Adaptive Tech Solutions, Ideas, Information

As parents, teachers, and therapists, we all encourage the children we work with to practice good hand hygiene by washing their hands for 20 seconds. This is especially important with Covid-19 and flu season. Individuals with disabilities often have more difficulty completing multi-step tasks, and they often are unaware of how long 20 seconds is! But, the more we provide direct prompting, the more dependent they become on us. (This is called prompt dependence.) Using an inexpensive talking butto …

According to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, Parkinson’s Is second only to Alzheimer's as the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease in the United States. A diagnosis of Parkinson’s can lead to frustrating experiences while typing or using a computer mouse. There are, however, some adaptations and accessibility settings that can make these tasks much easier. These same accommodations can benefit those with tremors and diseases such as MS. Keyboard ControlA common symptom of Parki …

Adaptive Tech Solutions featured in Issue 3, 2019 of MDA's Quest MagazineDenise, speech therapist and owner of  Adaptive Tech Solutions, discusses the importance of play to develop skills that are crucial for language development. For children with disabilities, play can be difficult due to motor impairments. Through the use of adapted toys, kids with disabilities can experience play to enhance their understanding of cause-and-effect, object permanence,  and other precursory skill …

Communication devices come with two types of speech. One is digital, the other is recorded. Devices with digital speech should be in the user’s language and have a keyboard in the native alphabet. Messages are made by typing words/phrases (represented by a picture) that are then spoken by a digital voice in the chosen language. Most, but not all devices with digital speech in the US are going to be English, with some having the option of Spanish as well. Usually you cannot mix languages, …

Cerebral Palsy, the most common motor disorder, can make it difficult for people to interact with their environment. Through the use of assistive technology, such as  switches and switch adapted toys/devices, people with Cerebral Palsy can independently interact with their environment. Switches are buttons, levers, or sensors that can be activated with any part of the body. Switches vary in how much pressure is required to activate them. So, a person with very limited motor m …