The Assistive Technology Lab is open for business
We’re back! The Assistive Technology (AT) lab is now open in our new location on Staples Mill Road in Richmond; parking is free. As always, we have many devices that can be checked out to school teams in Regions 1 and 8. The device categories include Augmentative and Alternative Communication, play, leisure activities, computer access, and more. As we get settled, we thought this was a perfect opportunity to highlight some of the devices we have available for checkout.
As you enter our new space, the first thing you will see is a shelf stacked with switch-adapted play items. Some of these toys will make music, others will light up, and some even move.
One of our favorites is Shelly the Seahorse. Once activated via a switch, Shelly will light up and begin playing a song. She is also a great toy to use if you are teaching your students “stop” and “go” on their AAC devices, as Shelly continues to play until you activate the switch again.
Another play-focused device is the Go Go Garbage Truck. This truck is dual-switch adapted, which means you can use it to teach “stop,” “go,” “left,” and “right” on your student’s AAC! We love a toy that opens up possibilities. As your students activate either the left or right button, the Go Go Garbage Truck will drive backward or turn.
For older students, our switch-adapted pitching machine is a fun play activity. As students press the switch, the machine pitches one of the included balls in the aimed direction. This toy is also a great option for students with limited mobility to participate in Adapted PE.
To check out these or any of our other switch-adapted toys, please go to our website at https://ttac.vcu/edu and click the link to our catalog under the Library dropdown menu. In the search bar, type the key term “toy” to see several pages of the switch-adapted toys we have in our library. From here, you can request to check out your desired item. You can check out a maximum of nine items from the AT library. The checkout period for all AT items is nine weeks.
We look forward to seeing what exciting items you’ll check out for your classroom!
For more information, contact Meghan Hyatt, ([email protected]), Program Specialist T/TAC at VCU.