Inclusive Playing and Learning With A Switch: Technology for Inclusion With Students With Physical Disabilities

This activity is designed to be used with a student who has a physical or multiple disability as well as an intellectual disability. It is aimed at students who are learning the skill of understanding cause and effect. This important skill is a precursor to many communication and interaction efforts which hopefully will follow for your student, allowing them greater independence and the ability to make conscious choices about their own person and surrounding environment and events. It can be adapted to suit students of varying ages by altering the type of electronic device which is used. For example, a young child doing this activity may enjoy using a simple toy with bright colors and a sound feature, while older students may prefer to use the activity to participate in a cooking class where they control a hand held blender (held by a supporting adult) to stir a cake or pancake mixture (and then of course enjoy eating the results!)

There are several components in this activity. They are:

The student - seated or positioned in a safe position where they can easily see and hear the activity

The switch - suited to the student's needs - for example a jelly bean switch could be placed on a wheelchair tray in front of the student

The power pack device - this is attached to both the switch and the electronic device used for your activity and is used to provide a means for helping the student to access electronic equipment that may otherwise may not be safe or appropriate for them to use. For example, a student with athetoid cerebral palsy may have significant arm movements which would make it dangerous to have a blender placed directly on their tray. With the power pack, they are able to be a safe distance away from the blender (or other tool) but still have direct control over when it is turned on and off.

The electronic device - this can be whatever suits your activity purpose and goals - a toy, a cooking tool, a light or a musical instrument. Ensure it is safe, in good condition and able to stand up to being turned on and off several times during the activity.

Cause and effect is quite simply understanding that an action that I do as a person has an effect on something else in my environment. In this activity, we are aiming to teach this awareness by showing the student that by pushing the switch, the electronic device is turned on (or off, depending on how you set up your activity). By using technology for inclusion with switching, you can build cause and effect understanding and promote full participation in a way which does not place your student at risk.

Note - take care that a student does not get the switch wire caught or pull on the switch while it is connected to the power pack and device or in some situations they could pull the whole set up off the table or bench, causing potential for injury. Keep everything in a stable, safe position and provide full supervision. If in doubt, turn the power off straight away.