Aphasia is a communication disorder that affects a person’s ability to express and understand both verbal and written language. It typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or head injury. However, it can occur gradually due to a degenerative disease. The disorder’s severity is dependent upon the location and level of damage to the brain.

Applications:

Improve Fine Motor And Gross Motor Skills

• Users can utilize the TAP∙it platform's 42" touch screen to improve fine and gross motor skills

Improve Coordination

• Use fingers to interact with the unit to improve hand-eye coordination.

Increase Balance

• The platform's intended touch offers users the ability to lean on it, if necessary.

Improve Communication

• Auditory models are available for users when using software programs with auditory feedback (i.e., Boardmaker).

Apraxia is a motor-planning disorder that inhibits an individual's ability to move muscles and limbs in purposeful ways. There are different types of apraxia that can make performing precise limb movements and planning movements for speaking or walking very difficult.

Applications:

Improve Fine Motor And Gross Motor Skills

• Users can utilize the TAP∙it platform's 42" touch screen to improve fine and gross motor skills

Improve Coordination

• Use fingers to interact with the unit to improve hand-eye coordination.

Increase Balance

• The platform's intended touch offers users the ability to lean on it, if necessary.

Improve Communication

• Auditory models are available for users when using software programs with auditory feedback (i.e., Boardmaker).

Ataxia is a disorder where a person lacks muscle coordination while performing voluntary movements due to damage to the cerebellum. It is characterized by poor coordination, muscle weakness—especially in the trunk area—balance impairment, and/or decreased endurance, as well as difficulty with fine motor tasks. Common conditions that may cause ataxia include cerebral palsy, stroke, and multiple sclerosis.

Applications:

Improve Fine Motor And Gross Motor Skills

• Users can utilize the TAP∙it platform's 42" touch screen to improve fine and gross motor skills.

Improve Coordination

• Use fingers to interact with the platform to improve hand-eye coordination.

Increase Balance

• The platform's intended touch offers users the ability to lean on it, if necessary

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is broken down into three types:

• ADHD – Combined Type: this is the most common form. These individuals experience issues with attention, concentration, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
• ADHD – Inattentive Type: this type is characterized by problems with attention and concentration.
• ADHD – Hyperactive-Impulsive: this type is characterized by behaviors that are impulsive and hyperactive.

Applications:

Increase Motion

• Learn while sitting, standing, or leaning; ability to use an exercise ball during instruction.

Increase Attention Span

• Provide novel, stimulating activities that are sought out by individuals with ADHD.

Improve Social Skills

• Collaboration in small groups, taking turns.

Increase Motivation

• Ability to play educational games.

Increase Learning Capacity

• Learn through computer-aided instruction, rather than through the use of worksheets; implement visual instructions, in addition to verbal.

Improve Working Memory

• Use of multimodal learning styles to increase retention, (i.e., Tool Factory Memory Skills).

Autism is a neurological disorder that is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). It is considered a spectrum disorder where symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Applications:

Improve Fine Motor Control

• Use a finger or stylus to work on handwriting, direct selection of objects, etc

Improve Gross Motor Control R

• l Reach across activities, increase range of motion.

Improve Visual Motor Skills

• s Solve puzzles, connect the dots, use of on-screen keyboard.

Improve Visual Attention

• Incorporate motivating computer programs.

Develop Social Skills

• Working together, taking turns

Increase Interactions

• Interest in activities increase.

Reduce Visual Distractions

• No projector or shadow, less flicker on the flat panel than on a computer monitor.

Increase Learning Capacity

• Implement visual methods for teaching by using SMART Notebook™ software or interactive websites, especially important for number concepts (i.e., use SMART Notebook or VizZle® to create interactive visual flash cards).

Improve Sequencing Skills

• Use software such as Tool Factory Sequences and ReacTickles 2.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a nonprogressive motor disorder that is caused by damage to the brain’s motor control center and thus, impairs a person’s motor skills (i.e., walking, writing, balancing, coordinating movements, etc.), communication and/or senses, as well as intellectual and learning abilities.

Applications:

Adjustability

• The platform's height and degree of tilt can be adjusted for wheelchairs, crutches, etc.

Intended Touch

• Individuals with weak muscle control can lean on the platform and still interact.

Touch Screen

• Individual can use gross motor movements to interact, improving fine motor skills.

Mobility

• TAP∙it can move from room to room for continued access to curriculum.

A developmental disability is characterized by lifelong mental and/or physical impairments that are present before the age of eighteen. A person with a developmental disability will be affected in three or more daily living areas: independent living, economic independence, learning, mobility, receptive and expressive language, self-care, and self-direction. Individuals will be classified as mild, moderate, severe, or profound, based on the level of support they need.

Applications:

Individuals With Developmental Disabilities Can Use The Tap∙it Platform In Multiple Ways To:

• Learn life skills
• Improve fine and gross motor skills with multisensory input and feedback (visual, auditory, and tactile)
• Improve social and collaboration skills
• Increase engagement and interaction
• Decrease distraction due to the unit’s lack of any shadow

Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by an extra chromosome. It is the most common genetic condition and occurs in approximately one in every 800 to 1,000 births.

Applications:

Increase Task Completion With A Multimodal Approach

• Use software such as SMART Notebook or VizZle to break tasks into smaller steps and provide instructions for each step.

Minimize Distractions

• No shadows; large working space.

Improve Communication

• Provide speech therapy and communication opportunities (expressive, formal/informal social exchanges, articulation, and flency) with software such as Boardmaker or Tool Factory programs, such as Sound Stories and Sound Beginnings - Making Sounds.

Improve Fie Motor Skills

• Use figers to interact.

Improve Long-term Memory

• Use of any software on 42" touch screen increases engagement and interaction.

Students with emotional behavioral disabilities (EBD) will demonstrate the following:

• Social, emotional, or behavioral characteristics that are not age appropriate or culturally/ethnically acceptable and affct the following areas:
  • Academic progress
  • Social relationships
  • Personal and classroom adjustments
  • Self-care
  • Vocational skills
• Severe, chronic, and frequent negative behaviors that occur at school and at least one other environmental setting

Applications:

Positive Interaction With Educational Topics And Incorporating The Tap∙it Platform Motivating Software Programs, Such As Tool Factory Strumbie Island, Or Use Of Art Programs, Such As Artrage, Benefi Students With Ebd.

Eye tracking is the ability to fiate on a stationary target or follow a moving target, and then smoothly look from one object to another. Occupational therapists and developmental optometrists are trained to implement strategies to improve eye tracking skills.

Applications:

Software Programs

• Fun eye-tracking software programs, such as Tool Factory Eye Track.

Touch Screen

• Individuals can use their figers or a stylus to interact through the unit’s 42" touch screen, which will help improve hand-eye coordination.

Fine motor skills involve the use of figers or small muscles that make tasks such as writing, grasping, and fastening possible. Weakness in fine motor skills can affct a person’s ability to eat, write, turn pages in a book, get dressed, brush their teeth, or use a computer.

Applications:

Because Individuals Interact With The Tap∙it Platform Using Their Figers, All Activities On The Platform Help To Improve Fie Motor Skills. Below Are A Few Example Activities:

• Writing
• Drawing
• Playing games

Gross motor skills involve the use of large muscle groups for walking, balancing, jumping, kicking, lifting, reaching, or throwing. Students with gross motor issues also can experience problems with fie motor skills, such as writing at a desk or standing at the board, because they have diffilty maintaining the proper upper body support to complete these tasks.

Applications:

Adjustability

• The platform's height and degree of tilt can be adjusted to allow students to work in varying positions to strengthen upper body support.

Intended Touch

• Individuals with weak muscle control can lean on the platform and still interact to improve balance.

Software Programs

• Use fun software on the TAP∙it platform to work on crossing midline.

Hand-eye Coordination

• Individuals can use their figers to interact through the platform's 42" screen, which will help improve hand-eye coordination.

Hearing impairment is caused by damage to one or more parts of the ear.

Applications:

The Tap∙it Platform Increases Engagement For Individuals With Hearing Impairments Through The Following Features:

• Use of tactile input
• Ability to use sign language while accessing curriculum

Intellectual Disability (ID), a form of developmental disability, is the modern term for Mental Retardation (MR). Individuals diagnosed with ID fall into one of four levels: mild, moderate, severe, or profound. The majority of individuals with ID fall into the mild range and have an IQ between fity and seventy. A person with ID will show a decreased ability to learn, exhibit infant-like behaviors into adulthood, fail to meet intellectual development markers and educational demands, and often lack curiosity. These issues lead to complications related to self-care, appropriate social interactions, and adaptive behavior.

Applications:

Increase Attention/motivation

• Use of TAP-it with any software program provides novel, stimulating activities.

Gain Life Skills

• Use with any software to make it easier to work on diffrent types of life skills.

Increase Independence

• Easy to use.

Increase Communication

• Use of software programs with auditory feedback (i.e., Boardmaker).

Learning disabilities (LD) encompass a group of neurological disorders that make it diffilt to learn in a typical manner. A person with a learning disability has the same or higher IQ than their peers and manages their disability with support and intervention techniques. The most common areas of diffilty for a person with a learning disability are: reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, and recalling and/or organizing information.

The most common learning disabilities include the following:

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability that impairs a person’s ability to learn and comprehend mathematics. Diffilties with math can vary from person to person, affcting them diffrently in school and daily life.

Applications:

The Tap∙it Platform Can Benefit Individuals With Dyscalculia Through The Following Features:

• Multisensory input and feedback
• Tool Factory software programs: 123-CD, Fizzy's Number Skills, and Bucket & Spade

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that impairs a person’s ability to learn and comprehend written words. It is the most common learning disability: 80% of all individuals with a learning disability have dyslexia.

Applications:

The Tap∙it Platform Can Benefit Individuals With Dyslexia Through The Following Features:

• Multisensory input and feedback
• Tool Factory software programs: Letter Olympics, Think About! 1, A Busy Day, On the Ball Spelling, Eye Track, and Phonics
• ClaroRead for text-to-speech
• ClaroView to change screen hue

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is a processing disorder that affects a person’s ability to write.

Applications:

• Multisensory input and feedback
• Tool Factory software programs: A Busy Day
• ClaroRead
• OSKA Word Banks

A medically fragile child is dependent on life-sustaining medications, treatments, and equipment, and requires assistance with daily living activities due to an accident, illness, congenital disorder, abuse, or neglect. They may have chronic health-care conditions (diabetes, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy), require health-care support (tube feedings, oxygen therapy, ventilator), and have limited mobility

Applications:

Adjustability

• The platform's height and degree of tilt can be adjusted to improve access for all individuals

Intended Touch

• Individuals can lean on the platform and still interact with it.

Multisensory

• The platform offers multisensory input and feedback.

Multihandicapped (MH), or multiple exceptionalities, is characterized by an individual who has more than one cognitive or physical disability. These individuals will exhibit a combination of disabilities, including: speech, physical mobility, learning, intellectual, visual, hearing, etc. In addition, a multihandicapped person may exhibit sensory loss, and behavior and/or social problems. The characteristics of an individual's impairments and their severity will vary.

Applications:

Individuals With Multiple Disabilities Can Use The Tap∙it Platform In Multiple Ways To:

• Gain accessibility to curriculum
• Achieve increased independence
• Increase attention and motivation
• Work on academic, life skills, and therapeutic goals

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that typically develops in individuals between the ages of twenty and forty, and affects the brain and spinal cord. Individuals with MS experience attacks that can vary in location and severity, along with periods of remission (no symptoms). MS also can continue to get worse without remission periods as patients age.

Applications:

Adjustability

• The platform's height and degree of tilt can be adjusted to accommodate various motor issues due to an attack

Intended Touch I

• Individuals with weak muscle control can lean on the platform for added stability.

Multimodal Access

• Because of the frequent threats for relapse and attacks, individuals can use a finger, stylus, or the on-screen keyboard, as well as keyboards, mice, voice recognition, etc., for easy input.

Large Screen

• The 42-inch viewing area enables individuals with visual impairments to easily see items on the screen.

Muscular Dystrophy (MD) is a group of genetic disorders that encompasses muscle weakness and a loss of muscle tissue with these symptoms accelerating over time. There are several different types where some are fatal, while others cause very little disability. Though symptoms can appear in adulthood, the most severe forms tend to occur in early childhood.

Applications:

Increase Accessibility

• Individuals with wheelchairs, crutches, etc., can still interact with the platform.

Increase Mobility

The TAP∙it platform can be used in multiple locations, such as in an office building or at home.

Therapeutic Benefits

• The large screen allows individuals the ability to work on both physical and occupational therapy exercises: fine motor, range of motion, midline, gross motor, balance, etc

Increase Balance

• The platform's intended touch enables individuals to lean on it for added stability.

Improve Speech/communication

• Individuals can use communication software such as Boardmaker as a communication tool, while still accessing other computer programs.

Sensory processing disorder (SPD), or sensory integration dysfunction, is a neurological disorder that affects the processing of information from one or more of the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste).

Applications:

The Tap∙it Platform Can Be Useful For Sensory Diets In The Following Ways:

• The platform incorporates a touch screen instead of a mouse for visual input needs.
• Individuals can interact with more visuals, pictures, and words (SMART Notebook, VizZle) forauditory input needs.
• The platform's height/tilt angle can be adjusted to enable individuals to sit in bean bag chairs for tactile input needs.
• The TAP∙it platform offers software programs with repetitive alternating/rhythmic movement, such as Tool Factory ReacTickles 2, and Eye Track.

Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is caused by a sudden trauma to a person's brain. Symptoms of TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the damage. With a mild TBI, a person may remain conscious or experience a very short loss of consciousness. Symptoms will include headache, confusion, dizziness, blurred vision, trouble with memory and attention, and/or behavioral or mood changes. A person that has sustained a moderate or severe TBI can have some of the same symptoms as a mild TBI, but they also may experience a headache that continues to get worse, vomiting, nausea, seizures, slurred speech, loss of coordination, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.

Applications:

Accessibility And Adjustability

• The platform's height and degree of tilt can be adjusted to improve multisensory access for all individuals.

Intended Touch

• Individuals can lean on the platform and still interact with it.

A visual impairment is caused by damage or disease to one or more parts of the eye, or the part of the brain that processes images, where vision cannot be fully restored through surgery, medical treatment, or glasses or contacts.

Applications:

The Following Tap∙it Platform Features Benefit Students With Visual Impairments:

• The backlit screen requires no projector and creates no shadows
• A 42" screen
• Use of additional screen magnification
• The screen supports high contrast backgrounds and provides clear, crisp images