What should I get for my new room?

I have a feeling I have answered this before, so fogive me, but I have been e-mailed a couple of times recently by new teachers or teachers changing to a new population asking what they should ask for as the building blocks of adapted devices/assistive technology for their new classroom of learners with severe or multiple disabilities.

Although the specifics will vary depending on the age group, the budget, the computers and other educational technology available in the room and other variables here are the items I would ask for:

• switches at the very least a Big Red and/or a Jelly Bean and possibly a wobble switch such as the Ultimate Switch or if you wish the Jelly Beamer Switch eliminates wires.
  
• switch mounts if your population with need them such as the Universal Mounting Arm
• Boardmaker Plus is the one piece of software that you MUST have in the intensive/severe special education classroom, it can be used for everything from printing out picture symbols and board, to creating interactive books and curriculum to sharing everything you can think of on Adapted Learning
• Classroom Suite is the next must have and with the exception of printing symbol/boards it does everything Boardmaker Plus does and then some
• Choose It Maker is another piece of software to consider
  
• a sequenced voice out put switch such as the Little Step-by-Step
• a two choice voice out put device such as the iTalk2
• a switch interface to attach a switch to the computer such as the Don Johnston Switch Interface Pro or the new Ablenet Hitch
• A Powerlink or similar device to allow students to use a switch to control small appliances like blenders and radios
  
• battery operated switch scissors make cutting possible for switch users
  
• a pouring cup on a flew mount can be used for everything from watering plants, to cooking, to pouring paint to mixing solutions in science and is a must have in most room and many teachers don't even know it
• battery adapters and a notching file to adapt any battery adapted item yourself
  

Note: try using the search feature to search this blog for ways to use any of these items.

Other fun things to consider:

• the Webber Functional Communication Game gets TONS of use in our classroom (I won it as a door prize at a conference a couple of years ago and it is one of my most prized possesions)
• All About Me, All About You and Yes or No also get lots of use (although I often re-word questions based on the student to allow them to be answered using a particular communication system)
  

Some friendly advice:
Make sure you know the warranty and repair policies of the companies you are ordering from as well as their reputation for making durable products:

• Ablenet Warrenty and Repair Info
• Enabling Devices Warrenty and Repair Info

Also keep in mind pretty much every AT company require a return authorization number for returns or repairs - so call first!