specific early
  intervention services necessary to meet the
  unique needs of the infant or toddler and the
  family The term early intervention services
  means developmental services thatincludeassistiv
  e technology devices and assistive technology
  services.
• IDEA 1997 (20 U.S.C.) 1400 636,632

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Explore ways to supporta childs independence
and participation in play.
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Team Approach

• Multiple perspectives from a number of
  disciplines will ensure that the needs of the
  child are addressed and supports are provided
  across all environments.

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The use of a process and framework can assist
teams in considering a childs assistive
technology needs.
The Student, Environments, Tasks, and Tools
(SETT) is one example of a framework that
assists teams in the consideration
process. SETT, Zabala, Joy, (1996)
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• SETT
• Student Environment Tasks Tools
• by
• Joy Zabala
• www.joyzabala.com
• Student Describe the child in detail and include
  how a disability affects his or her ability to
  participate.
• Environment Describe all environments in which
  the child participates and the supports
  available.
• Task Identify the specific tasks and activities
  that the child needs to participate in.
• Tools Consider a wide range of strategies to
  support and extend the abilities of the child.

SETT Framework Joy Zabala
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Identify tasks in the child's daily routine and
explore solutions required to increase
independence and participation in these natural
environments.
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Environments

• Home
• Preschool
• Daycare setting
• Playground
• Community
• Hospital or doctors office
• Therapy

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• Also include
• Childs ability to transition between activities.
• Childs ability to choose and begin new
  activities independently.
• Childs ability to independently access play
  materials and participate in clean up.
• Opportunities for social interaction.

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How does assistive technology supporta childs
independence and participation in play?
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• Stabilize or increase ability to manipulate and
  interact with toys or books.
• Provide seating or positioning support for play
  and peer interaction.
• Increase participation in self care activities.
• Increase communication.
• Increase a child's ability to move.
• Accommodate sensory limitations such as visual
  or tactile.

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Additional benefits of assistive technology
supports
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• Supports active participation which reinforces
  and improves learning.
• Access provides a sense of control and impact on
  the environment (cause and effect).
• Access provides opportunities for success and
  independence which increase self esteem.
• Supports increase opportunity to interact with
  peers.
• Supports allow the child and family to explore
  the childs strengths and to play and interact
  together.

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Toys and play materials are a childs tools for
learning

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Toys can become an obstacle to learning for
children with disabilities.
R.H. Bradley (1985)
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How children play

• Exploring
• Looking
• Touching
• Listening
• Manipulating
• Pretending
• Building
• Organizing
• Creating
• Imitating

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• General Supports
• Encourage independence, provide support and
  adaptations as needed.
• Encourage and model cooperative play situations.
• Explore toys and modifications that support the
  childs sensory preferences and current
  abilities.
• Accept different levels of participation.
• Provide supports to facilitate developmental
  milestones.
• Model use of toys and play materials.

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Explore a continuum of strategies and tools to
support a child's participation in play
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• Continuum for adapting play
• Adapt commercially available toys.
• Make your own toys and supports with recycled or
  inexpensive materials.
• Explore toys with universal design features.
  These toys are designed to allow flexibility and
  easy access.
• Explore toys designed to address specialized
  needs.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Position, stabilize and mobilize the child,
  using
• Non skid rug material to prevent sliding on a
  chair.
• Pillows, rolled towels, or foam wedges to
  provide positioning support for floor
  activities.
• Beanbag chairs or inflatable furniture.
• Booster chair used as a floor sitter.
• Laundry baskets or boxes.
• Boppy, Bumbo, or other commercial infant sitter.
• Explore options for independent mobility

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Keep toys within reach and stabilize
• Use non-skid rug material on a table top to
  prevent sliding.
• Secure toy or materials to a base - plywood, clip
  board, 3 ring binder, slant board, carpet, lap
  trays, boxes, cookie sheet, carpet square.
• Secure toys to a base with Velcro, cable ties, C
  clamps, magnetic strips, hot glue, suction cups,
  elastic.
• Use Velcro bracelet to attach small toys.
• Suspend toys or attach toys from ceiling, tray
  or table with links or elastic webbing.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Keep toys within reach and stabilize
• Keep rolling toys like balls, battery powered
  toys, cars from rolling too far by confining
  with a hoola hoop, cafeteria trays, shallow box
  lids.
• Trays can also be used for table top activities
  to keep toys within reach .

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Communication supports to enhance play and
  participation in early literacy activities
• Create activity choice boards with symbols or
  pictures to encourage initiation of play and
  making choices.
• Create topic-oriented communication boards to
  encourage participation, turn taking and social
  interaction.
• Use single or sequential message communication
  devices to allow opportunity to request help or
  follow directions.

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Adaptations and Modifications Communication
supports to enhance play and participation in
early literacy activities
The following examples can be found
at Pre-Kindergarten Exceptional Student Education
Program Miami-Dade County Public
Schools http//prekese.dadeschools.net Home gt
Resources gt Teacher Resource Room
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Adaptations and Modifications Communication
supports to enhance play and participation in
early literacy activities
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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Improve ability to hold and manipulate
• Enlarge handles or writing utensils with wooden
  dowels, foam hair curlers, pipe insulation, film
  canister, tennis or plastic golf ball.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Improve ability to hold and manipulate
• Create handles using wood dowels or knobs, large
  hair bands, scotch tape flaps, sturdy page
  tabs, thread spools, plastic shower curtain
  hooks.
• Attach Velcro to the palm of a mitten or glove.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Improve ability to hold and manipulate
• Battery operated toys that are activated with a
  single switch promote independent interaction
  with toys and develop the concept of cause and
  effect.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Improve ability to see toys, highlight,
  andenlarge materials
• Enlarge game boards using poster board and
  laminate.
• Define/outline boundaries or pictures using
  yarn, string, colored tape, puffy fabric paint,
  colored markers, Wikki Stix (books, toys with
  buttons, games).
• Photo copy and enlarge game pieces and laminate
  or attach to cardboard.
• Visually simplify play materials, use black or
  white backgrounds around toys, or cover busy
  areas with tape or paper.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Access to books
• Physically adapt a book
• Make page fluffers for books with foam scraps,
  chip clips, or hot glue dots.
• Adapt the format laminate, enlarge, or insert a
  binder.
• Adapt textreduce size or simplify, add symbols.

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Adaptations and Modifications Access to books
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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Access to books
• Stabilize books-carpet squares, adapted book
  holders, or lap trays.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Access to books
• Use story-specific symbols, pictures, or objects
  to allow the child to retell or answer questions
  about the story.
• Use a recorded version of the story to be shared
  with peers or listen alone with headphones.
• Use commercially available books on tape or CDs,
  which can be controlled by the child by using a
  single-switch-adapted cassette or CD player to
  start and stop the story.

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Access to books
• Record sounds or repeated lines in stories using
  a single-switch message device to allow
  participation in the reading of the story.
• Use a sequencing digital voice message device to
  tell the story.

Adaptivation.com
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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Access to books
• Create your own stories using talking photo
  albums available from a variety of sources.
• The Book Worm by AbleNet and the Book Talker by
  Enabling Devices allows you to create talking
  books with alternate access options.

Book Talker Photo CreditEnabling Devices
BookWorm Photo CreditAblenet
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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Access to books
• Create talking single-switch or mouse-click
  access stories using Microsoft PowerPoint.
• ACE Centre tutorial-http//atto.buffalo.edu/regis
  tered/Tutorials/talkingBooks/powerpoint.php

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Access to books
• Create your own books using a multimedia
  authoring program (Intellipics, Clicker4, My Own
  Bookshelf, Buildability).
• Look for commercially available multimedia story
  books for your computer (Living Books from
  Broderbund, UKanDo Little Books from Don
  Johnston, or Mightybooks).
• Look for free books available to play and view
  online (www.storyplace.org, www.mightybook.com,
  www.starfall.com).

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Resources and References
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• MATR (Michigans Assistive Technology Resource)
  http//www.cenmi.org/matr
• Let's Play! Projects
• www.cosmos.ot.buffalo.edu/letsplay
• Fisher Price special needshttp//www.fisherprice.
  com/US/special_needs/default.asp
• Dragonfly Toyshttp//www.dragonflytoys.com/
• Adaptivation
• http//www.adaptivation.com/homepage.htm
• Books Made Easy! By Pati King-Debaun
• Creative Communicating801-645-7737
• www.creative-comm.com

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Boston Public Schools Access Technology
Center-Recipe for Adapting Books http//boston.k1
2.ma.us/teach/technology/emmanuel.asp NCIP
National Center to Improve Practice in Special
Educationhttp//www2.edc.org/NCIP Lakeshore
Learning Materials800 421-5354 www.lakeshorelearn
ing.com Linda Burkhartwww.Lburkhart.com AAC
Interventionwww.aacintervention.com Joy Zabala,
Assistive Technology Consultanthttp//www.joyzaba
la.com
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• Assistive Technology A LIFE TOOL!

THANK YOU