PVC pipe is an amazing building material. It's fairly inexpensive, easy to find and simple to work with. You can use it to make all kinds of equipment to help your child. It can be used to create adaptive writing aids, eye gaze frames, sand tables, switch stands...and so much more. The Assistive Technology Educational Network in Florida has compiled a wonderful book that tells you how. Not only that, they have made it available for free download online! Many, many thanks to the great folks at ATEN for their generosity!
If you have never worked with PVC pipe before, this book will make you an expert in no time. It explains differences in types of PVC pipe and when each is appropriate to use. It teaches you how to cut, glue and paint the pipe. Then--this is the especially terrific part--the book offers designs for making a whole host of adaptive equipment! Each design includes a parts list (with pipe lengths listed, so you can pre-cut all your pieces or have them cut at the hardware store), a list of equipment and supplies, and assembly directions with schematic drawings. It has plans for 22 projects, including easels and sensory equipment and toy bowling ball launchers and headswitch mounts. There are even suggestions for how to modify these projects to work with your individual requirements. I'm waiting for a funding approval for a computerized voice output device for my daughter, at which point I can make a desk mount to fit. Please join me with a project or two of your own!
Happy creating and a great weekend,
Rose-Marie
Update (10/27/14): It appears the links in the original post moved. Thanks so much to a reader for calling this to my attention! I have updated the link to another host and now you should be able to access it without any sign-in. R-MG
5 comments:
Thanks for another great reference, Rose-Marie!
Barbara
I wanted to thank Lisa for pointing out the problem with the links to the PVC book. One of the hazards of a fluid, ever-changing Internet is the reorganization of links! But the links are fixed now and you should be able to download without any trouble.
If anyone else stumbles into a linking issue, please do speak up. It makes life easier for us all. Thanks so much!
I hope I will find this book : it seems wonderfull!!!
Could you please indicate the new link????
Thank you very very much
Best regards
Christa
Christa,
Thanks for pointing out the broken link. You can find the PVC book at this site too:
http://www.assistivetechnology.vcu.edu/files/mt/2/pvcbook.pdf.
I try to cite the original source whenever I can, but they can be moving targets sometimes.
Hope this helps!
Rose-Marie
thank you sooooomuch!!!!!
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