Examples of Environmental Supports and Adaptive Equipment and Materials

Infants & Toddlers Learning Environments Lesson 2 Learn Examples of Environmental Supports and Adaptive Equipment and Materials Guide	WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG ACTIVITY ID: 13851 Name Certifier Date
See the examples below of adaptive equipment and materials and environmental supports. Please note these vary by age and ability of the children in need of support. Teachers cover shelves and bookcases with blankets to prevent distraction during group times Footsteps provide a visual cue for where to line up when transitioning out of the classroom. These are push-button toys; children only need to press one large button to make the toy move or make sounds. A child can more easily move the cursor with the large arrow buttons at the bottom and shake the screen clear by holding on the red knobs and shaking in this adapted Etch-A-Sketch. This is a personal communication board; it can be used to offer an individual schedule for a child who has language or communication delays or has difficulties conveying needs. Signs posted in specific places at children’s eye level provide visual reminders for rules and behavioral expectations. This is a “regulation station” or a cool-down area. Notice there are materials to help a child relax and take a break. It has items on the wall to encourage deep breathing—small signs that say “Smell the flowers” (breath in) and “Blow out the candles” (breath out), with pieces of paper that move when the child blows. It also has a box of items that can be pulled out and pushed back in for a calming, repetitive action. Notice there are many adaptive items on this table to help children who may have difficulty grasping scissors, markers, pencils, or paintbrushes participate in these activities. You can also see a raised clipboard and communication pictures to help children make choices (e.g., first markers, and then we can play Connect Four). Here is a specialized chair for a child with special needs; notice how the teacher has extended the materials from the sensory bin into a personal tray for this child so that the child can participate more independently.

Guide

WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG

ACTIVITY ID: 13851

Name

Certifier

Date

See the examples below of adaptive equipment and materials and environmental supports. Please note these vary by age and ability of the children in need of support.

Teachers cover shelves and bookcases with blankets to prevent distraction during group times
Footsteps provide a visual cue for where to line up when transitioning out of the classroom.
These are push-button toys; children only need to press one large button to make the toy move or make sounds.

A child can more easily move the cursor with the large arrow buttons at the bottom and shake the screen clear by holding on the red knobs and shaking in this adapted Etch-A-Sketch.
This is a personal communication board; it can be used to offer an individual schedule for a child who has language or communication delays or has difficulties conveying needs.
Signs posted in specific places at children’s eye level provide visual reminders for rules and behavioral expectations.

This is a “regulation station” or a cool-down area. Notice there are materials to help a child relax and take a break. It has items on the wall to encourage deep breathing—small signs that say “Smell the flowers” (breath in) and “Blow out the candles” (breath out), with pieces of paper that move when the child blows. It also has a box of items that can be pulled out and pushed back in for a calming, repetitive action.
Notice there are many adaptive items on this table to help children who may have difficulty grasping scissors, markers, pencils, or paintbrushes participate in these activities. You can also see a raised clipboard and communication pictures to help children make choices (e.g., first markers, and then we can play Connect Four).
Here is a specialized chair for a child with special needs; notice how the teacher has extended the materials from the sensory bin into a personal tray for this child so that the child can participate more independently.