New Company Offers an Array of Technological Tools for Learning
by
Phoebe Tucker
Technology Coordinator
Trumbull Public Schools, Connecticut
Joanne Consentino is the president of Bryn Mar Associates. Her company offers products including: speech communicators, light and sound toys, adapted toys, activity centers, environmental controls, adapted switches, and sensory/manipulation tools that are very moderately priced. Her prices start at $18.50 for a device to instruct an AAC user to access an interactional toy with visual and auditory reinforcement. To begin teaching a disabled person how to use a joystick or to teach cause/effect, Joanne's adapted toy "Radio Drum 'N Joystick" could be used. Each position of the joystick changes the basic drum rhythm by adding such drum sounds as Snare, Tom-tom, High Hat and Cymbal. The activity centers, (boxes with visual, auditory, or a combination of both), allow the instructor to customize the device to the individual's needs with interchangeable components. This is real feature since one of the goals of this tool is to keep the disabled individual interacting with new and different activities.
For applications for the disabled people of all ages the "Basic Environment Remote Control" would be a useful purchase. The plate switch becomes a wireless transmitter, sending a radio signal, within a room, to whatever small appliance is plugged in to the receiver (lamps, radios, fan, etc.). The capable "Touch Plate Switches" can be ordered at approximately half the cost of popular companies' switches. The "Multi-Tune Music Box" provides a medley of 5 different tunes to be used as a reward or to instruct students with cause/effect concepts. Another device, the "Bubble O' Sound," develops manipulation, hand-eye coordination and arm movement which is reinforced by auditory and visual stimulation. One of the best switches that I have found to assist certain individuals with reduced ability to attend to task is the "Grip Switch." With this switch an individual has to hold the switch and squeeze it to activate the desired device. To find out more about these devices, write or call Joanne Consentino at Bryn Mar Associates, Inc., 128 Buckingham Road, Yonkers, NY 10701; (914) 963-7935.
The TRE Center does not endorse any product and/or material mentioned in this newsletter.