Linking Toys and Switch-activated Devices to Curriculum

(from AT Community of Practice 3.15.16)

All-Turn it spinners
*Many of us feeling like this is under-utilized in classrooms to include students in activities
Some of the ways we are using this switch activated device:
Play Candyland, Uno game with colors, numbers, directions (reverse,
skip, draw 2/4, wild)on the spinner
Selecting movement break actions or activities (Me-Moves, GoNoodle,
etc.)
Use small applesauce containers attached to All-Turn It spinner for puzzle
pieces and other small items in activities
helpkidzlearn.com: put screen shots on All-Turn-it spinner to pick an
activity
Marble maze- use spinner to pick the next color during peer play (also
incorporate peer play by choosing what to have the cars do, dinosaur do, what color
block to stack next in a tower)
All-turn it spinner activity ideas:
http://atclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/06/spinner-activities.html
Use when playing BINGO (for the letter)

Use Pandora to access music vs. CD players

Speech Generating Devices (SGD)

Ready Set Go! recorded in SGD for play opportunities with peers
Use SGD to tell person when to Stop! On a color when being pushed in a
wheelchair

http://talksense.weebly.com/toys.html

Literacy and AAC

Walking/Moving Switch Toys
Use a switch toy to walk to colors, numbers, letters (stop when it gets to that letter, color,
etc)
Some favorite books used to link a switch-activated something or a SGD
to
The Wind Blew book; Added a phrase with a fan activated
by switch
Jump frog jump! Book, activate a frog
There was an Old Lady... books, use SGD
Nursery Rhymes
Resource for list of repetitive line books:

www.ready-set-read.com/2012/10/best-books-for-kids-choosing-repetitive.html

www.aacintervention.com/home/180009852/180009852/Images/repeated%20line%20books.pdf
Other activities/switches
Palpads (switch). Touch the page and it reads
Use waterpik (with a Powerlink) to water plants, use in art projects, fill up
cups of water
 Coffee business- Sell coffee to teachers in the Middle School. Had Keurig
donated. Use the money to use for service projects. On teacherspayteachers. Set up
coffee business
Popcorn business
Open ebooks- new legislation
Math activities:
Voice output: add more
Have toy walk to numbers
Scanning-switch
Dice activities with spinner
Light up switch, hit that requested number times
Morning Meeting: show and tell beyond recording in a switch, but using
their toy
Use a switch interface to access more engaging presentation methods:
Blabberize, etc
Discussion around expanding the purpose of hitting a switch
Expand the purposes of turning on a light. Use language, turn on the
light verses hit the switch
Use instead of raising your hand- purpose to indicate a need
Using single message buttons as communication between home and
school, steps of a project, instructions at center. Decrease prompt dependence.
Include a purpose when writing IEP goals/objectives
Keep sitting in chair: palpad switch to activate music
Use a switch to motivate students to move or position in a certain way
(head up--switch on headrest) to play music
Walking switch toy: knocking blocks over (have words on them...can we
make a sentence with these?)
Fan: dry artwork, cool off the cookies, anything that needs to be dried
(dishes, watertable items)
More effective way of supporting teachers with incorporating more switch
activation opportunities:
Have teachers tell us what they are doing (what are their lesson plans for
the week) and then think of a switch-adapted activity to link
Letter of the week-a ton of activities could be linked to switch toys and
activities
Concept of the week-know ahead of the time what you have that is switch
accessible to link with that concept
Resources:
Ablenet remarkables website-activities for switches
https://www.ablenetinc.com/emails/RemarkableIdeas/RI-Oct-2013-AppleTreats.html
A bank of activities that incorporate alternative methods of access to
ensure each student can participate, learn important educational and life skills, and have
fun.
https://www.ablenetinc.com/resources/remarkable_ideas
101+ Ideas for Using Single Message Communication Devices
lots of great ideas for Big Mac, Big Button, GoTalk button etc
https://www.ablenetinc.com/downloads/dl/file/id/32/product/31/101_ideas_single_message_sgd.
pdf

Consider switch positioning Position switch upside down when student have a hard
time with release