Low-cost assistive technology devices that can benefit students with visual, learning, physical, and sensory impairments are available from dollar stores. These include magnifying glasses, large print books and calculators, pencil grips, weighted vests, fidget toys, and iPad cases created from inexpensive materials. Dollar stores offer many items that can be adapted or combined to create assistive tools for students with disabilities to aid independence and learning.

1. Low-Tech Assistive Technology Devices at
Visual Impairments Aids
For students with mild visual impairments that are not
CVI, there are many low-tech assistive technology
devices that can be bought off the shelf. At the Dollar
Tree, I found a magnifying glass (picture 1) that can be
used to read or enlarge objects in almost any
educational setting and because it’s portable. For
math and science class, a large digit calculator (picture
2) would also help with computing basic mathematic
operations. The large print Webster’s Dictionary
(picture 3) and Roget’s Thesaurus (picture 4) would be
a great resource for written
expression assignments.
And more….
These are just some of the many items.
Chantelle Ney
Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16
Inclusive Practices Trainer & Consultant
The Dollar Tree where everything is a dollar has a
multitude of products that can be used to aid in low -
tech assistive technology devices by either using “as
is” or combined to make inexpensive tools for
students with a variety ofdisabilities.
Reading Aids
For students who have learning disabilities or have
cognitive learning impairments at any grade level,
reading aids can vital in the educational setting to
increase independence and confidence. In picture 5,
book rings and index cards have many uses including
sight words, vocabulary words, organize information
about story elements, and a carry along communi-
cation core words. Index Dividers (picture 6) have
many uses also. Students with dyslexia can benefit
from colored overlays (picture 6a). Index Dividers can
also be cut done to use as highlighters when reading
and be used with a cut out window on poster board to
help with tracking when reading.
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2. 2
Handwriting Aids
Fine motor skills impairments can hammer student’
handwriting. Using pencil grips (picture 7) and miniature
mechanical pencils (picture 8) help students with awkward
grasps of writing utensils or who have weak hand and wrist
muscles.
Seating and
Positioning Aid
Similar to Dycem but much less expensive is nonslip rug underlays
(picture 9) have multiple uses. Although nonslip rug underlays at
not as strong as Dycem, they can still used to help students
from sliding in their chair, keep items from sliding on a desk,
to stand up to reposition, to place on handrails in bathrooms
for a better grip. These are only a few of the uses for
nonslip rug underlays.
Sensory Aids
Students with autism, ADHD, ODD, OCD, and
neurological disorders often havesensory impairment
disorders. Using noise reduction ear muffs (picture11)
to block out noises that can be frustrating to them, is a
great ATtool. Picture 12shows the materials needed to
make a weighted vest (picture 12a). A costumevest, 2
decorativesand bags, 4 snack zip baggies, 3 clutches,
and a sewing kits were the items I purchased to make
the weighted vestfor $8 that would cost $27+ to buy
from a company. In picture 13, is a basket full of
sensory/ fidget items:3 stress balls,light up ball, a laugh
button, a plastic slinky, silly
putty, beadnecklaces,
ice cream cone
bubbles and play
dough for a total cost
of $11.
Communication Aids
I attended LAMP Words for Life training in
January 2016. John Halloran who created LAMP
program, suggested that we make a sensory toy tote to use
with students on the autistic spectrum when trialing the
program to engage them. Picture 13 is the sensory toy tote
I created from materials purchased at Dollar Tree.
Most special education teachers I work with use the
Proloqu2Go app on an iPad. One ofmy biggest concerns
with students using any AACdevice is that the student
must have access to it at all times. I created iPad carrying
case (picture14a) for students using items I purchased at
Dollar Tree (picture 14) for $3 using a tablet sleeve, dog
leash, and a sewing kit to make it.
Daily Living Aid
This long reach picker (picture 10) can be used for a
student who is in a wheelchair to reach objects that
are on shelves, counters, and tables that are out of
reach as long as they have the fine and gross motor
muscle control needed.
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12a
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14a