Abstract
Interactive technology is becoming increasingly relevant and more widely used in elementary schools and various treatment settings as 21st-century learning continues to evolve. This session will demonstrate how OTs can use their expertise in fine-motor development to develop Tier 1 supports that utilize a combination of interactive technology and traditional fine-motor activities to help children develop fine-motor skills while keeping up with the 21st-century learning model.
Primary Author and Speaker: Chelsey Lyons
With each passing school year, occupational therapists receive an alarming number of referrals for kindergarten students with fine motor delays. This is most notably due to rising academic demands during that first crucial year of school. Deficits in these skills can be minimized through the use of response to intervention (RtI) programs. However, while traditional RtI fine motor programs are beneficial, they often lack the element of motivation. One way that teachers and therapists can improve motivation and engagement while targeting fine motor development is through the use of technology. Researchers have identified technology as an effective tool for student engagement and also to promote fine motor development in young students (Coutinho et al., 2016; Short et al., 2018). The purpose of this study was to examine if the use of interactive technology when paired with traditional fine motor activities improves fine motor development in kindergarten students through a Tier 1 approach. A pre-test, post-test, quasi-experimental design was utilized with one general education kindergarten classroom, which was recruited through convenience sampling. The selected teacher as well as the parents and guardians of all 22 recruited students signed the informed consent document. The student sample embodied 13 female and nine male students with a mean age of 5.18 years, and the classroom teacher was over the age of 40 with 19 years of teaching experience. The intervention involved an eight-week, Tier 1 fine motor program that combined both traditional fine motor and interactive technology activities. Quantitative data was collected pre-test and post-test via the Bruininks-Osteretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) Fine Manual Control Composite and the Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) Screener of Handwriting Proficiency. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to measure changes from pre-test to post-test. Qualitative data was collected at post-test via a student focus group and teacher interview. Data sets from the student focus group and teacher interview were analyzed using inductive and in-vivo analysis methods. At conclusion, statistically significant improvements from pre-test to post-test were noted for the group on the BOT-2 as well as the HWT Screener of Handwriting Proficiency (p<0.05). The student focus group revealed six clinically relevant themes: interactive iPad applications helped students to learn letters, Osmo iPad applications were thought to be fun and engaging, hands on activities were considered enjoyable, activities promoted social interaction, iPads were deemed easily accessible for students, and activities that involved increased hand strength were identified as challenging. The teacher interview revealed clinically significant results as well, reporting that, “students were really engaged,” and “the apps helped students to form letters the correct way.” The results of this study align with the current literature that supported the use of interactive technology in conjunction with traditional fine motor activities to improve fine motor skill development (Coutinho et al., 2016; Short et al., 2018). The developed Tier 1 intervention integrated this information by utilizing center activities devoted to hands-on manipulatives as well as center activities devoted to interactive technology. This study is important to practice because it targets all identified areas of AOTA’s Vision 2025 (2017), particularly in the areas of collaboration with other professions such as the educational team and accessibility because it aims to provide services to students in their least restrictive environment (i.e. the classroom).
Coutinho, F., Bosisio, M., Brown, E., Rishikof, S., Skaf, E., Zhang, X., . . . Dahan-Oliel, N. (2016). Effectiveness of iPad apps on visual-motor skills among children with special needs between 4y0m–7y11m. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 12(4), 402-410. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2016.1185648
Short, N., Best, S., Bhowmick, A., Brenner, D., Cundall, C., Farmer, M., . . . Ross, M. (2018). Impact of the Dexteria™ application use on visual–motor integration in elementary-age children. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2018.1445061
American Occupational Therapy Association. [AOTA]. (2017). Vision 2025. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(3). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2017.713002