TOPIC INDEX

1. Introduction
2. Types of Talking Switches - Single Messages
3. Types of Talking Switches - Sequenced Messages
4. Creating and Using Social Scripts with Sequenced Talking Switches
5. Using Talking Switches to Access Toys and Appliances for Fun and Motivating Communication
6. Literacy Activities using Talking Switches
7. Other Talking Switch Resources
   
   

TALKING SWITCHES TO ACCESS TOYS AND APPLICANCES
FOR FUN AND MOTIVATING COMMUNICATION 

Many single message and sequenced multiple message talking switches have an additional interactive feature that allows you to control a switch-adapted toy or appliance as well as including recorded voice messages that are associated with the activity (example: child taps switch to activate toy duck while a pre-recorded "Quack Quack Look at him go!" message plays.

The talking switch can be connected by using the appliance jack on the toy. The talking switch can also act as a timer so that the adapted toy stays activated for the duration of the the recorded message.

Here's another example. Let's say you had a switch activated toy dog. We can connect a talking switch to the toy dog so that, when pressed, it activates the dog's movement in addition to playback of voice messages that were prerecorded for the play activity. Recorded messages might include, “My dog's name is Buster,” “Look at Buster go!”, “He loves to go for walks.”,  and “I love Buster, he’s the best!”

Programming the Step by Step with Levels to activate TOYS

Take a look at these great ideas for using accessible toys with talking switches from the amazing Gretchen Hanser, an Occupational Therapist at the University of North Carolina's Center for Literacy and Disability Studies.

Here are AbleNet's directions for connecting accessible toys (go to page 4) to their talking switches.