Early Childhood Special Education and Assistive Technology Blog

By: Laura Kazmierczak , EC-SEAT Scholar This past spring, I had the opportunity to do an independent study with Therese Willkomm . Part of my time was to document and record many assistive technology (AT) solutions using everyday materials both recycled and bought in stores (e.g., hardware stores, office supply stores, drug stores).  One of the projects we worked on together was creating tactile overlays for tablets, a fairly simple solution for teachers or caring adults working with children who have low vision or are blind. A tactile overlay is a sensory aid which guides a child's fingers using textured points of reference. We created an instructional video to show one way example of creating this solution using donated overhead film and the Garage Band app . Below you can view the video .  Using overhead film to create tactile graphic overlays

By: Carrie Portrie , M.Ed, EC-SEAT Project Coordinator Our world is filled with screens, colors, lights, sounds, and textures. Children are being asked to do more, perform in certain ways and sit in classrooms where often they must sit still while dealing with an overload of sensory input from the environment. What can we do as educators to create more universally designed and inclusive spaces for young children with sensory sensitivities? Recently, I can across a website called A Sensory Life . The website is created by Angie Voss, OTR. I was drawn towards the site because I enjoy providing sensory activities for young children in the classroom. One particular part of her site I enjoyed was the SquishBox . Do you remember as a child climbing into cabinets, trying to fit into hampers, making forts or trying to fit in other cozy spaces? Well, the squish box is like that. You can make them with everyday items or inexpensive, easily found materials for children in your classroom or at ...