Course 3: Instructional Strategies

Students with complex needs can use technology to help them actively engage in classroom learning. In the past, students were required to demonstrate prerequisite skills before technology was recommended. Students now learn to use technology with the support they require.

Switch

Switches come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and sensitivities that students can access with various body parts, including hands, elbows, legs, or head to activate equipment for participation and learning.

A switch can activate many simple electrical appliances using a device called an Ablenet Powerlink. When a student uses a switch to activate a fan or hair dryer, for example, they can learn about cause and effect. If they direct the fan at leaves, twigs, and sand on a table in the classroom, they can also demonstrate and learn about the effect blowing air or wind has as part of a classroom unit on landforms.

Some other examples of how a switch can be used in a classroom setting:

• Blend ingredients for cookie dough using a mixer in foods class
• Use a blender to create paper mâché in art or smoothies in cooking
• Use a hot air popcorn maker to make popcorn for the class
• Operate an electric pencil sharpener to sharpen coloured pencils in art
• Use a Waterpik to water plants for a science experiment
• Dry wet glue or paint on art projects with a fan or hair dryer
• Study wind forces in science with a fan
• Create bedding material for class pets or compost with a paper shredder
• Run a sewing machine while a classmate moves the fabric in home economics
• Select and play music with an iPod or iPad
• Take pictures for the yearbook with an iPad camera
• Run a PowerPoint presentation using a switch connected to a computer with a Hitch interface

Spinners

Spinners are a very versatile tool for students with complex needs. Spinner templates can be prepared to correspond with many classroom activities. For example, a student could activate the spinner by hitting a switch whenever random choice is needed: to choose review questions for the teacher to ask the class, to select the warm-up activities in PE, to select numbers for a math lotto game, or to choose the words from a spelling list. This gives the student a valued role in classroom activities.

For students who can directly access a tablet, there are several inexpensive spinner apps available. Some of these allow wheels to be pre-programmed and saved for future use.

Switch with Ablenet Powerlink

Hitch interface

Physical spinner

Spinner app