Guide
Holiday gifts for students with visual impairments
'Tis the Season - are you looking for gift ideas?
Scrolling through social media and my overflowing email inbox, it seems that finding the perfect gift is on the top of everyone’s to-do list. There are many discussions about gifts for children with visual impairments and lots of great ideas being shared; rather than relist these more traditional ideas and since this is Paths to Technology – a website about tech – I want to focus on a few creative ideas that involve technology.
While students may have access to tech at school (and hopefully bring the tech home as well), it is important that students have access to tech outside of school and students should have access to a variety of devices in a variety of environments. After all, using a computer for navigation purposes when crossing a street, is probably not the best tool! To become truly proficient, students need to have access to tech for leisure activities as well as for educational activities. With that being said, tech should not be used for “babysitting” purposes and students should not be online 24/7! So, thinking about the perfect Christmas idea, personal technology at home should be considered. Students who are close to graduation, should have their own personal devices – school purchased tech will stay with the school. These students will need their own devices (computer, tablet and/or smart phone) and software along with external devices such as Bluetooth keyboard and/or braille display. In addition, college bound students will need additional tech so that they can convert printed materials to digital format (i.e. scanner) and they should know how to maintain these devices. Also keep in mind that students should have access to and be comfortable using these devices and software before they need to use it to access or complete assignments.
While “tech” can mean big ticket items like tablets, smart phones, computers, magnifiers, smart speakers and braille displays, not every piece of tech has to be big and expensive. Don’t misunderstand me – what kid (including my husband, the biggest kid of all!) would not be overjoyed to receive the latest and greatest smart phone! However, there are so many other shiny tech-related things to consider!
Here are a few Christmas gift ideas geared primarily for preschool and elementary school kids to help get you started! Beside the name of the potential gift is a link or two to posts about the item.
Coding robots
Coding is such a HOT item in 21st Century classrooms! There are accessible coding bots (simple robots) for preschoolers on up.
Note: These recommendations are accessible for students with no vision.
- Code and Go Robot
- Botley Robot
- Sphero (robotic ball)
- Code Jumper
- Code-A-Pillar (The robot is accessible and can be run without the app; the app is not accessible)
Coding apps
- Ballyland Code apps (3 different apps)
- Blocks4All
- CodeQuest
- CodeQuest: A Free APH App! (includes the link to the free CodeQuest tactile graphics and 3D printer files)
- CodeQuest for low vision: Large print paper games pieces
- Hidden Resources: Collaborative AT Projects with Universities (includes videos of the CodeQuest and the 3D printer CodeQuest characters)
- Teaching CodeQuest App to Students who are Visually Impaired (includes video tutorials)
- OctoStuidio
- SAS CodeSnaps (free app used with Sphero)
- Swift Playgrounds
Comprehensive list of accessible coding-related posts on Paths to Technology: Coding Posts Summary.
Emerging braille/reading
Of course, I am a strong believer in pairing tech with a braille display to support braille reading and writing. This is in addition to traditional paper braille and Perkins braille writer – it is all about tools in the toolbox! Let’s be real – tech turns learning into a game!
Braille devices
- Braille Buzz (APH’s electronic emerging braille game)
- Polly (APH electronic Wi-Fi enabled braille learning device that teaches reading, typing, writing, vocabulary and spelling.
- Taptilo: emerging braille device
Braille emerging-reader apps
- Exploring Braille with Madilyn and Ruff (iOS app)
- Braille Tutor App (writing using an iPad and Bluetooth keyboard as a 6-key braille input)
- Blindfold Braille Spin and Solve app (Wheel of Fortune style game that teaches braille contractions)
Want to see how a preschooler can use an iPad, braille display and Bluetooth keyboard? Check out this video of a 4 year old Learning VoiceOver and Braille.
Books
Reading is for everyone! Students should have free access to digital books through BookShare and they should have access to personal copies in different formats (braille and/or print). Emerging and beginner readers will love interactive book apps. These interactive books are often a familiar story mixed with intriguing sounds and music; students can tap the screen and interact with various things on the screen. Family members, educators and students themselves can create books that the student will instantly relate to – topics might include favorite hobbies, family members, stories about the student, family vacations, etc. There are several apps, such as Book Creator, iBook Author and Tar Heel Reader that can be used to create fully accessible books. Be sure to check out the teacher/student-made books that are available for free download from the P2T Book Library!
Apps to create books
Below are three popular apps to create digital books. There are additional apps!
- Tar Heel Reader: free website where teachers, families students create their own books (geared for older emerging readers) Tar Heel Reader post
- Book Creator App: (simple app to create books) Information on creating accessible books with Book Creator post
Book examples
- Download teacher-created books from Paths to Technology: Digital Book section on Paths to Technology (Numerous books available; below are two examples)
- ABC Sound Book (free iBook): ABC Sound Book post
- The Beach Book (free iBook): The Beach Book post
- Examples of interactive book apps:
- QR Codes and Childrens video books: (on-the-go access of video books using a smart phone and QR codes) QR Codes DIY post
Unique toys
- Magnetic Tiles (building toys): Teaching Geometry Using Magnetic Tiles post
- Bop It Micro (New take on the classic Bop It game): Bop It Micro review post
- DOTS: RPG Project Dice (Up to 20-sided braille dice – designed for gamers but fun everyone!): DOTS RPG Project Dice post
- Lego:
Did you know that Amazon has a page for games for visually impaired? Check it out! (Note: Some games are appropriate for low vision users only).
Additional apps
Apps are typically inexpensive (and sometimes free!); apps can be gifted or a app card with money can be purchased and given. There are too many accessible apps for all different levels – to list here. However, since finding accessible apps for younger children (who often have limited tech skills) can be challenging, here are some apps to help you get started. Many of these apps are designed for recreational purposes, these apps can be used to reinforce educational skills!
Note: There are numerous (over 80 last count!) Blindfold Games; go to the ObjectiveEd website or search directly in the App Store for Blindfold Games to find a full listing of these apps. Each Blindfold game has a free version enabling you to try the game before purchasing. The paid versions have unlimited play time including more coins, etc. dependent upon the game. I strongly suggest purchasing the full version of the game! The handful of blindfold games listed here can easily be used to teach educational goals – learn more about the educational piece of these games in the linked posts.
Note: Students learn best when playing the physical game first, before transitioning to the digital version of the game. Example: Play a tactile version of Tick Tac Toe or the real Simon game before playing the digital game. Through these game apps, students will become more proficient with using technology, will listen faster and process quicker, and will learn more about mental mapping/spatial relationships on the screen – all while having fun!
- Blindfold apps (numerous app from preschool to adults)
- Blindfold Bop Game: Teach VoiceOver Gestures post
- Blindfold Tic Tac Toe post (3-dimensional mental tic tac toe!)
- Blindfold Bowling: iOS Spatial Concepts App post
- Blindfold Barnyard: Cardinal Directions post
- Blindfold Doggy (virtual pet) post
- Blindfold Simon (classic Simon game in app format)
- Blindfold Color Crush (similar to the traditional candy crush game)
- Blindfold Sea Battle: (similar to Battleship game)
- Ballyland Sound Memory App: simple sound matching game
- ISays App (digital version of the traditional Simon game)
- I Hear Ewe App: simple animal/sound cause and effect app
Apps to teach gestures
- Ballyland Magic Show: (teaches VO gestures for young students)
- Zany Touch App: (teaches gestures)
- VO Lab App (teaches VO gestures for older students)
Tactile graphics
While the gift suggestions above focus mostly on tech and apps, it is important to remember that blind and low vision students should also have access to drawing tools and tactile graphics. All students should have opportunities to explore tactile graphics, to color and to draw at home. For braille students, coloring inside raised line drawings and drawing using tools that create raised line images.
Drawing
- Drawing series of posts, starting with Tactile Graphic Rich Environments Series: The Missing Link (intro)
- Tactile Graphic Tools post includes information on a variety of tools that enable students to create tactile images and diagrams, including the Tactile Doodle Kit (APH), Draftsman Tactile Drawing Board (APH), Sensational Blackboard and the inTACT Sketchpad – all of which are designed for students to draw. See post for details and additional tools.
- Editor’s Note: The Draftsman Tactile Drawing Board with drawing film (plastic sheets) is a terrific tool for students to create drawings that last – it is a must have item for school and home! Be sure to purchase extra drawing film! The Sensational Blackboard is a must have item to be kept in the student’s backpack, as it is a way for the student to create on-the-go drawings and for sighted peers or educators to quickly create a drawing of an item being discussed in the classroom. The Sensational Blackboard uses regular 9×13 pieces of paper and a pencil to create the raised drawings, but these drawings are intended to be used briefly and thrown out.
- TactileDoodle (APH) is similar to the Draftsman Tactile Drawing Board, is designed for younger students and is half the cost.
- Concept Development: Drawing post is about a rising college freshman drawing a campus map and includes detailed information about the Sensational Blackboard.
Coloring
Coloring is a huge part of preschool and early elementary classroom activities – and there is a reason for this! Coloring is not only fun, but it also is a fine motor skill activity.
- Raised Line Coloring Books (Embossed coloring pages available through companies such as LS&S and Maxiaids)
- Paint by Number Safari series (APH) Available embossed drawings with braille that can be colored (colored pencils, crayons or markers) or painted.
Create your own raised line coloring pages using a tactile graphics machine such as the PIAF (Pictures in a Flash) or Swell machine. These machines require special paper that when heated, the black lines will raise. The Paths to Technology has an entire tactile library dedicated to free digital graphics that can be downloaded, printed onto Swell paper, then run thru a tactile graphics machine to create raised line drawings. Looking for a specific image? Do an Internet search. Example: Search for “Elephant coloring page”. What tactile images will you create for your child if you had a tactile graphics machine at home?
- Picture in a Flash: A Tactile Image is Worth a Thousand Words
- Braille Alphabet Coloring Pages Found in the P2T Tactile Library, each page has a simple image to be colored, the associated braille letter, and a large simulated braille letter.
- Creating Digital Images for Tactile Graphic Machines, Part 1 – Series with information about creating images for tactile graphics machines. This series includes how to create typical preschool and early elementary worksheets for a variety of skills: counting, same and different, shapes, mazes, and more.
- How to Turn a Tactile Drawing Film Drawing into PIAF image: Sharpie Method Great way for your child to illustrate his/her stories!
How does tactile graphics connect with tech? Tactile overlays for touch screen devices help students learn the spatial layout of the app! In the Tactile to Digital series, we learn how to create and use a tactile overlay for iPad apps. Note: There are many overlays available in the P2T Tactile Library.
By Diane Brauner
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