Switching It Up: Adapting Toys for Special Education
Help me give my students the ability to play with their peers. Adapters will help students with limited mobility access the toys with switches and toys like the spinner can build social bonds and skills.
Having switch-activated toys and adapting toys to be switch-compatible will allow students to play together like they haven't before, building relationships with each other. Adapters will help students with limited mobility access toys like the spinner which can build social bonds and skills during interactive lessons and play.
The students we work with have varying physical and developmental challenges, such as muscular dystrophy, severe autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, among other conditions, making it difficult to engage with materials in a neurotypical or functional way.
This goes for not only toys, but appliances as well that most students take for granted (such as pencil sharpeners). We have a small supply of switches already in our possession but we do not have the means to make adapt them for everyone in our school, nor do we have any toys that are switch compatible.
Hopefully in the future, I can expand this foundation to life skills and activities of daily living, such as using switches to activate appliances for cooking or hygiene. But for now, we need to start small and I know these things will help!
Nearly all 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
AbleNet All-Turn-It Spinner - Includes a Dice Overlay Set, Activities Including Board Games - Switch Adapted Toys for Special Needs - Play with Games
• Amazon Business
$143.55
1
$143.55
Hamilton Boombox CD/FM Media Player with Bluetooth Receiver
• Kaplan Early Learning Company
$139.46
1
$139.46
AbleNet Battery Device Adapter - AA/AAA Size - Battery Interrupter for Switch Adapted Toys - Compatible with AbleNet Adaptive Switches
• Amazon Business
$24.49
3
$73.47
Switch Adapted Bubble Machine | Adaptive Device | Special Needs Device | Switch Device
• Amazon Business
$52.37
1
$52.37
Switch Adapted Walking, Tail Wagging, Barking and Somersault Puppy | Adaptive Device | Special Needs Device | Switch Device
• Amazon Business
$51.40
1
$51.40
Baby Music Shake Dancing Ball Toy, BPA Free Bouncing Sensory Developmental Ball for Boys and Girls
• Amazon Business
$20.60
1
$20.60
Materials cost
$480.85
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$7.21
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$518.06
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$91.42
Total project goal
$609.48
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$609.48
3 Donors
-$596.98
Donations toward project cost
-$507.44
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$89.54
match offer
-$12.50
Match offer toward project cost
-$10.62
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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. Mariella and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.