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Assistive Technology Resources for Children and Adults with Disabilities Assistive Technology Resources for Children and Adults with Disabilities June / July, 2012 ClosingVOLUME 31 - NUMBER 2 The Gap The Importance of Play for Kids with Disabilities Building Independence with Picture Directions I Just Bought the New iPAD… Now what??? Physical Access and Training to Use the iPad Help for THOSE Classrooms DISKoveries 30th Annual Closing The Gap Conference Details Permit No. 166 No. Permit Hutchinson, MN 55350 MN Hutchinson, U.S POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE U.S www.closingthegap.com AUTO PRSRT STD PRSRT STAFF Dolores Hagen ...... PUBLISHER contents june / july, 2012 Budd Hagen ..................EDITOR volume 31 | number 2 Connie Kneip .................................. VICE PRESIDENT / GENERAL MANAGER 4 The Importance of Play for Kids 14 Physical Access and Training to Megan Turek ........... MANAGING with Disabilities Use the iPad EDITOR / By Sue Redepenning and By Patricia Bahr and Katie Duff SALES MANAGER Jennifer Mundl Jan Latzke ...... SUBSCRIPTIONS Sarah Anderson .............................. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Becky Hagen .....................SALES Marc Hagen ............................WEB DEVELOPMENT SUBSCRIPTIONS $39 per year in the United States. $55 per year to Canada and Mexico (air mail.) All subscriptions from outside 17 Help for THOSE Classrooms the United States must be accom- panied by a money order or a check By Julie Rick drawn on a U.S. bank and payable in U.S. funds. Purchase orders are accepted from schools or institutions in the United States. 8 Building Independence with PUBLICATION INFORMATION Picture Directions Closing The Gap (ISSN: 0886-1935) is By Pat Crissey published bi-monthly in February, April, June, August, October and December. Single copies are available for $7.00 (postpaid) for U.S. residents. Add $2.00 for postage outside the U.S. The annual Resource Directory issue sells for $16.95 12 I Just Bought the New iPAD… plus postage and handling. Article reprints available, please contact the Now what??? Managing Editor for details. By Mo Buti CONTACT INFORMATION 19 DISKoveries Please address all correspondence By Joan Tanenhaus to Closing The Gap, P.O. Box 68, Henderson, MN 56044. Telephone 507-248-3294; Fax 507-248-3810. E-mail <[email protected]>; Web site <www.closingthegap.com>. 30 30th Annual Closing The Gap COPYRIGHT Conference Details Entire content is copyright 2012 by Closing The Gap, Inc., all rights • 21 Preconference Workshops reserved. Reproduction in whole or • State-of-the-art Commercial Exhibits in part without written permission is th strictly prohibited. • Register before June 30 and Save! EDITOR’S NOTE The information provided by Closing The Gap, Inc. in no way serves as an endorsement or guarantee by Closing The Gap, Inc. Closing The Gap Solutions archiVED WEBINARS FULL access to archived Webinars now included WEBINAR PRESENTER: as part of any online subscription! Mark Coppin, B.S., is an Apple Distinguished Educator and the Director of Assistive Technology, Anne Carlsen Center for Children, Jamestown, ND. Combination Subscription SPECIAL Introductory Rate Offers Best Value! SUBSCRIBE One-year Combination Subscription Only The online edition, with its archived articles, assistive technology product guide, searchable content, AND NOW archiVED $ Webinars, offers unique learning opportunities and truly TODAY! 125 represents an educational and training resource on demand! Visit Please complete the following: our Web site for a current list of archived Webinars. Name: ________________________________________________ In addition to the online subscription, you’ll also receive six issues of Organization: ___________________________________________ our four-color, easy-to-read, print magazine – a resource featuring practitioner-based articles that demonstrate the latest in best Mailing Address: ________________________________________ practices and assistive technology implementation strategies for all City: __________________________________________________ disabilities, children through adult. State / Country: ____________ Zip / Postal code: ______________ Single-User Online Subscription Order: Single-User Subscription Rate * Phone: ___________________ Fax: _______________________ 1-year online subscription $110.00 USD * E-mail: ______________________________________________ 1-year combination print and online $125.00 USD subscription * Required for Online Subscription and/or credit card orders 1-year student online subscription $50.00 USD Occupation: ____________________________________________ (Electronic Textbook) Proof of enrollment required. Where did you hear about Closing The Gap? __________________ Multi-User Subscription (1 year site license) Check is enclosed $ _____________ Number of Online Only Print and Online Users Rate Combination Rate Please charge $ ____________ to Visa MasterCard (Per person) (Per person) Best Value! Credit card account number: 10-49 users $99.00 USD $112.50 USD Exp. date 50-99 users $93.50 USD $106.25 USD ________________________________ _____ 100-299 users $88.00 USD $100.00 USD Cardholder signature: _____________________________ 300+ users $82.50 USD $93.75 USD Order: Cardholder address: ______________________________ Online only Combination Number of users: _______ Purchase order attached #: ____________________________ Print Subscription (Allow 8 - 10 weeks for delivery of your first issue.) Canada Order: Print Subscription U.S. Rates Rates 1-year print subscription $39.00 USD $55.00 USD FREE 2-day trial available at www.closingthegap.com Order Online: www.closingthegap.com/store/subscriptions/ Play is an activity that young children do every day, and we all know that The Importance of it’s important. But did Play for Kids with you know that research shows that play is actually Disabilities central to young children’s When you look at play, when you how to interact in their environment. learning? What can you watch children play, it’s pretty obvious Courage Center has witnessed that do to help children get the that it’s a really enjoyable, fun activity children who do not have an oppor- for children; it probably is what makes tunity to play by the age of two will most learning from their childhood so enjoyable. What is not as not progress at the same rate as their obvious, maybe, is how important play peers. The child will not be prepared for play, especially when there is for children’s development. Research school and may require special educa- has found that play helps children to tion. When children create a make- are special needs concerns? think creatively. They learn all kinds believe world, build a tower of blocks of different problem solving strate- or race a friend to the top of a hill, they gies when they play. Play has been acquire social and intellectual abilities linked to language development, and needed to be successful in school and certainly it leads to positive social skills. adulthood. Nearly all meaningful play One of the more important things that includes toys. A single, engaging toy research shows is that play is related to can transform a child’s play from simple reading and learning to write, as well as to academic, from repetitive to inven- mathematical and other concepts. tive, from solitary to social. Toys can be One way that play helps children in activated by switches, voice, proximity, literacy areas is that it’s very symbolic. touch, mounts and splitting. There are For example, when they’re using a toy many do-it-yourself adaptations that telephone to represent a real phone, can be made by therapists or parents. they’re using a symbol. That’s not Creativity is needed by adults and chil- unlike looking at a word and seeing dren alike. that it represents something that’s not Many organizations have written present or something in real life. One about play and the importance of SUE REDEPENNING Sue is a licensed element of play that is important to physical play in early childhood occupational therapist with over 20 years of observe in children is pretend or make- development. Not only does research experience working with all age groups, settings believe. One thing you want to watch suggest that play supports academic- for as you’re watching children play is: related skills, but also physical skills and and a variety of disabilities. She is currently do they engage in make-believe? Do development. As many resources show, working at Courage Center in Minneapolis and they take on the roles of pretend char- pressures on early childhood programs is the Supervisor of Assistive Technology. Sue is acters or other people in their lives? that come from funding concerns and also a licensed driving instructor working to assist Do they use objects in make-believe a lack of understanding the role of play in the Driver’s Rehabilitation Program at Courage ways? Do they invent imaginative play and how to best use it to support early situations to play out with their peers? childhood development will continue Center. There are a variety of ways that adults to result in decisions that devalue can enhance this kind of pretend. play. JENNIFER MUNDL has over 20 years of One really enjoyable way to do this is Teachers, administrators and parents experience working within the disability commu- simply to play along with children, to usually recognize the physical benefits nity with all kinds limitations. She began the actually take a make-believe role, play of motor play. What is less obvious is parallel or with children to make play the way that active play promotes Assistive Technology
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