Janice Reese, AT4Kids Center director, is also an OT with a passion for educating the next level of clinicians about the importance of using assistive technology to serve client needs. Our center serves as a Level 1 fieldwork educational site for students from the OT Assistant program at Roane State Community College, as well as the Master’s Program in OT at Tennessee Wesleyan University. The effects of COVID-19 may have kept us from working directly with all of our youngsters with disabilities this summer, but we were able to provide interactive, project-driven learning activities to TWU students Laura Gorman and Lydia Clement.  Over the course of eight weeks they learned how to solder, developed a new appreciation for PVC pipe and indoor/outdoor carpet, created adaptive switches, modified toys to improve accessibility,  created adaptive literacy activities, and helped to modify a 12-volt car for a young man with significant physical challenges!  All activities and resources they created will be added to our center’s lending library for use by students in classrooms we serve throughout East Tennessee.

 Tennessee Wesleyan University OT student Lydia Clement explained that, “For the adapted puzzle I spray painted the background white (optional) and used a sharpie to outline the edge of the board to create contrast between the background and where the puzzle pieces belonged. I cut shower rings in half and superglued them on the puzzle pieces, and then used the sharpie again create contrast on the handles to allow for visual cuing!”

 Tennessee Wesleyan University OT student Laura Gorman explained that, “For the adaptive puzzle, I outlined the inserts with duck tape or a thick Sharpie for contrast. I then hot glued peg people from the craft shore as handles. The adhesive letters were placed to match the piece with the sound it makes. If this description needs more, please let me know. “

Both students followed the downloadable PDF instructions below for learning to make an adaptive switch and learning to solder for toy adaptation and making battery interrupters.