Monday, October 31, 2011

Rolling Right Along Construction Kit from APH


Here is a book that I created with the Rolling Right Along Construction Kit from APH. I used the Textured Paper to create the shapes. Students roll the ball as you read. If you create your own, remember to add a repeated line for an assisted communication device. I added braille over the large print for students to explore.


The last two pages contain a variety of shapes and textures that can be removed and explored.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Work Tasks

My caseload includes students with many disabilities. I made some work tasks for students with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) and autistic characteristics. I focused on bright colors. Duct tape is available in many colors now. I found it at Target and Home Depot. I covered cardboard boxes with the bright tape, then added accents to the other components.

I included a switch that says, "I'm finished." The task on the right has an auditory component. The eggs are filled with fish tank gravel. Different "fillers" could be used to create different sounds. I found that with the water task, lighter "coins" floated to the bottom of the tube more slowly. I found some St. Patrick's Day Coins that floated nicely. The picture above shows poker chips which sink more quickly.

Halloween Activities


Here are some of the activities that I used with my students this month. After reading the book, we played a game. I didn't have a spinner so I used a picture cube. Students took turns rolling the cube. If they rolled something they didn't need, they lost their turn. The first one to complete their pumpkin face was the winner. The pumpkins are sparkly foam. I used Boardmaker pictures for the cube. I used foam circles for the eyes, seasonal pom poms for the nose and a foam mouth. The yellow tray made a great background for my students with visual impairments. Each student started by making a choice of pumpkin color.

The other activity pictured here is a sorting activity. Students had to decide if the gourd was bumpy or smooth. It is difficult to see here, but the augmentative communication devices has a bumpy texture on the button for bumpy.

Bright colors and textures not only help my students with visual impairments, but also add interest for all students.