Tactile Discrimination

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 I saw an activity like this on Pinterest, but I couldn’t find it again. I have learned to pin or like anything I want to see again. Pinterest is a great place to find ideas and save them with a picture to remember what you have saved. It is a visual list of your "favorites." Each picture is a link to the web page where you found the activity, idea, or picture.

One of the pre-braille skills students need to learn is to discriminate items or textures by touch.  

We have an abundance of long file folders in our office, so my goal was to make use of them.  I used the embosser to create dot hands and placed them on the folder.  I used also used 6 different textured papers/sheets. I placed one of each texture under the hand, then used a Velcro dot in the middle of the hand.  The Velcro on the back of the textured squares is larger to make it easier to stick it to the piece on the hand.  The object of the activity is to explore the texture under each hand and place its match in the hand. 

Weather

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I used the Rolling Right Along Construction Kit to create a book for a preschool student. The weather pictures are created using textured papers. Each type of weather has a different texture and shape. The student rolls the ball along the velcro path. The words of the class weather songs are included so the student can read or sing the words as he moves the ball across the pages.

Textured Snowmen

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I love snow and especially snow days, so this month some of my activities have centered around snowmen. I created this activity for my students who are blind or have low vision.

I created a snowman using QuickTac by Duxbury. This program allowed me to turn a picture into raised dots. If you do not have access to the program or an embosser (braille printer), then you could use white Wikki Stix or hot glue to make an outline. I pre-cut the hat, nose, and scarf from textured peel and stick papers.

We read a "touchy feely" Usborne book called That's Not My Snowman. The students explored the different textures in the book before making their own snowman.
The students made their color selections, and stuck the items to the paper. The students had to pinch and pull the cotton balls and glue onto the snowman. The students used markers to draw a mouth and color the bumpy eyes. The activity was great for exploring some of the attributes that are tested on the Virginia Alternative Assessment (VAAP).

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.

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.

New Position

This year I will be a teacher of the Visually Impaired. I am really excited about this new opportunity. I will be an itinerant teacher. This is new to me, so I will be learning a new kind of organization.