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Activity and strategy

Tactile Incentive Chart

All children need to feel motivated, but often incentive charts are not accessible to those who are blind, low vision or deafblind.

We have all seen “sticker charts” or some sort of tracking sheet that is used for incentives or to reinforce good behavior.  I created a tactile incentive chart for my son Liam (9 years old, deafblind).  This can be used for reading charts, behavior plans, chore charts etc.  I really like this chart  because it can easily be used over and over again without having to purchase more stickers or print off new chart sheets…and of course because it is accessible for students who are blind!

Purpose:

The student will earn a “reward” when he collects 10 golf tees.  

Materials

  • small wooden board (many stores that sell lumber will have scraps they will give you for free!)
  • black spray paint (I choose black for a contrasting background)
  • golf tees
  • puffy paint
  • braille label paper 
  • power drill with a spade bit (for drilling the holes)

Steps:

  1. Drill 10 holes into the board using the drill.
  2. Spray the board using black spray paint.
  3. Once dry (outside in the sun only took minutes) add bright colored puffy paints around the holes.  
  4. Add goals onto the board using the braille label paper. 

Creating the Board:

This board was fairly easy to make; it took me under five minutes to complete it.  

Tactile incentive chart with golf tee
Tactile incentive chart with golf tee

Procedure

  1. Decide on a motivating reward with your student. (This should be something that is important to them and is “do-able” as soon as they earn all 10 golf tees.) Decide together what they will need to do in order to receive a golf tee.  Braille the “goals” together onto label paper and place it on the board (the label paper can be easily removed when a new goal is decided upon).  
  2. Collect golf tees and place them into the holes on the board.  When all 10 holes are filled in on the chart the student earns the “reward”.  

Variations

  • You can replace the gold tees with other items for fun an variety.  Try pipe cleaners with bead attached at the “top”, coffee stirrers cut in half or skinny wooden dowels.  
  • You could drill the holes to form shapes (like a circle).  
Collage of tactile incentive chart
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