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This teacher needs your help!

Ms. Amanda from Chicago, IL is requesting educational kits & games through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Ms. Amanda is requesting

Play to Communicate: Therapy Tools for Visually Impaired Students

Help me give my students who are blind or visually impaired essential tactile materials that turn language into something they can feel, supporting communication, confidence, and meaningful connection during speech therapy.

FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Amanda's classroom raised $1,053

This project is fully funded

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrate Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Project

Some students on my caseload are blind or visually impaired, and many have complex communication needs. What I love most about them is how hard they work every single day. Tasks that sighted children learn incidentally require tremendous effort and specialized materials, yet my students approach learning with curiosity, determination, and a genuine desire to connect. They deserve the same access to high‑quality, developmentally appropriate materials as any other student, and this project helps ensure they receive equitable learning opportunities.

Because my students cannot rely on vision, tactile and sensory‑rich materials are essential for learning language and communication.

These tools allow them to feel concepts that other children can see, turning abstract ideas into meaningful experiences. Every item in this project was chosen to support communication, play, and hands‑on exploration.

Magnetic tiles, hardwood blocks, shape sorting boxes, and chunky puzzles help students explore spatial concepts, build vocabulary, and practice turn‑taking. The Mix & Match Magnetic Animals, Category Sorting Box, Comparing Sizes Box, and Rainbow Sorting Crayons support language development by letting students physically explore categories and attributes. The Food Sorting Baskets provide opportunities to learn food names, sorting skills, and functional vocabulary through touch.

Pretend‑play materials like the multicultural soft dolls, pizza set, and interactive dashboard create opportunities for expressive language and social interaction. The Hungry Pelican toy is especially valuable—it helps students practice following prepositional directions, such as put in and take out.

Tactile sets like Ruff’s House and the sensory flashcards support exploration of textures and early vocabulary. Pop tubes encourage engagement and regulation. The Time Timer supports routines. Scratch‑and‑sniff stickers offer a meaningful reward system for students who cannot see traditional stickers.

These materials will give my students the accessible tools they deserve to build their voices and connect with the world.

Ms. Amanda James Otis Elementary School Grades PreK-2

Equity Focus

This project directly supports students at a historically underfunded school. Learn more about our Equity Focus.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

Chicago, IL View local requests

More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

120 students impacted 13donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Ms. Amanda is requesting.

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TEACHERS, FEELING INSPIRED?

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Where Your Donation Goes

Where your donation goes
Materials Cost Quantity Total
Magnetic Wonder Tiles® - Master Set • Lakeshore Learning Materials $119.99 1 $119.99
Mix & Match Magnetic Animals - Complete Set • Lakeshore Learning Materials $99.50 1 $99.50
Melissa And Doug Melissa & Doug Vroom & Zoom Interactive Dashboard - Wood - Early Childhood-Elementary - Toddler • School Specialty $82.27 1 $82.27
Shapes Discovery Boxes • Lakeshore Learning Materials $69.99 1 $69.99
Jumbo Time Timer® • Lakeshore Learning Materials $49.99 1 $49.99
Learning Resources Rainbow Sorting Crayons Assorted Colors 56/Set (LER3070) • Staples $49.49 1 $49.49
Melissa And Doug Melissa & Doug Hungry Pelican, 5 Pieces - Infant-Toddler • School Specialty $46.87 1 $46.87
Kaplan Early Learning Multicultural Soft Dolls - Set of 4 • Kaplan Early Learning Company $44.96 1 $44.96
Learning Resources Farmer's Market Gardening Kit 30/Set (LER3060) • Staples $41.29 1 $41.29
Tabletop Hardwood Blocks - Master Set • Lakeshore Learning Materials $39.99 1 $39.99
Learning Resources - Ruffs House Teaching Tactile Set • Teachers' School Supply $36.99 1 $36.99
Category Sorting Activity Box • Lakeshore Learning Materials $29.99 1 $29.99
Comparing Sizes Activity Box • Lakeshore Learning Materials $29.99 1 $29.99
Pizza Party Playset • Lakeshore Learning Materials $21.99 1 $21.99
My Touch and Feel English Spanish Bilingual Picture Double Sided Sensory Flash Cards for Infant, Toddlers, Kids, Learn Animals, Fruits, Objects and Vehicles, Fun Learning and Educational Flashcards • Amazon Business $19.49 1 $19.49
Melissa And Doug Melissa & Doug Shapes Chunky Puzzle - Wood - Preschool-Early Childhood - Toddler • School Specialty $15.82 1 $15.82
Jetec 300 Pcs Scratch and Sniff Sticker for Kids Smelly Scented Motivational Reward Stickers Teacher Incentive Positive Decals for Student Classroom Chart School Supplies • Amazon Business $13.99 1 $13.99
52 Pack Pop Tubes, Sensory Toys Party Favors for Kids 8-12 Fidget Toys for Anxiety Goodie Bag Stuffers Treasure Box Classroom Prizes Gifts for 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Year Old Boys Girls Toddlers- 10 Colors • Amazon Business $8.99 1 $8.99

Materials cost

$821.59

Vendor shipping charges

 $30.52

Sales tax

 $0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$12.32

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$894.43

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$157.84

Total project goal

$1,052.27

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

 $1,052.27

12 Donors

-$877.27

Donations toward project cost

-$745.68

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$131.59

match offer

-$175.00

Match offer toward project cost

-$148.75

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$26.25

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

 $0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Amanda and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.

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