100 Engaging Switch Activities On a Budget - December 2023 …

December 2023 / January 2024 Closing The Gap Solutions - 100 Engaging Switch Activities On a Budget By Heidi G. Brislin

? instruction, literacy & inclusion

100 Engaging Switch Activities On a Budget

Students who require alternative access in order to engage in their educational program, social interactions, and recreation and leisure activities need repetitive yet varied opportunities to practice and refine their switch skills. These activities should be integrated throughout the school day. However, finding a vari- ety of engaging activities within the constraints of most school district budgets can be quite challenging. In this article, I will discuss how you can create motivating switch activities using only four tools that can be easily incorporated throughout the school day. You will need a switch of some sort, such as a small Jelly Bean, Specs Switch, Plate Switch, Proximity Switch, or Pil- low Switch. I will focus on ways to add variety through repeti- tion using Two LITTLE Step-By-Step voice output switches, a PowerLink4 or an earlier version, an All-Turn-It Spinner, and a switch-adapted pouring tool. I prefer the flex mount. There is also a less expensive version that works well. (Image 1) Learning switch skills is quite challenging for the children we teach. Students must coordinate many skills to successful- ly activate the switch and make something happen. These skills include motor, sensory, motor planning, cognition, social and emotional, and language skills. Initially, learning to engage in their environment using switches requires a high cognitive load to coordinate all of these skills. It's crucial that the outcome of activating the switch is immediate, highly impactful, and well worth the effort. Otherwise, students may choose not to expend

Image 1: Student activating Step-by-Step voice output switches to direct a caregiver during drawing and coloring activity

HEIDI G. BRISLIN, MS-OTR/L, Heidi is an Occupational Therapist and Assistive Technology Specialist for the Olympic Education Service District 114 and the Edmonds School District. Heidi also owns a private prac- tice Heidi Brislin OT Consulting in Kingston, WA. Heidi has extensive experience in school-based practice and outpatient adult rehab settings. She is a graduate of Boston University and University of Washington. Heidi is passionate about teaching teams to create authentic learning opportunities for all children, improving literacy skills, switch access, power mobility and helping children become autonomous communicators.

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the effort to engage in the activity. This often results in the stu- dent's team mistakenly thinking that they lack adequate skills, such as cause-and-effect, to develop switch skills as a method of access. In reality, it's often a lack of creativity that results in the disengagement of the student. From the very beginning, we must presume competence and assume that every switch activation is intentional. Each switch activation should be seen as a teachable moment where we de- scribe what happened when they touched the switch and en- courage them to try again. When discussing switch access and cause-and-effect skills for students with complex motor skills, Karen Kangas advises, "Don't get stuck in believing that the stu- dent does not know cause-and-effect; all humans are born with cause-and-effect. Model, demonstrate, and choose a switch that you know will be successful" (Kangas, 2012). When starting, it's important to determine the best place to position the switch. Clinicians should rely on their clinical observation to assess the student to identify where they move their body that may be potential switch sites. Often, the hand is not the most efficient access site for the student. Teams need to consider which move- ment allows for the most engagement with the activity, the low- est cognitive load, and the least motor planning and accuracy to execute the movement. Potential switch placements include the head, nose, elbows, chest, knee, and foot, among others. It may take time for the team to determine the best switch access site, as the initial choice may not always be the most efficient one. (Image 2)

Once a switch site is determined, it's crucial for teams to se- lect activities that are interesting and engaging for the student. These activities should be centered around age-appropriate, meaningful, and goal-directed play and leisure activities. Repeti- tion with variety is key to keeping the student motivated and en- gaged, as a wide body of research supports that slight changes during repeated play sessions help children master skills faster. If educators and therapists provide a child with only one switch site and one or two activities to practice a new motor skill, it may lead to a perception of a loss in motor skill, decreased motiva- tion, inconsistent performance, and a lack of cause and effect. In reality, it has very little to do with the student, but rather the need for play-based, fun activities with built-in repetition and variety (Bean, Ian, Switches Away From the Computer, 2022). We all are born with cause-and-effect. Our students do not learn cause-and-effect; they need to learn that they can have agency over their body to make amazing things happen. When you head out to see a student that you'd like to start working on switch access skills, you will need a switch, Step- by-Step voice output switch, an age respectful book, and a pre- sumption of competence. If the book has a repeated line, record that line in multiple voices on a Step-by-Step switch. If the book doesn't have a repeated line, record some comments about the story on the Step-by-Step switch and start reading with your stu- dent. You should model when to say the line while reading and then let the student know that you have placed the switch near their body part, allowing them to use the switch to read the line in the book. Model how to activate the switch, and give the stu- dent ample wait time, at least 10 seconds, to activate the switch. If the chosen location doesn't work after several tries, communi- cate with the student and suggest trying another placement. It should always be framed as a mistake in switch placement, not the student's inability to activate the switch. (Video 1)

Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5sCava4b_-s Initial switch eval for a student. Activity was shared reading using the book Don’t Push The Button by Bill Cotter. The Step- by-Step is connected to a mechanical switch that is placed at the student’s head. Recorded on the switch is the phrase, “Don’t touch the button”in several voices.

Image 2: Student activating switch with her nose. Second switch site is the right side of her head

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READING: 5.

After determining the appropriate switch placement, you can begin with fun activities using the Step-by-Step switches, which can be integrated throughout the school day. (Video 2)

Record comments about the book they are reading during shared reading. 6. Repeated lines in a book or song.(“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, “Will there be enough room?”, “He huffed and he puffed”) (Insert repeated Line document). 7. Direct the reading partner to turn the page. 8. Using the recorded yes/no responses to choose a letter of the day to work on. 9. With the recorded yes/no responses to make choices to change the first letter of a word to make new words. 10. Use yes/no to answer questions about the story (was the main character a boy, girl, child, or animal). 11. Select a book that they would like to read using their yes/ no switches. WRITING: 12. Responding when using an Alternative Pencil (See video 3). 13. Completing predictable chart writing. Using partner as- sisted scanning and a robust AAC system, verbally list cat- egories and allow them to respond yes/no. Once in the selected category read off choices and write the selected one on the chart. (example, “Sharks are_______.” choices could be sizes, colors, emotions/feelings, etc…) 14. Using yes/no buttons and all 26 letters of the alphabet, have the student pick the first letter of a word so that their communication partner can act as their word prediction when writing or telling you something.

Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooMRi5FWdC4 Video tutorial by Brenda del Monte demonstrating how to record on a Step-by-Step switch.

These communicators are essential tools for switch users and can be mounted on a student's chair or under their tray table. They allow you to connect the child's switch directly to the Step- by-Step, which can be used to provide directions, comment, count, answer/ask questions, or share about the day, among many other possibilities. The Step-by-Step lets you record three different levels of messages, each with multiple phrases on each level for added engagement. USING A STEP-BY-STEP COMMUNICATOR THROUGHOUT THE DAY I love to use step-by-step switches to give my students a method of saying yes and no when communicating with teachers and peers in the classroom. This is a great way to get students engaged in activities throughout the school day. I will record multiple ways to say yes and no such as, “Yep, that's it,” “you got it,” “for sure” or “no way,” “that is a hard pass,”“nope”). 2. Making comments during activities, (That’s Awesome!, I like that!, Let’s do it again!) 3. COMMUNICATION: 1. Work with the student using their yes and no to make choices about what they want to report to their fami- ly about their and then record that on the step by step switch. 4. “That’s the one.”When doing partner assisted scanning.

MATH: 15. Using yes/no buttons to choose numbers on the alterna- tive number pencil. 16. With the recorded yes/no or “that’s the one” the student Video 3: https://youtu.be/g3v7h5n-flY?si=Lx7GllfE1CpwlRER Student using her recorded yes/no responses to choose letters to sign her name.

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can pick a number for the correct answer to a problem or to complete a sequence. 17. Interviewing to conduct research on a topic and graphing results, (“I’m doing research can you help me?...Did you go to the beach or mountains or do something different this summer?...Thanks for your time”). 18. Use yes/no or that’s the one to pick the number of body parts to put on a drawing (eyes, arms, legs) (Image 3).

Video 4: https://youtu.be/_zVfwxi4BOA Video of AAC system directing voice activated robots.

Image 3: Image of a young man picking the number of eyes he wants on his picture

SELF-ADVOCACY: 19. Giving caregivers or peers directions (I like to call these Bossy Buttons) Bossy Button video. 20. Calling for help, (“Hey, I need you,”“I need some help over here.”) 21. Use Yes/no to make choices about what to wear, watch, listen to, etc…) ART , SPECIALISTS AND LEISURE: 22. Choosing colors when painting, drawing or coloring. 23. Commanding smart speakers at home, (Alexa, play my music). 24. Giving commands to voice activated robots (Video 4). 25. Playing hide and seek (Counting on one level) and then “I see you” on another). 26. Playing parts of a favorite song. 27. Playing musical instruments (Video 5). GROUP TIME OR CLASSROOM CHORES: 28. Report the weather or other calendar activities to the class. 29. Start the Pledge of Allegiance.

32. Direct peers to line up, pack up, and other classroom rou tines. Another great tool to use daily in the classroom is the All-Turn Spinner. You can either create custom backgrounds to go on the spinner, or use something as simple as a sticky note to adapt the spinner on the fly. It can be used for reading, writing, math, games, or assigning tasks - the options are endless. (Image 4, next page). USING AN ALL-TURN-SPINNER THROUGHOUT THE DAY READING: 33. Place several book options on the spinner and let the spinner pick the book to read. 34. Alphabet or Phonemic Awareness (Work on the letter or sound that the spinner lands on). Video 5: https://youtu.be/voFw-S984hA Band concert student is playing percussion with head switches and Little Mac Switches.

30. Announcing what is for lunch to the class. 31. Notify class of transitions, (“It’s group time.”)

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45. Board games (Candyland, Shoots and Ladders, Monopo- ly, etc..) can be adapted with hand made spinner back- grounds. 46. Select ingredients for a smoothie or a milkshake. GROUP TIME OR CLASSROOM CHORES: 47. Assign classroom jobs based on student names where the spinner lands. 48. Use the spinner to pick who goes first. The PowerLink 4 and iClick allow students to access and operate real world appliances in real world situations (such as cooking, turning on and off a mixer, etc…). With either of these tools, a plug and any electrical ap- pliance/toy with an on/off switch becomes accessible using a switch. Using either of these tools is easy. Here is a YouTube video demonstrating how to use the Power- Link 4. Spice up shared reading by creating a two-switch, two-function activity using a voice output switch and a PowerLink 4. In this video, the student is engaged in shared reading about the wind and sun. When reading about the wind, he can comment on how windy it is and how hard the wind is blowing. When the wind is the topic of the page, he uses a second switch to activate the “wind guy” to simulate the wind and help make a connection to the text. (Video 6)

Image 4: A student using a spinner background to choose which items to put in her air foam

WRITING: 35. Independent writing (Phrases related to the topic and write what the spinner lands on to create silly spinner writing).

36. Pick a writing topic out of several choices. 37. Pick a character or setting to write about. 38. Write about how the characters are feeling.

MATH: 39. Math facts (One or two spinners - spin the spinner and see if it gets the right answer to the problem. If using 2 spin- ners one can be used to choose the math problem and the second to answer. This is great because the student is never wrong, they get to tell the spinner that it is wrong!) 40. What number comes next-see if the spinner gets it right. Use voice output switches to have the student say, “that’s the one.” ART, SPECIALISTS, AND LEISURE: 41. Pick paint, marker, crayon colors. 42. Pick items to put into (slime, sandbox, water play, play dough). 43. Select a song to listen to. 44. Pick a game board or card game to play.

Video 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPFL1hOEvpM Video of reading the contest between the wind and the sun.

USING A POWERLINK4 THROUGHOUT THE DAY

READING: 49. Using inflatable yard decorations during shared reading. 50. Making a fan blow to simulate the wind in a story or put orange and red streamers on the fan to simulate a fire for a camping story.

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MATH AND SCIENCE: 51. Predicting, Counting and Measuring using a fan and blow dryer

64. Hand Mixer. 65. Pop Corn Maker. 66. Ice Cream Maker. 67. Salad Shooter. 68. Electric knife.

o Making Science Accessible-Part 1 o Making Science Accessible-Part 2 o Making Science Accessible-Part 3

SPORTS/RECREATION 69. Tabletop Bowling with a blow dryer. 70. Leaf Blower Bowling - How to Video.

52. Learning colors-Glitter Lava Lamp.

ART: 53. Adapt a fan for big spin art (Image 5). 54. Blow drier to move paint or blow something across the paint when doing acrylic pours. 55. Blow dryer to melt crayons to make encaustic paintings.

71. Leaf Blower Croquet. 72. Leaf Blower basketball.

73. Leaf blower volleyball (Image 6: Student using an Ulti- mate Switch to activate a leaf blower to set up a volleyball for his peers to serve.) 74. Leaf Blower-Yard/Deck Cleaning. 75. Leaf Blower Kick Ball. 76. Leaf Blower Scarf Chase. 77. Leaf Blower to Play Fetch with dog. 78. Inflatable Yard Decorations. 79. Using a waterpik as a squirting device in water fights. 80. Use a fan or blow dryer to blow out candles that relight. 81. Waterpik to water plants. 82. Drill to help with home projects. 83. Sewing machine - work together to sew. 84. Partner vacuuming.

Image 5: Student painting with adapted fan and switch adapted pouring tool

SENSORY: 56. Waving Banners. 57. Lava Lamp. 58. Animated Light Projector. 59. Sprinkle a Little Razzle Dazzle. 60. Game Day Celebrations with twinkle lights.

COOKING 61. Food Processor. 62. Blender. 63. Stand Mixer.

Image 6:

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USING SWITCH ADAPTED POURING TOOLS THROUGHOUT THE DAY

96. Measure and pour snack portions into bowls. 97. Pouring popcorn into the popcorn popper.

Switch Adapted Pourers are another great resource to add fun opportunities in many academic areas. You can also make your own that is cost effective to get started (How to make your own switch activated pouring tool). (Image 7)

COOKING 98. Adding ingredients when cooking/baking. 99. Making sand/colored rice art in a mason jar. 100. Water the dog/cat/classroom pet.

Having these four tools in your classroom, allows you to cre- ate hundreds of opportunities for your students to interact with peers, engage in academic instruction, show you what they know, and engage in self-directed play and leisure activities. Schedule these into your day, and you will have your students getting 100’s of switch hits a day resulting in increased muscle control, endurance, empowerment, and fun! REFERENCES: Alternative Pencils.,Department of Health Sciences Center for Literacy and Disability Studies retrieved from https://www.med. unc.edu/healthsciences/clds/alternative-pencils/

Bean, Ian, Switch Assessment and Teaching Guide, Retrieved from https://www.ianbean.co.uk/pd_swg/ August, 2022

Bean, Ian, Switches Away From the Computer, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.ianbean.co.uk/pd_awa/ August, 2022

Burkhart, Linda, Two Switches for Success: Access for Children with Severe Physical and/or Multiple Challenges. https://lind- aburkhart.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/switch_hand- out_3_12_Burkhart.pdf. 2016 Kangas, K. How Seating and Access Must be Altered to Sup- port Independent Access to Assistive Technology. Retrieved from https://nvatll.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/kangasseating. pdf

Image 7: Image of student activating a switch to pour paint on a canvas

MATH AND SCIENCE 85. Mixing items to see the reaction. 86. States of matter (add water to ice). 87. Making colors to dye eggs or color water for tie dying. 88. Adding water to make water beads/fake snow. 89. Pouring into a funnel to fill containers (salt/pepper, spic- es, etc…) ART, SPECIALISTS, AND LEISURE 90. Creating Acrylic Pour art. 91. Pouring paint onto spin arts. 92. Pouring sand when playing with peers in a play/sensory table. 93. Pour dirt and seeds into a pot to plant seeds.

Cotter, C, Porter, G, & Burkhart, Teaching Movements for Communication Conference, June 2022. Chicago.

Sutapa P, Pratama KW, Rosly MM, Ali SKS, Karakauki M. Improv- ing Motor Skills in Early Childhood through Goal-Oriented Play Activity. Children (Basel). 2021 Nov 2;8(11):994. doi: 10.3390/chil- dren8110994. PMID: 34828707; PMCID: PMC8625902. https:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8625902/ Wymbs, N.F., Bastian, A.J., Celnik, P. A. Motor Skills Are Strength- ened through Reconsolidation Current Biology 26, 338–343, February 8, 2016. https://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdfEx- tended/S0960-9822(15)01514-6

GROUP TIME OR CLASSROOM CHORES 94. Water plants. 95. Pouring juice/milk/water to drink.

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