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To continue on with the theme of the month, here are some app (and computer based) resources for easily creating your own communication boards: Pogo Boards Pogo Boards is a communication board creator for both the computer and the iOS platform. You can make traditional grid-based communication boards and a variety of other visual supports.…

This site contains a list of apps that can be used to make communication boards for children or adults. If there’s anything I’ve learned in OT school, its the importance of having a backup plan at all times. A type of communication board creator that makes a great board for one client may not be a good fit for the next client. There are so many options on this list that we can try! A few examples are PogoBoards, ConnectABILITY, and Picture Card Maker.

I found it really concerning when it was mentioned in class that insurance coverage for assistive technology in nursing homes is lacking/nonexistent. I found this site - payingforseniorcare.com - and followed links to the application page. The application can be used for seeking payment for durable medical equipment, in-home care, long term care insurance, medical bill assistance, funding for prescriptions, adult day care, etc. It is filled out with identifying information, such as being a therapist filling it out for your client. It does request information on past income and current health conditions. It is a great resource to keep in mind, especially if you’re interested in pursuing geriatric occupational therapy like I am!

davidthesloth-blog

It turns out special education isn't just for special education students.

Unit 4:

I found this article through Reddit, where it describes a school district advocating the use of assistive technology in their classrooms. They abide by a “universal design” method, which incorporates AT in order to benefit every student. The school wants to provide AT and/or allow it in a classroom setting, in ways that benefit the student. They understand that every student is different, and so technology can be specific to their needs. Within the article, there are specific quotes and examples of positive reactions to how AT has helped.

girlkeven-blog

This is a great article about a specific school district, and I think sharing personal stories like this one about the effectiveness of AT are important for collaboration and understanding across different fields. Universal design is also something that should be recognized across disciplines as well, so I am glad you and this article mentioned it!

asteinbecker1-blog

Articles like this would be great to share with special education teachers so they can advocate in their own schools. I think too often, teachers can wrongly assume assistive technology is only beneficial in the educational setting for those with severe disabilities. There are so many benefits to a universal design for every student. This also helps with AT device use because children won’t feel singled out for having a device. Great read!

The orbiTouch is a wireless, keyless keyboard that doesn’t require wrist or finger movements to work. I didn’t think too much of this device until I read the interview with the child with Asperger Syndrome. He mentioned that the keyboard is in alphabetical order and it makes more sense to him that way. This was a good lesson for me - just because I don’t see much from the feature list for a device does not mean a client could not find it meaningful. The boy also provided good feedback to the company as a frequent user what he wishes it had, such as the ability to fit in his backpack. This is another great consideration - our clients use these devices day in and day out and they have the best suggestions for changes based on the needs of their population.

marissabonney

Ryan Weimer is the father of 3 children who were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. His goal was to make his children feel like superstars instead of being looked at with sympathy. Ryan created a nonprofit organization, Magic Wheelchair, that would provide children in wheelchairs with amazing, unique Halloween costumes. This story shows how creativity and devotion can have a tremendous impact on the quality of life for someone with a disability. Although this organization goes to a lot of trouble to create these costumes, occupational therapists and other members of society should realize that all acts of kindness can go a long way. Taking steps to include individuals with disabilities will create an overall positive atmosphere in a world that views disability as a limitation.

shanfoley

This is a really cool video that Marissa posted. It’s about a dad who created a company that designs Halloween costumes for kids in wheelchairs. It’s sounds like an awesome organization that allows kids to participate in special holidays like Halloween no matter their disability. It really promotes involvement and focuses on that whole child and what is important to them which is very OT.

asteinbecker1-blog

I love this! I think it is easy for us to forget how important holidays like Halloween are to kids. When a child is in a wheelchair they do not always feel included in something like this. These "costumes" are so individual and give the child an opportunity to feel special like any other kid on that day!

Fieldmaster is a company that develops four wheel drive wheelchairs for multiple purposes. Their site describes use of their chairs for sports such as football, hiking, hunting, and many other outdoor occupations that cannot be performed in a typical motorized chair. A good friend of mine has a chair similar to this and speaks of it like it is the golden throne of all his chairs because he was so outdoorsy before his accident and this chair allowed him to continue his outdoor occupations.

This video gives insight into real people’s lives and the influence of assistive technology on their level of function. The i-grow company believes that there is assistive technology for everyone, not just individuals with disabilities but also their families, caregivers, and healthcare practitioners. Technology gives people control of their lives again. Involvement in activities increases and communication grows. As therapists, we can utilize technology to get our clients more excited about their time with us and motivate them to achieve their goals. This serves as an important reminder to not only focus on the technology for those with severe disabilities, but also those with minor disabilities who could benefit from the use of technology to increase their participation in activities. AT is a great trick to keep in our back pocket as OTs!

Special focus on the first keyboard in this video that the little girl is using. The format of this keyboard looks more child-friendly and has different colored keys based on the letter, symbol, function, etc. This is an adaptation we didn’t see on any of the keyboards presented in class. This keyboard would be a great stepping stone for a child who does well with a QWERTY keyboard but has difficulty finding the right keys. The vowels are highlighted in purple so they can easily be found, consonants in green, numbers and designated symbols on the top row are burgundy, symbols are yellow, and other keys are navy blue. Although I can’t think of any other reason for the keyboard, the color coding could help a child to increase typing speed instead of transitioning to a more adapted keyboard right away.

HOORAY for HIPPOTHERAPY! This technology allows disabled individuals to take the reins during hippotherapy or leisure horse riding. Many individuals receive hippotherapy as a form of occupational therapy - graded sensory input provided through the movements of the horse. The man this technology was designed for is blind and deaf, combined with a diagnosis on the Autism spectrum. He, like many other individuals with disabilities, has to be guided on the horse by a volunteer or a therapist. The prototype sensor changes this completely. The device is relatively inexpensive to make so it could be affordable for families of a wide range of incomes. It is wallet-sized and connects to a smartphone through an App. Two wires run into straps which connect to each of the rider’s arms. The rider guides the horse physically unaided by the therapist, receiving signals which are being sent to them from across the ring (from the therapist or volunteer’s smartphone). The commands are very easy to understand - for example, one vibration on the right arm would indicate he should steer the horse to the right and a simultaneous vibration in both arms indicates the need to pull back on both reins to stop the horse. As OTs we’re always looking for our clients to be more independent, and I think this is great start! Especially if riding a horse independently is what THEY want to do :)

alappe1

Parents and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) children tested and reviewed three new watches that promise to grab your child's attention and teach them valuable lessons about schedules and responsibility.

While looking on Pinterest for types of assistive technology, I found this great article. Until I read it, I never would have thought of a watch as a type of assistive technology. Children with attention deficit disorders use a watch as an alarm to remind them of certain activities of daily living. Since individuals wear watches on a regular basis, a child doesn’t stand out while using this device. It can be programmed to go off multiple different times a day as reminders for whatever they may need. One of the parents set up their child’s watch to vibrate every 20 minutes saying “Pay Attention” while the child was in class. This vibration doesn’t disrupt other students, but gives a child with ADD or ADHD the extra reinforcement to focus. Another parent used the watch to remind their child to take their medicine throughout the day. These are just a few of many examples that an individual with attention deficits could benefit from using this device.

asteinbecker1-blog

This product is really interesting and the purpose behind its development makes sense! It gives children with ADHD a feeling of responsibility for their own actions, chores, medications, etc. I also like that because a watch is a common accessory, they don’t stand out from other children for having it on. I’d love to hear more personal testimonies from parents and children, as it seems there are a few issues some families have run into regarding set-up and adherence. However, maybe if they were assisted with set-up and the child was trained to use the device properly, this problem could be eliminated!

shanfoley

Why can't two slices of pizza be used as a slide clicker? Why shouldn't you make music with ketchup? In this charming talk, inventor Jay Silver talks about the urge to play with the world around you. He shares some of his messiest inventions, and demos MaKey MaKey, a kit for hacking everyday objects.

Jay Silver is a creative genius in this video. He explains how everyday objects can be used for a variety of uses by using his product the Makey Makey. For example, he uses pencils and piano circuits to make different noises. From here he uses all different household items such as leather, paint brushes, the sink, a hula hoop to continue making music. He spread his idea through workshops and watched what people could do with it. People came back with all sorts of ideas including a mushroom organ, a piano out of stair steps, and a man creating music for the Star Spangled Banner by eating lunch (minute 10). He then started connecting them with computers and was able to create switches or conductors through foods such as pizza or bananas to control certain aspects of the computer. He used play-doh to create a game controller and was even able to use plants to play the drums. On minute 11, a father came up with a glove to help his son who has CP to navigate the web and make a computer more accessible for him.

While the main point of this product was not originally created to help people with disabilities, I think the possibilities are endless. As the glove example shows, all different kinds of objects can be used. This is great for OT because we like to focus on the client in a holistic view considering all aspects of the person. With that in mind, each individual is different. This product can be used or adapted to whatever product would work best with a specific client to better help them do what they want to do.

asteinbecker1-blog

This is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen! The idea of it is still blowing my mind, but it definitely changed the way I look at technology and the use of everyday items. His attitude is the kind of outlook necessary to create new assistive technology and to open new doors! It also brings laughter and creativity to people’s lives, which is always important! I loved it. Good share!

Here are Top 8 Accessibility Tips to Make iPhone Use Easier for the Elderly.

This article is a great reference for the iOS features we discussed in class regarding accessibility, specifically pertaining to the elderly. This particular link identifies 8 as being most important for this population - 1) VoiceOver, 2) text enlargement, 3) zoom, 4) enable Button Shapes, 5) inverted colors or grayscale for nighttime reading, 6) Speak for selected text, 7) Reduce Motion option for motion sickness, and 8) the Special Display zoom feature. I found the Reduce Motion option most interesting because I do not remember addressing this in class but it is a good point to think about. If you pay attention to how fast the iphone moves and how quickly screens pop up and move around, it can easily be overwhelming for someone who is prone to motion sickness. I come across so many older adults who want to be proficient on the iPhone. These minor adjustments in Settings can make accessibility so much easier for them and can allow them to connect with their family and friends just like everybody else.

dawod123

Unit 2

In class we spoke about accessibility features that can be found on our devices. I pulled up the page for accessibility features of Apple devices. I think it is important to familiarize ourselves with these features because it can enhance productivity when individuals use these devices. I like how this page is set up because it allows you to pick an accessibility feature based on what you need such as, vision, hearing, physical/motor skills, and learning/literacy. If a device is not compatible with the individual’s needs, it may just need some simple adjusts. We should be able to access these features and teach our clients how they can adjust them to improve their function. There are also sites for android and other devices that explains the use of accessibility features.

asteinbecker1-blog

This is a great resource to have on hand! Most people have an iPhone or iPad these days, so if we can make small adjustments to the settings on a device they already have, we're saving them the cost of an expensive device that would serve the same purpose! Good idea Nadia!

The AdMouse is an alternative to the typical mouse and it performs all of the same functions - drag, click, double click, and right click. On-screen cursor control offers customizable speeds and also has the ability to sound an alarm to alert caregivers, educators, therapists, etc. when the user is having difficulty. There is a built in keyboard and incline (which unfortunately is not adjustable). There are also raised outlines on the arrow keys for ease of access. Visual and auditory cues from lights and beeps give the user feedback that a key has been activated in addition to the tactile cues. Durability was rated well as it is made of tough plastic. The mouse is compatible with Windows, Android, and Macintosh, but not iOS. There is no software required - it is a Plug/Play device. This technology would be a good fit for diagnosis such as Parkinson's, CP, and arthritis. Cons to this piece of technology include the inability to adjust the height. I also think it looks slightly childish (colors, design, etc.). I agree that the simple design would be a great fit for diagnosis such as Parkinson's and CP, in addition to mild-moderate dementia, PCD, Down's syndrome, or any other diagnosis with decreased cognition or limited range of motion.

This organization provides an assistive technology exchange program for people interested in donating or acquiring AT - how cool! These are the types of resources we should be aware of as we enter the field of OT. It is especially convenient that this one is located in Missouri. I have a personal connection to this topic because one of my client's families was so gracious in donating all of her (very expensive) equipment after she passed away from her disease. This can be a huge blessing to another family who might desperately need this technology but does not have the resources to acquire it. Some assistive technology is not a "need" per insurance's definitions but can still be life changing! This kind of exchange program is great for these situations. They offer anything from shoe horns and shower chairs to communication devices and wheelchairs!

I've been doing some researching on reimbursement information and assistive technology. Although in a perfect world money would be no issue, it is often an important factor that we have to consider when working with families. This link reports that in order for assistive technology to be covered by the Assistive Technology Request (ATR) program, it must be in the child's IEP and cost between $500 and $5,000. Examples of these devices listed on the site are: "electronic enlarging devices, personal assistive listening systems, augmentative communication devices, alternative keyboards, pointing devices, speech recognition software, text-to-speech software, tablets, computers and laptops that have been identified as assistive technology, and reading systems." ATR also requests a follow-up to determine overall effectiveness of the technology and how it has impacted educational outcomes. Reimbursement is the not so fun part of OT that we unfortunately can't ignore.

Not having a smartphone makes a person very "out of the loop" these days. This product, designed in Europe, tracks head positioning and movements to navigate the phone, placed on a mount in front of them, so that individuals can access a smartphone even if they do not have use of their upper extremities. This can be beneficial for nonverbal clients as well because they can type messages to communicate with their family, peers, educators, etc. I would be curious to know the cost in comparison to the eye-gaze technology as well as track current research completed on this product.

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