In the morning we presented our homemade low-tech AT inventions. There were a lot of very interesting and useful ideas!
1. Sticky Tray
Created by: Kari, Adele, Michelle
Design: Double-sided suction cups stuck to bowl, book, plate which are stuck to tray (could also be stuck to desk, etc)
Useful for: CP, apraxia, students who find it difficult to control movements
Comments: I love this idea!! Very simple, yet VERY effective! Could you used for many different objects. Very portable.
Comments: I love this idea!! Very simple, yet VERY effective! Could you used for many different objects. Very portable.
2. Turkey Baster Pencil Holder
Created by: Amy Sargent
Design: pencil put inside a turkey baster
Useful for: Fine motor problems, ADHD -- larger and easier to grasp, also has a good fidget toy at the end (squeeze bulb) -- makes it top heavy therefore you can take it off, but it does erase! :)
Useful for: Fine motor problems, ADHD -- larger and easier to grasp, also has a good fidget toy at the end (squeeze bulb) -- makes it top heavy therefore you can take it off, but it does erase! :)
Comments: I love this instrument! I would have never thought of this idea. It is very easy as most households have a turkey baster.
3. Squeeze Bottle Pencil
Created by: Shauna
Design: Squeeze bottle with pencil in it, cut tip off, can adjust amount of air, put on rubber bands for better grip
Useful for: students with fine motor problems, Asperger’s/Autism – need weighted pencil
Comments: I thought this was a very useful idea. I like how you could adjust the amount of sand (rocks, sugar) you can put in it for weight. It was a great idea to pu the elastic bands on the bottle. I think the colorful sand would be nice too -- students could create their own.
4. Easy-Grip Magnetic Letters
Created by: Becky
Design: Suction cup with knobs stick to white magnetic strip à leaned against iPad holder à sticker letters placed on ice cube trays with magnet on back (use ice tray as knobs to pick up letters)
Useful for: students with fine motor difficulties who find it difficult to pick up typical magnetic letters
Comments: What a wonderful idea! This could really be patented! Becky put a lot of thought and time into this – right down to the different colors for vowels and consonants
5. Spongy Whiteboard
Created by: Jeff
Design: Car sponge connected to whiteboard with corkboard
Useful for: students who find it difficult to write on a flat desk
Comments: I think it would be very beneficial for those students who need an alternate surface for writing. I think Jeff’s idea of putting large doorstops to tilt the surface would be great too.
6. Spatula Scissors
Created by: Janna
Design: Removed handles from scissors and replaced with silicon spatulas. Student has to push up and down to cut.
Useful for: student with ine motor difficulties and those who find scissors difficult to grip. Cutting with scissors requires intense visual motor integration that some students struggle with. There is also the possibility for one handed usage.
Comments: I think Janna’s idea is wonderful! What an invented idea. I like the large, softer area to push down on. I also thought the clamp to secure to the desk was a great idea.
7. (a) Dice Master
Created by: Jillian
Design: dice inside clear butter dish that has been glued together
Useful for: students who find it difficult to grasping, ADHD
Comments: A simple yet very useful device. It would really support those students who have difficulty picking up dice and/or keeping them from flying around the room
(b) Swim Buddy
Created by: Jillian
Design: page of pecs printed off and put into empty, clear 2-L bottle
Useful for: students who are swimming yet require AAC
Comments: Another simple yet wonderfully effective technology. Students can point to pecs in water through bottle. Jillian’s suggestion of getting the pages from the SETBC website was very helpful
8. One-handed Marker Holder
Created by: Amy
Design: Heavy pot with plaster in bottom. Mix plaster and place marker in to let set. Markers stay in place and can access using one hand
Useful for: students who rely on one hand to complete tasks
Comments: This was a great idea. I would find it useful for my young children as they are always losing the covers to the markers and finding it difficult to get the covers off. I liked that Amy thought to get markers that had covers the same color as the end so students could see where to put the markers.
9. Popsicle Painter
Design: Jenn and Jackie
Comments: This was my group – see post on DAY FOUR – Part 1
10. Measure-assist
Created by: Anne
Design: Squeegee with Velcro on the end. Velcro also placed on ruler and protractor. Use squeegee to pick up ruler and protractor to measure, or just to pick up from desk/table.
Useful for: students who have fine motor difficulties, or any person who finds it difficult to pick up these measuring devices from a flat surface. Also the possibility for one-handed usage.
Comments: I LOVE this idea!!! Being a math teacher I see every day the need for this type of tool. It is very difficult to pick up a protractor from the desk, floor, etc. This device would help ALL students.
11. Skater Rex
Created by: Alana
Design: Toy dinosaur that is velcroed/glued to a skateboard. Dinosaur can be made to open and close mouth. Teething toy glued to dinosaur to help pick it up.
Useful for: Encouraging active play among students with special needs, can help pick things up for students with fine motor difficulties
Comments: This would be a very interesting toy for students to play with.
12. Camera Floater to assist with Zippers
Created by: Heather
Design: attach to zipper to help open and close
Useful for: students with fine motor difficulties or anyone who finds it a struggle to grasp a zipper to open or close
Comments: This would be beneficial to a lot of students. I can see this being helpful for younger students/children too as they find zippering a difficult task at times. Older individuals and/or those with arthritis would benefit from this too.
4. Easy-Grip Magnetic Letters
Created by: Becky
Design: Suction cup with knobs stick to white magnetic strip à leaned against iPad holder à sticker letters placed on ice cube trays with magnet on back (use ice tray as knobs to pick up letters)
Useful for: students with fine motor difficulties who find it difficult to pick up typical magnetic letters
Comments: What a wonderful idea! This could really be patented! Becky put a lot of thought and time into this – right down to the different colors for vowels and consonants
5. Spongy Whiteboard
Created by: Jeff
Design: Car sponge connected to whiteboard with corkboard
Useful for: students who find it difficult to write on a flat desk
Comments: I think it would be very beneficial for those students who need an alternate surface for writing. I think Jeff’s idea of putting large doorstops to tilt the surface would be great too.
6. Spatula Scissors
Created by: Janna
Design: Removed handles from scissors and replaced with silicon spatulas. Student has to push up and down to cut.
Useful for: student with ine motor difficulties and those who find scissors difficult to grip. Cutting with scissors requires intense visual motor integration that some students struggle with. There is also the possibility for one handed usage.
Comments: I think Janna’s idea is wonderful! What an invented idea. I like the large, softer area to push down on. I also thought the clamp to secure to the desk was a great idea.
7. (a) Dice Master
Created by: Jillian
Design: dice inside clear butter dish that has been glued together
Useful for: students who find it difficult to grasping, ADHD
Comments: A simple yet very useful device. It would really support those students who have difficulty picking up dice and/or keeping them from flying around the room
(b) Swim Buddy
Created by: Jillian
Design: page of pecs printed off and put into empty, clear 2-L bottle
Useful for: students who are swimming yet require AAC
Comments: Another simple yet wonderfully effective technology. Students can point to pecs in water through bottle. Jillian’s suggestion of getting the pages from the SETBC website was very helpful
8. One-handed Marker Holder
Created by: Amy
Design: Heavy pot with plaster in bottom. Mix plaster and place marker in to let set. Markers stay in place and can access using one hand
Useful for: students who rely on one hand to complete tasks
Comments: This was a great idea. I would find it useful for my young children as they are always losing the covers to the markers and finding it difficult to get the covers off. I liked that Amy thought to get markers that had covers the same color as the end so students could see where to put the markers.
9. Popsicle Painter
Design: Jenn and Jackie
Comments: This was my group – see post on DAY FOUR – Part 1
10. Measure-assist
Created by: Anne
Design: Squeegee with Velcro on the end. Velcro also placed on ruler and protractor. Use squeegee to pick up ruler and protractor to measure, or just to pick up from desk/table.
Useful for: students who have fine motor difficulties, or any person who finds it difficult to pick up these measuring devices from a flat surface. Also the possibility for one-handed usage.
Comments: I LOVE this idea!!! Being a math teacher I see every day the need for this type of tool. It is very difficult to pick up a protractor from the desk, floor, etc. This device would help ALL students.
11. Skater Rex
Created by: Alana
Design: Toy dinosaur that is velcroed/glued to a skateboard. Dinosaur can be made to open and close mouth. Teething toy glued to dinosaur to help pick it up.
Useful for: Encouraging active play among students with special needs, can help pick things up for students with fine motor difficulties
Comments: This would be a very interesting toy for students to play with.
12. Camera Floater to assist with Zippers
Created by: Heather
Design: attach to zipper to help open and close
Useful for: students with fine motor difficulties or anyone who finds it a struggle to grasp a zipper to open or close
Comments: This would be beneficial to a lot of students. I can see this being helpful for younger students/children too as they find zippering a difficult task at times. Older individuals and/or those with arthritis would benefit from this too.
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