Tag Archives: speech therapy tools

Access a comprehensive range of speech therapy tools designed to develop and improve communication skills, enhance articulation accuracy, support language comprehension, and foster expressive and receptive language growth across all age groups.

PowerLink 4 Control Unit Assistive Technology Solution

Enhance Access with the PowerLink

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A PowerLink is a game-changer for enhancing access, especially for users who rely on switches to interact with the environment around them.  With a PowerLink, users can take everyday, corded, electrical appliances and make them switch accessible.  The concept is simple: plug a corded appliance into the receiver of a PowerLink, pick your interaction mode on the PowerLink, and add a switch. With this setup up users can control the on and off function of whatever corded appliance is plugged in.  The PowerLink opens the door for participation in a variety of everyday activities.  

  • Enhance Access with the PowerLink in Classrooms and Offices: Tools commonly used in the classroom or in an office setting are easily made switch accessible using a Powerlink. Try plugging in an electric pencil sharpener, electric stapler, electric hole punch, or paper shredder to allow switch users to become an active participant in vocational training opportunities or classroom jobs.  
  • Enhance Access with the PowerLink in the Garage: In woodshop class or in your home garage some simple, corded tools like an electric screwdriver or hand held sander can be made switch accessible with a Powerlink.  
  • Enhance Access with the PowerLink in the Kitchen: In the kitchen, plugging in simple appliances like a blender, hand mixer or can opener to a PowerLink can help users increase their participation in cooking activities.
  • Enhance Access with the PowerLink for Self Care: A well-positioned hair dryer plugged into a Powerlink can give users more independence with self care tasks like drying their hair after a shower or fingernails after a manicure! 

Looking for fun and creative ways to use your PowerLink? Download these activity ideas:

  1. Accessible Splash Art
  2. Make Music!
  3. Stimulate the Visual Senses!
  4. Switch Adapted Car Wash
  5. Switch Adapted ‘Bowling’

Modifying Games to Address Therapeutic Goals

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Games are a useful therapeutic tool; they are versatile, engaging, and so much fun! WIth a few simple modifications games can address a wide range of therapeutic needs.  A few simple modifications can be used for almost every game:

  1. Add Visuals.  Visuals can be anything from simplified directions to communication aids, like “your turn” and “my turn”. Visuals can help those who struggle with sequencing, memory, or communication participate more independently in game play.  
  2. Change the playing position. Playing games on the floor, at a countertop, or with alternative seating helps to increase participation and access.  Playing a game on the floor allows players to play in alternative positions, like laying on their bellies. This position is great for those with postural instability, and helps increase their focus and endurance.  Another option is to use a therapy ball (add a base for stability), Alert Seat, Ball Chair, or air filled cushion instead of a traditional chair.  These types of alternative seating provides movement input which may allow those with shortened attention spans to participate longer and with more focus.  Some games like, Left Center Right, have few manipulatives making these great games to use on scooter boards or swings.  
  3. Modify the Manipulatives.  Some game pieces are just too small, too big, or too difficult for students to access.  One quick fix is to swap out the game tokens for something more manageable like a jumbo dice.  Another option, insert game pieces into putty for a bigger gripping surface.  Other modifications include using a card holder or book holder.  
  4. Manipulating the manipulatives to target hand skills. To encourage a pincer grasp, place smaller game pieces into an egg carton (or similar small container); the smaller space allows for only a few fingers to access the piece, encouraging a two or three finger grasp pattern every time the player picks up the game pieces.  To incorporate hand strengthening and bilateral coordination, use a tennis ball with a small slit cut into it.  Players must squeeze the tennis ball with one hand while using the other hand to insert or remove their pieces.  To target fine motor manipulation with insertion, use plastic containers (your recycling bin is a great resource); cut a slit in the lid and work on inserting game manipulatives into the containers.
  5. Change the game rules to address specific therapeutic goals. If your focus is social interactions, team building, or cooperative problem solving, change game play so players play as a group instead of competing against each other. If you are doing individual treatment sessions instead of group sessions, change gameplay to make it a single-person game.  When time is limited or you have participants who struggle with extended attention and focus, add a time rule where gameplay ends after a set amount of minutes.  When the game is too hard or too easy for players, add more complexity or decrease the complexity.   
Example of modifying a game; tube with cover
Example of modifying a game; coins in a clear tube
A tennis ball with a slit and a coin inserted
coins in an egg carton

With a little bit of creativity, most games can be changed, adapted, or modified in order to use them as a therapeutic tool.  Check out Therapro’s handy games guide to see these modifications applied to some of our great games! 

Assistive Technology for Virtual Learning

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2020 has brought a whole new set of challenges where we as educators need to get creative. Simple low to mid-tech assistive technology tools can make the virtual learning experience less stressful and more productive for all students. 

Here are some simple low tech tips and tricks to make virtual learning easier. 

  1. Use a visual schedule.
    • Why? Visual schedules allow students to visually see an overview of their entire day. This can help reduce frustration and ease the anxiety relating to transitions.
    • What?  These schedules should include the time each activity is occurring and a picture or word to represent the activity. These schedules can be created using real photos, images, or icons. 
    • Easy Option: For a ready to go option, our new  SchKidules provide these symbol representations for everyday school and home-based activities. 
SchKidules Low Tech Assistive Technology used in virtual learning
  1. Make sure your laptop is at the correct angle and height.
    • Why? When a computer is too low, it creates a tendency for the body to lean forward. This causes strain on the neck and discomfort!
    • How?  One great way to create the correct angle and height is by using a slant board and a piece of Dycem. Place the Dycem on top of the slant board and the laptop on top of the Dycem. The Dycem will create a non-slip surface so the laptop does not slide off. Ahhh…relief from neck pain!!
  1. Break down visually overwhelming information.
    • What? When using worksheets or printed work, the directions and visuals may be visually overwhelming for students who have difficulty filtering out extraneous visual stimuli.
    • How? We can reduce these visual distractions by using highlighter strips, reading guides, or even laminated index cards. The student can guide these low tech tools across their piece of paper to block out all extraneous material and focus on each sentence they are trying to read. 
  1. Use adapted tools whenever needed .
    • Why? Students with physical disabilities should be supplied with adapted tools to promote the most independence as possible. 
    • What? Examples of some of these tools include, adapted scissors, EazyHolds, and the Functionalhand.
      • Adapted scissors allow students with decreased fine and gross motor abilities to independently use scissors. A variety of options exist including scissors on a sturdy base, scissors that open on their own, and scissors that don’t require the user to place their fingers in the holes. 
      • EazyHolds and the Functionalhand allow a student who does not have a functional grasp pattern to independently use a pencil, marker, spoon, stylus, etc.  The Functionalhand can give a student a sturdy grip on objects while allowing the student to use the object at a functional angle. The Eazyhold can be used in conjunction with the Functionalhand to securely hold the handle of the Functionalhand in the student’s hand. Eazyhold can also be used on their own to support independent grasp of everyday objects (e.g., cups, brooms, spoon, etc.)
Push down scissors assistive technology solution
  1. Provide alternative access solutions when necessary. 
    • What? If a student cannot independently access virtual work, they should be provided with an alternative way to access the material, whether that is on the computer or via printed materials. 
    • How? A BIGtrack 2 trackball, provides a sturdy base with a rolling ball that can be used in lieu of a typical mouse.  

There are many options available to make virtual learning more accessible, we hope you have found a tip or two to make your virtual learning experience successful!