Overview

Everyone is an AT maker at home – using everyday items in extraordinary ways to create and deploy needed assistive technology solutions for physical, sensory or intellectual impairments. This session will discuss and demonstrate how many spaces in the home can be maker’s spaces and how various tools and materials in the home can be use to quick fabricate need devices.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify at least five different spaces in the home that can be used as a maker's space
2. Identify at least five different everyday items in the home that can be use for making AT devices
3. Identify at least ten different hand tools and materials that can be used for making AT devices at home

Primary & Secondary Strands

Assistive Technology for Physical Access and Participation; Mainstream & Web Accessible Technologies

Target Audience

• AT Specialists
• Alternative Media Specialist
• Communication Specialist
• Consumers/Individuals with Disabilities
• Consultants/Trainers
• Disability Services
• Educators
• Faculty/Instructors - Higher Education
• Family Members
• Instructional Technologist
• Occupational Therapists
• Paraprofessionals
• Physical Therapists
• Rehab Therapists
• Speech-Language Pathologists
• Special Education Educators
• Teachers of the Visually Impaired
• Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Visual Impairment Specialists

Experience Level

Introductory

Primary Life Cycle Addressed

All

Content Area

Professional Area

Course Schedule

This course was included in the ATIA 2021: AT Connected virtual event education program.

Continuing Education Credits

For Satisfactory Completion and Continuing Education information, please visit: ATIA Online Education CEUs

This course is offered for the following CE Provider Credits:
ACVREP; AOTA; IACET
For: 0.10 CEU Units or 1.0 CEU Hours.

ASHA CE Information: Recorded Session
Start date of ASHA CEUs offering: March 3, 2021.
End date of ASHA CEUs offering: May 31, 2023.
This course was offered for 0.1 ASHA CEUs. (Introductory level, Professional area.)

This course was approved by CRCC for CRC CEUs and was included in the ATIA CRC AT for Physical Access and Participation Series (2023-2024). This series offering was available from March 20, 2023, through March 19, 2024.

Speaker/s:

Therese Willkomm

University of New Hampshire, Director of ATinNH

Biography

Dr. Therese Willkomm, PhD, ATP, is an amazing Assistive Technology magician who has invented over 1,200 different Assistive Technology solutions including 50 different iPad solutions for people with disabilities. She is known nationally and internationally for her unique five minute approach to creating solutions using 10 basic hand tools and 30 different every day materials. She has presented in 47 states and eight foreign countries. Dr. Willkomm has authored 22 publications including “Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes – Make a Difference Today” and “Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes- Book 2 – Ordinary Items Extraordinary Solutions”. Dr. Willkomm holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Science and Technology and is the director of New Hampshire’s statewide Assistive Technology program. She is also a clinical associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of New Hampshire and oversees the graduate certificate program in assistive technology at UNH.

Regarding financial and non-financial disclosures, I am author of two books however I do not financially benefit from the sales of these books. However, as an employee at the University of New Hampshire, the books are sold and the money is used to purchase iPads and other electronic devices for individuals with disabilities in New Hampshire.

Relevant Financial Relationship: Yes
Salary from employment. Therese Willkomm receives speaking fees.

Relevant Non-Financial Relationship: Yes
Therese Willkomm is author of AT in Minutes Book 2 however does not receive any royalties for the sale of this book.