AT for Early Childhood

Assistive Technology of Alaska
www.atlaak.org
Assistive Technology
For ILP and Preschool
Margaret Cisco, ATLA AT Specialist
Kathy Privratsky, ATLA Executive Director, AT Specialist, SLP

Housekeeping
The Folder
The Sign-In Sheet
The Evaluations
The Give-Away
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Alphabet Soup
ATLA = Assistive Technology of Alaska
DME = Durable Medical Equipment
ECE = Early Childhood Education
IEP = Individual Education Plan
IFSP = Individual Family Service Plan
OT = Occupational Therapist
PT = Physical Therapist
SESA = Special Education Service Agency
SLP = Speech/Language Pathologist
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Objectives
Know about the State Tech Act Project
Understand the definition of Assistive Technology (AT)
Be able to talk about why AT is important in the early years
Be aware of AT options for the Early Years (no-tech, low tech, and high-tech)
Understand one process for IFSP and IEP “AT Consideration”
Be aware of Alaskan and Internet Resources
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

ATLA – Assistive Technology of Alaska
Federal Tech Act Grant Project for Alaska
Information and assistance
Demonstrations
Training Activities
Re-use and recycle AT
All Alaskans - birth through life
Community living
Education
Employment
ITT
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

ATLA – Assistive Technology of Alaska
Other AT Grants
Christopher Reeves
Mental Health Trust
Memory at Hand
AT to Go
Other Non-Profit Activities
Ordering from a variety of AT vendors
AT workshops
AT assessments
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

What is Assistive Technology?
Any product or device – off the shelf, modified, or customized
Used by a person with a disability
To increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

What is AT for young children?
ATisany tool that allows an infant, a toddler, or a young child with disabilities to “engage in everyday activities that promote development”
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

What Activities
Promote Development?
Children Learn By Doing.
~
Play Is Their Work.
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Play Is…
Learning Activity
Essential to Development
Behavior that is:
Freely Chosen
Personally Directed
Intrinsically Motivated
Fun for the Child and Play Partner(s)
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Benefits of AT in the Early Years
The child who “can’t do that”
becomes the child who “can do it with this support”
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Why AT in Earliest Years?
Difficulty maintaining a stable posture
Difficulty moving from place to place
Difficulty seeing the toys or the model
Difficulty hearing
Difficulty grasping, holding, or moving objects
Difficulty understanding the environment
Difficulty speaking, gesturing, or pointing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Considering AT
Adapt the environment
Adapt the presentation
Adapt the materials
Use common preschool items for new purposes
Find out what AT is available
Make an informed selection between AT tools
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Considering AT
SETT MODEL
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

What AT is Available?
Difficulty hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Maintaining a Stable Position
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Maintaining Position with AT
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Difficulty hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Moving With AT
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Difficulty hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Vision and Hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AT Vision Supports
Considerations
Lighting
Glare
Number of Toys
Primary Colors, Black and White
Contrast
Shiny materials
Familiarity
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AT Vision Supports
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Difficulty hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AT Support for Hearing
Considerations
Volume
Distance
Background
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Classroom Amplification
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Difficulty hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Working with Objects
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AT for Working with Objects
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Switches for Activities
+
+
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Many Types of Switches
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Mounting systems
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Switch Selection and Placement
Location, location, location
Which body part moves with most voluntary control?
How does it move and which switch works best with that movement?
What switch placement allows that body part to be controlled most easily with least effort?
What is the back-up body part and placement?
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Switch Adapted Activities
+
+
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Switch Adapted Activities
+
=
+
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Difficulty hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Cognitive Supports
Visual Supports - pictures
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Cognitive Supports
Object Cues
Objects the child understands
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Cognitive Supports
Switch to learn cause and effect learning
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Difficulty hearing
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AT for Communication (AAC)
Don’t get stuck on cause-effect
Calling for Attention
Request More
Choosing
Rejecting
Requesting
Consider Low to High Tech Options
Use AAC for Real and Dynamic Communication
Don’t choose a device because it worked for someone else
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AAC Devices - One + Messages
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AAC Devices With Levels
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AAC Devices - Dynamic Displays
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

State Resources
Local ILP Programs and School Districts
ATLA – Alaska’s Tech Act Project
Call or email for information and assistance
SESA – Special Education Service Agency
Local Centers for Independent Living
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Internet Resources
Tots-n-Tech
http://tnt.asu.edu/ideas
Let’s Play Project
http://letsplay.buffalo.edu/
Creative Communicating
www.creativecommunicating.com/
ATLA
www.atlaak.org
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Reminder
Turn in Evaluations
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

Sharing
Ideas
ATLA
www.atlaak.org

AT for Early Childhood

by Kathy

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