Episode Ten - The One Where Cathy Realizes a Broader Definition of Assistive Technology

It is a personal goal of mine to gain more comfort and confidence with technological equipment so as to help each of my students utilize assistive technology. Through the process I am looking at assistive technology with a much broader lens. As a result my objective is being met. Serendipitously, I have had a lot of fun.
In fact, I have come to realize that I have been taking advantage of assistive technology throughout my entire life. Perhaps I can now justify my extravagance when I purchased my KitchenAid appliances - my hands do not hurt after I prepare meals and desserts anymore. I can hold my head up high whenever I get my stepping stool to reach my shoes on the top shelf in my closet, wear my reading glasses to read the newspaper, use my orthotics to avoid foot pain and place my lanyard around my neck to keep my keys close at hand. No wonder I really enjoyed learning about the various ideas fellow students came up with for using dollar store items as assistive technology items for their students. I have already implemented ideas that I received from the presentation during our last EDUC 5173 class. Thank you to everyone for inspiring me to approach assistive technology in a much better way.
Throughout this winter I have had the opportunity to learn through different types of webinars. As you already know, I am going to San Francisco to participate in the ASCD annual conference. As a means of offsetting the high conference fee, I forwarded my name as a volunteer at two sessions. On the night of March 10, the ASCD conference volunteer coordinator trained us through a Webinar. It was exciting to join the approximately 50 other people throughout the world who participated. I have come to appreciate that this method of instruction is a good fit for me and my preference towards visual learning. (Learning in the comfort of my own home is a beautiful bonus!). I must say that I liked the Eluminate system that Barb used in earlier this semester better since I could see her and also download documents easily. (It was more difficult to make a personal connection with the ASCD presenter) Without a doubt, I would love to have further opportunities to use Eluminate again.
Thank you for reading my blog.

Episode Nine - Part Three - The One Where Cathy and Cathy Visit the Dollar Store

Our Top 10 Finds at Dollar Store


1. Sand Paper
2. Suction Plate
3. Pick Up Tool
4. Egg Timer
5. Bubble Wrap
6. Remote Control
7. Magnifying Glass
8. Plastic Bucket with Holes
9. Large Clothes Pins
10. Electric Stapler

Episode Nine Part Two - The One Where Cathy and Cathy Visit the Dollar Store

Task B
Adaption of dollar store materials to invent an assistive technology tool for your student

Milieu - school or home
Personality – student who has fine motor challenges with the inability to use his arms, grasp, and draw.
Task – allows student to hold and use a crayon, facilitates colouring and participating at home and with his peers in classroom art tasks.
Technology –modified crayons

• The modified crayon shape creates an art tool that can be effectively used by the student who has fine motor challenges with the inability to use his arms, grasp, and draw.

• This technology allows him to hold and use a crayon, facilitates colouring and participating with his peers in classroom art tasks.

• The economical cost and simple instruction allow for additional crayons to be prepared for the student to use at home or other locations.

• To prepare this technology, regular crayons were melted using a miniature cupcake pan in 265 degree Fahrenheit oven for about ten minutes. Once cooled at room temperature followed by a half hour in the freezer, the newly-shaped crayons pop out easily.

Episode Nine Part One - The One Where Cathy and Cathy Visit the Dollar Store

Task A
Ready made Technology

Milieu - school or home
Personality - child with fine motor problems, attention issues, and lacks motivation for proper hygiene, cognitively delayed.
Task – grasping a tooth brush and brushing teeth for adequate (3 minutes) amount of time.
Technology – suction based tooth brush and three minute hour glass timer.

Tooth brush and Three minute timer:
• Favourite cartoon character design motivated children to brush.

• Vacuum holders support tooth brush stand on the surface of walls or glass (easier to pick up).

• Hourglass indicated the right time for brushing, neither too long nor too short. The three minutes of flowing sand will help children form good brushing habits.

• Makes brushing fun!

Episode 8 - The One Where Cathy Learns About More IPod Apps

Last Thursday night we were treated to an informative Eluminate session that provided us with more information about suitable IPod apps to compensate for our students' learning challenges. Among the benefits of Eluminate learning is the perspectives that we received through the messages that were displayed from teachers employed in other parts of Canada. Without a doubt, I am a fan of the Eluminate classroom and look forward to enrolling in courses that utilize this technology.