SPED 427/527

1. SPED 427/527 Early Childhood Education and Assistive Technology

2. Early Childhood Developmental Needs • Social skills • Communication skills • Attention span • Fine and gross motor skills • Self-confidence and independence

3. Technology Categories • Switches and switch-activated devices • Augmentative and alternative communication devices

4. Developmental Issues • Critical developmental milestones • Responding to people and environmental inputs • Interacting with people and environment • Expressing wants and needs • Exploring environment • Engaging self with others and environment • Reaching levels of independence in all areas

5. Early Childhood Developmental Analysis • Consider developmental milestones for selected age-group • Summarize skill development for each heading • Identify long-term educational implication of each heading • Discuss impact of delay, dysfunction, or non-existence of any or all of the individual milestones

6. Early Childhood Developmental Analysis • Discuss possible intervention strategies • Brainstorm possible AT solutions • Research AT options on web • Summarize potential of AT for children with disabilities in assigned age-group

7. AT Solutions • 1-3 months - nurturing and bonding, basic needs, postural strength and awareness, responding to environment • 4-7 months - moving extremities and supporting head/trunk, body awareness, interaction with environment • 8-12 months - active movement and exploration, purposeful use of hands and legs, emerging communication system

8. AT Solutions • 12-24 months - independent mobility, purposeful and useful language, emerging play skills • 24-36 months - refining communication and motor skills, purposeful play (constructive, imaginative, etc.) • 3-4 years - refining motor skills for skill development (throwing, catching, kicking, etc.), meaningful writing/drawing, maturing communication and social skills • 4-5 years - interactive motor, communication, social skills, emerging pre-academic skills

9. AT Solutions • 1-3 months • Positioning equipment • Feeding options • Developmental stimulation equipment

10. AT Solutions • 4-7 months • Wedges, pillows, supports • Wrist/ankle rattles • Interactive toys

11. AT Solutions • 8-12 months • Push toys, standers, walkers • Touch-activated toys • Early communication systems

12. AT Solutions • 12-24 months • Standers, braces, orthotics • Communication devices with multiple inputs

13. AT Solutions • 24-36 months • Walkers, standers, braces • Switch-activated toys

14. AT Solutions • 3-4 years • Adapted balls, games, manipulative toys, feeding • Positioning devices • Multi-function communication devices

15. AT Solutions • 4-5 years • Wheelchairs, standers, walkers, braces/orthotics, positioning equipment • Adapted toys and educational materials • Computer access devices

16. NAEYC Statement • Individualized needs, based on parent/teacher collaboration • Potential to enhance cognitive and social skills • One of many options to enhance learning • Ensure access to all

17. NAEYC Statement • Promote diversity and positive social values • Technology appropriate to needs and development • Educator awareness and ongoing training opportunities

18. Process • Identify need • Exploring options • Determining features match • Locating funding sources • Acquiring devices • Training and support

19. Using the SETT Framework • Identify strengths and needs of child • Describe special interests, family preferences, available resources, etc. • Prioritize needs • Describe environmental issues • Consider each domain area • Describe environment and opportunities within the environment

20. Using the SETT Framework • List the tasks or expectations • Consider each domain • Parents expectations • Educator expectations • Brainstorm possible tools to meet the needs • Identify the “features” of the tools needed • Discuss tool options • Research availability of tools

21. Assignment • Students will work in collaborative groups of 3-4 people, including both EC and ECSE majors. • Given a case reference, students will describe the developmental issues of the child’s age according to three domain areas (home, school, community). • Given needs statement by parent and understanding the educational needs of the child’s age, students will outline the needs of this case in each of the domain areas.

22. Assignment • Using assigned technology applications, students will create a communication board for each domain area using Boardmaker and one multisensory activity using Intellitools that incorporates each domain area. • Students will compile a resource list of AT devices that would be appropriate to the needs of this case in each domain area. • Students will submit a summary of how AT could be incorporated into child’s day

23. Universal Design for Learning: Toys • Developmental skill development • Features for universal appeal • Categorization of toys according to development skill

24. UDL - Developmental Skills • Motor skills • Cognitive skills • Language skills • Social skills • Self-esteem • Emotional skills • Creativity and imagination

25. Features for Universal Appeal • Multi-sensory • Method of activation • Location of use • Opportunity for success • Modern appeal • Self-expression • Adjustability • Individual ability and interest • Safety and durability • Promotion of interaction

26. Categorization of Toys • Motor development • Balls, playground equipment • Blocks, constructive toys • Puzzles • Cognitive skills • Games • Books • Computer software

27. Categorization of Toys • Dramatic play • Dress-up clothes • Toy furniture/appliances • Dolls, puppets • Cars, trucks • Creative skills • Clay • Crayons, paint, paper

28. Categorization of Toys • Sensory play • Watertable • Sand and water toys • Music • Instruments • bubbles