Two Single Switch Games for Young Children

Mother Goose website has two jumping games played just with a switch set to space bar, "The Cow Jumps Over the Moon" and "Jack Be Nimble".  There are also a number of games great for a touch screen and others that work with multiple switches set to the arrow keys (perfect for those learning to use switches for powered mobility).

Feeding Tube Awareness Week

I was reminded by my blogging friend Rose-Marie at Adapting Creatively that this is Feeding Tube Awareness Week.  You can check out her post here.  Also see the Feeding Tube Awareness Website.

Some resources to think about include the free book for children from Mito Action (please donate to Mito Action a couple of dollars, they do great work for kids with Mitochondrial Disease). I have previously posted about g-tube feedings at school here.

Some ideas for awareness week might be:

• have your students in to speak about using a g-tube in a health class, scout troop or another setting
• do a lesson or series of lessons teaching your students communication and self-advocacy about their g-tube - practice communicating messages like, "my g-tube hurts", "I am feeling hungry.", "I feel full.", "My feeding pump has a problem.", and directions to instruct someone on giving a feeding or troubleshooting a feeding pump
• teach your students how a g-tube works, allow them to see and touch things like a mickey, extensions, gauze, cans of formula, bolus syringes, feeding pump backs
• have your students make posters or flyers for Feeding Tube Awareness Week
• have your students write or compose letters to people getting a tube for the first time

A while back I printed a list of g-tube friendly clothing and accessories.  Here is an update:

• AMT - G-tube accessory to clamp the connection closed
• Bundie Baby - includes g-tube onesies and wraps and a g-tube wearing stuffed animal 
• G2ube - cloth g-tube pads
• Logan's G-Tube Clothes - including special patches to make "Tummy Tunnels"
• My Button Buddies - cloth g-tube pads
• Snap-ez4life - cloth g-tube pads
• Special Clothes - will add  g-tube pockets to special clothes

Overseas Products I Wish I Could Find In the USA

• V-Pen 


• The V-Pen is a mid tech AAC solution
• It uses special coding to allow the V-Pen to speak messages that correspond with paper
• You can use a variety of pre-made manual boards or make your own with special software
• Recordable Bar
• with six buttons and ten seconds of recording per button this would make a perfect visual schedule at $25.00
• Look2Talk Complete
• a complete set of materials and guides to creating, teaching and using low tech eye gaze communication boards
• The Talk Time Range 
• A variety of products that allow recording a voice and hearing it played back
• Includes a talking block (to use as a dice), switches and dry erase boards (Mayer-Johnson does carry a couple of these items.

• StoryBoards
• a set of pictures and story telling boards to allow students to "write" and tell a story
• reinforces time concepts as it is used

• Eyegaze Frame with Picture Print Software
• a transparent eye gaze frame and specialized software to print symbols for it

Updated: Free Online Switch Activities

For most current list please click here.

This is an update of the post listing online switch activities for learners with multiple or significant special needs. The activities listed are chosen because they can be used with switches, they are simple and they are enjoyable. The activities listed are free. Some activities may require set up by an assistant before switch use. Although care has been taken not to include switch activities with any violence or graphic images teachers and others still need to check activities for age and general appropriateness before use.

Cause and Effect (and Press to Play):

• Hiyah
• Kneebouncers
• Priory Woods Videos Revamped
• Learning Tools (scroll down)

Single Switch Scanning (sites may include some cause and effect games as well):

•  A Sliding Puzzle for Helen (download)
• Bullseye
• CBBC
• CBeebies
• Cow Jumped Over the Moon
• Jack Be Nimble
• My Switch Games by Scott McKay
• NGfL Switch Coloring
• Papunet
• Priory Woods Kids Only
• SEN/Switcher
• Shiny Learning 
• SwitchedOn Games Bowling
• The Great Fish Race (download only)

Two Switches (unless otherwise noted you music click in the area of the game and then use tab and enter to play):

• Accessible Book Launcher
• Bug Memory
• Fruit Memory
• Space Memory
• Sensory House (tab and enter)

Updated: Free Visual Recipes

Cooking is a favorite activity in many life skills and severe special needs classrooms. Here are some links to websites with picture recipes.

• Boardmaker Share
• Bry Back Manor
• Cooking in the Classroom (scroll all the way down)
• Making Learning Fun
• Nellie Edge
• Non-Reader Recipes
• Picture Cookbook Gallery
• Rebus Recipes
• Speaking of Speech
• Students with Differences Picture Recipes
• Symbol World
• VisualRecipes.Com
• Voice4U Recipes
• Widget - Food Tastes Better Outdoors Resource Pack

Single Picture Recipes

• Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Jim's Apple Pie 
• Not Yo' Nana's Fishsticks
• Satsuma Orange Juice
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Smooth Talker

The new Smooth Talker is a sequential message switch that can also be used for a single switch or random order messages.  Total message time is two minutes.  The Smooth Talker can be activated with an external switch (wireless switch capability included), be set to use as a cooperation switch and be used as an auditory scanning device (author's comment - OMG!  Finally!).  Additionally you can use it like a standard switch to activate adapted toys and devices.


Here are the specs from Inclusive TLC:

• Two minutes recording time.
• Two loud speakers.
• 1.4 watt amplifier.
• Fits standard Big Switch mounting plates.
• Built-in Simply Works wireless technology.
• 9v PP3 batteries required.
• Easy programming using LED mode indicators.
• Volume control with on/off button.
• 3.5mm switch input socket.
• 3.5mm toy control socket.
• Available in red, blue, yellow and green.
• Toy control label supplied.

The only thing I don't see is a means to hold a picture symbol in place on the Smooth Talker.

The Smooth Talker retails for $165.00.

Professional Development Resolutions?

Did you make a new years resolution to improve your practice as a teacher?  Or maybe you need CEUs?  Or you might just love going to conferences?  Here is a list of some places to find professional development for those who teach individuals with severe or multiple disabilities.

• American Speech and Hearing Association
• National Conference held in November at rotating sites
• other conference held year round in different locations and online
• Assistive Technology Industry Conference 
• National Conferences in Chicago in October and Orlando in January
• online webinars available
• Council for Exceptional Children - CEC
• National conference held in April at rotating sites
• variety of online courses available
• C-SUN
• large assistive technology conference
• held yearly in March in San Diego
• Closing the Gap  
• National assistive technology conference held in October in Minneapolis
• International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication - ISAAC
• conference held yearly in July/August in varying countries/locations
• (2011 will be in Philedephia)
• Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities
• International conference held yearly in Honolulu, HI
• TASH 
• National Conference held in December 
• Also see their webinars

The following agencies may offer local conferences or courses:

• Easter Seals
• United Cerebral Palsy
• ARC
• Centers for Independent Living

Other places to find professional development:

• local children's hospitals
• local universities
• disability specific organizations (Down Syndrome Congress, Rett Syndrome Foundation, etc)
• special education agencies (collaboratives, intermediate units, BOCES, etc) and schools
• state department of education or disabilities