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Strategies for Introducing AT

in the Early Years

https://cattnw.org/at-earlyyears

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Leslie Edmonds, TVI, M.SpEd; Tech Trainer

Eli Sanchez, Tech Trainer

Yue-Ting Siu, TVI/O&M, Ph.D; Coordinator

Washington State School for the Blind (WSSB)

Socials (Instagram/Facebook/YouTube): @cattnorthwest

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When is the best time to introduce technology to blind and low vision students*?

* We generally adopt identity-first language (American Psychological Association, 2020) as a show of allyship with blindness communities who have expressed preferences for empowerment via identity. For more information, see A Discussion of the Be My Eyes Inclusive Language Guide (Siu, 2024)

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Consider: The Technology Learning Curve

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AT Chat with CATT-NW!

Fun & Meaningful Tech in the Home

A CATT-NW created slidedeck to share with families, classroom staff, community members, and anyone interested in providing early assistive technology support to our blind and low vision students.

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AT Item # 1 - The Lightbox

Mini Lightbox from APH

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Lightbox Guidelines

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  • Positioning
  • Luminosity / Brightness
  • Working Distance
  • Targets - bigger, bolder, more colorful, movement.

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Introducing a Lightbox

  • What types of lighting situations help the child attend and participate?
  • Do bright lights distract the child from attending to the main part of a play situation or structured learning task?
  • Does the child “lock on” to a light source rather than the main part of a play situation or structured learning task?
  • Do bright lights overwhelm the child, causing him or her to “shut down”?

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Positioning When Using the Lightbox

  • Check in with PT and/or OT
  • Use a foam wedge and have child lay on that
  • Use a mat on the floor
  • Place lightbox on food tray or high chair
  • Place lightbox at an angle against a wall/strong surface

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Lighting Considerations

  • Use a low light to start any assessment
  • Put lightbox against a wall or sturdy service
  • Observe child in front of a TV or iPad to gauge tolerance

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Limit Distractions when using the Lightbox

  • Black backgrounds to limit distractions
  • Wear black clothing and/or black gloves
  • Use a black trifold around the lightbox
  • Drape a black cloth over a stand

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Video: Lightbox Ideas for Early Learners

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Slidedeck: Lightbox Activity - Shapes and Colors

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Slidedeck: Lightbox Activity - Compound Winter Words Multimedia

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Lightbox Maker Activities Slidedeck

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Video: Lightbox Story Hour! By Adam Wilton and Virtual ExCEL Academy

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AT Item #2 - Low Tech Devices

“The most effective solution is not always the most expensive one with all the bells and whistles”

- APH Connect Center

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  • Tactile Familiarity and Spatial Awareness
  • Cause-and-Effect Exploration
  • Introduction to "Home Row"
  • Fine Motor Skills and Pre-braille
  • Auditory Feedback and Screen Readers
  • Fun Learning Activities

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Keyboards for Play!!

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Perkins Brailler + Paige Connect

  • Learn braille
  • Initial auditory training
    • Audio feedback
    • Text-to-Speech from a computer
  • Visual display for teachers and parents

https://paigebraille.com/translate/

Paige Connect Intro Video

CATT Paige Connect Resource Page

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Activity: Letters (and Numbers) Scavenger Hunt

Have child:

  • Read/hear braille list of objects to find
  • Find hidden objects
  • Use Paige Connect to enter first letter or whole words
  • Practice locating, entering, and editing object names on a QWERTY keyboard

Variation: Create a story verbally or on a brailler about objects found

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AT Item # 3 - Switches

Select Switch from APH

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CATT-NW Switch Resources

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Switches

Cosmo Learning System

Play-centered learning system, Cosmo, incorporates eight Cosmo Dots, a multi-sensory, Bluetooth-enabled smart controller, and the Cosmo App, offering over 35 interactive activities designed to build cognitive, motor, social, and emotional skills.

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APH Products for Extensive Support Needs with CVI

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AT Item # 4 - Joy Player

Joy Player from APH

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Video: Unboxing the Joy Player from APH

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Video: Intro to the Joy Player Video

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Joy Player Product Guides

APH Joy Player Product Guide PDF

APH Joy Player Product Guide BRF

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Joy Player Frequently Asked Questions

  • What kind of songs/files does the Joy Player support?�Songs/Files must be MP3 or WAV files. MP4 or 3GS (NLS) songs/files may be converted to MP3 or WAV.
  • Can the Joy Player be muted/silenced?�When the Volume Down button switch is pressed to the limit, the player is completely silent.
  • Will the Joy Player cartridge override a flash drive or SD card?�If using a flash drive or SD card, the cartridge overrides a flash drive or an SD card. Make sure any cartridge inserted into the chute is not blank.
  • What kind of music files should be loaded onto the Joy Player cartridge?�When selecting a group of music files to place on a cartridge, do not select a file that is not a WAV or MP3 file. If this happens, connect the cartridge back to your computer and remove the alien file.
  • Can the Joy Player batteries be replaced?�Do not remove the rechargeable batteries that come in the device. Alkaline batteries will work, but they are not rechargeable. If you received the Joy Player from an outside source, check to see if the correct batteries are in the device. The device ships with batteries that are white with the APH logo on them. Batteries are not replaceable.
  • How to troubleshoot a Joy Player cartridge?�If you experience problems with a cartridge, connect the cartridge to the computer using the USB cable, reformat the cartridge, and reload your music:
    • For PC: Go to My PC and right click on the cartridge icon and select “Format.” The default should be FAT32. If it is not FAT32, change and click “Start.” If it is already FAT32, click “Start.” This will wipe the cartridge clean. For Mac: Launch Disk Utility, located in Applications > Utilities. Find the drive name from the left-hand side of Disk Utility and click on it. Mac default is FAT32. Click on the “Erase” tab across the top.

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The Goat and the Singing Wolf story (Level H/Grade 1) can be read by the child, parent/caregiver, teacher, or played on the APH Joy Player

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The Goat and the Singing Wolf adapted book slidedeck

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The Goat and the Singing Wolf MP3 for Joy Player

Story to Download for the Lightbox

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AT Item # 5 - High Tech

CATT AT Resources

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Chameleon 20 and Mantis Q40

The APH Chameleon 20 and Mantis Q40 are portable, refreshable Braille displays designed by APH for education and professional use, featuring 16GB storage, Bluetooth/USB connectivity, and built-in apps.

The Chameleon 20 has 20 cells and a Perkins-style keyboard, while the Mantis Q40 has 40 cells and a QWERTY keyboard.

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CATT-NW Jupiter Resource Page

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APH Jupiter Product Page

Jupiter CCTV from APH has 3 camera modes:

  • Reading
  • Distance Viewing (up to 105x)
  • Self-view

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CVI Apps for Early Learners

Sound Touch By SoundTouch

Peekaboo HD By Gotclues, Inc

Tap Tap Baby By MoonFry Labs

Bubbles By Hog Bay Software

Big Bang Pictures By Inclusive Technology Ltd

Big Bang Patterns By Inclusive Technology Ltd

My Talking Picture Board By Little Bear Sees

Peekaboo Barn By Night & Day Studios, Inc.

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Tap and See Zoo by Little Bear Sees

Baby Rattle Toy By SelenaSoft, Inc.

fluidity HD By nebulus design

Sparkabilities Babies 1 HD By Bottle Rocket

Sparkabilities Babies 2 HD:

Art of Glow By Natenai Ariyatrakool

iLoveFireworks By Fireworks Games

Talking Tom Cat By Out Fit 7 Ltd.�

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APH Meet the Monarch

Monarch Resource Page from CATT-NW

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AT Item # 6 - Accessible Coding

Accessible Coding Items from APH

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Accessible Coding for Early Learners

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AT Item # 7 - Multimedia Slide Decks

Multimedia Slide Deck Examples:

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Slidedeck: Dear Zoo

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Slidedeck: Solar System for the Lightbox and JoyPlayer

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Slidedeck: Judy Moody Activities

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AT Activity Ideas

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Low-Tech Activity: Tactile Cooking

Have Children::

  • Measure ingredients
  • Read tactile labels
  • Follow recipe instructions
  • Using adapted kitchen tools

Technology Connections:

  • Talking timers
  • Braille recipe cards or files on Braille Notetaker
  • Smart speakers for recipes
  • Audio measuring cups/scales

Skills Built:

  • Math
  • Sequencing
  • Fine motor skills
  • Daily living skills

Variation: Try using Seeing AI app to read labels and identify ingredients

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Coding the Parent Robot with Code and Go Mouse

Instead of programming Colby the Mouse first, let the child “program” a parent or sibling.

How It Works

  • Create a simple path on the floor
  • The child gives commands:
    • forward
    • backward
    • turn left
    • turn right
  • The adult/sibling follows commands exactly

Blind and Low Vision Adaptations

  • Use tactile floor markers
  • Add sound targets
  • Use textured mats for landmarks

Skills Built

  • Sequencing
  • Directionality
  • Spatial concepts
  • Problem solving
  • Communication

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Low Cost Lightbox Activities

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CVI Tech Activity for Home: Lightbox and Joy Player

The Three Little Pigs

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STEM Activities for Families: The DailySTEM

https://dailystem.com/resources/

Chris Woods created “DailySTEM” to provide educators and families with simple STEM resources that connect the real world to learning. Our kids need to see that STEM is all around us…in the backyard, at the store, in our homes, on TV and movies, in the news… everywhere!

The DailySTEM website has many activities that can be easily adapted for blind and low vision students.

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High-Tech Activity: Smart Speaker Games

Use devices like:

  • Amazon Alexa
  • Google Assistant
  • Siri
  • Braille Notetaker to record answers

Fun Activities:

  • Trivia games
  • Animal sounds
  • Spelling practice
  • Storytelling
  • Music requests

Skills:

  • Listening
  • Communication
  • Problem solving
  • Self-advocacy

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High and Low Tech Activity: PB&J Sandwich

Directions on making a PB&J from home to store to yum!

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CVI Activities: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do I See?

APH Lightbox and Joy Player

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Slack Crash Course

  1. Create a free Slack account
  2. Go to: https://catt-nw.slack.com
  3. Join the CATT-NW workspace
  4. Refer to Channels to see the categories of discussion
  5. When you have a question, click on the corresponding channel to post your question
  6. Feel free to answer questions if you can help!

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Need help with AT from APH?

  • Email: cattnw@wssb.wa.gov
  • Phone: 360-947-3288
  • CATT AT Resources Website
  • Website: WSSB → Services → CATT
    • Technical Assistance Requests
  • Socials @cattnorthwest
    • Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn

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The CATT program is funded by a federal appropriation and works in partnership with the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). CATT-NW is based at the WA State School for the Blind.

The contents of this presentation were developed under a contract authorized by the Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.