Spinner Overlays
for the
Light Box
Photograph of a display of assorted spinner overlays from the collection including patterned and translucent solid colors.
Guidebook

Project Staff

Consultant
Beth Ramella
Project Leader
Rosanne Hoffmann
Project Leader
Susan Sullivan
Research Assistant
Denise Snow Wilson
Director of Technical & Manufacturing Research
Frank Hayden
Manager of Technical & Manufacturing Research
Andrew Moulton
Manufacturing Specialist
Rod Dixon
Photography
Anthony D. Jones
Graphic Design
Anthony Slowinski

American Printing House
for the Blind, Inc.

Spinner Overlays for the Light Box
Catalog Number 1-08692-00

Accessible HTML and BRF versions of this guidebook are available at www.aph.org/manuals/

Copyright ©2016 by the American Printing House for the Blind, all rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

This publication is protected by Copyright and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise. For information regarding permission, contact the publisher at the following address:

American Printing House for the Blind
1839 Frankfort Ave.
Louisville, KY 40206

800-223-1839
www.aph.org or

Reference citation:
Ramella, B., Hoffmann, R., & Sullivan, S. (2016). Spinner overlays for the light box guidebook. Louisville, KY:
American Printing House for the Blind.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

The following field testers and their student learners provided valuable time and input during the development of this product: Wendy Dixon Barber, Patrice Bucheli, Liz Eagen Satter, Sara Edwards, Debra Fenton, Dana Guthrie, Linda Kraft, Ellen Mazel, DeJean Miller Melton, Mariesa Mills, Lynn Pensari, Amanda Perry, Yue-Ting Siu, Lori Spenser, and Sharon Woods.

Warning

The use of this product can simulate flashing lights. Adults supervising learners prone to seizures brought on by flashing lights are advised to use this product with caution.

Product Overview

The Spinner Overlays for the Light Box collection is designed to support the individual needs of learners diagnosed with Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) or low vision. Using color, light, movement, and increasing levels of complexity, the overlays can be adapted and layered for many different purposes.

Use the following APH products with the overlay and sticker collection:

Photograph of APH Plexiglas® Spinner and three black and clear patterned overlays: black overlay with an octagon pattern of clear dots; black overlay with a black and clear pinwheel pattern; black overlay with clear dot pattern.
Plexiglas® Spinner
Photograph of the APH Mini-Lite Box.
Mini-Lite Box
Photograph of the APH Light Box.
Light Box

The Spinner Overlay Collection

Five each of

Photograph of clear, yellow, and red transparent overlays.

Two each of

Photograph of orange, blue, and green transparent overlays.

One each of

Photograph of a multicolor striped overlay and a multicolor dot overlay.

One each of

Photograph of a clear overlay with red hearts, a clear overlay with pink hearts, and a clear overlay with purple hearts.

One each of

Photograph of a clear overlay with small green shamrocks, and a clear overlay with large green shamrocks.

One each of

Photograph of a clear overlay with red stars, a clear overlay with blue stars, and a clear overlay with yellow stars.

One each of

Photograph of four sparkle overlays in red, blue, green, and yellow.

One each of

Photograph of four holographic overlays in red, blue, green, and yellow.

A few thoughts regarding the spinner overlays:

Photograph of the APH Light Box set up for use with the rectangular blackout sheet from the Level 1 Light Box Materials, the APH Plexiglas® Spinner, and a red sparkle overlay with perforations to let light shine through.
Photograph of the APH Light Box set up for use with the rectangular blackout sheet from the Level 1 Light Box Materials, the APH Plexiglas® Spinner, and a blue sparkle overlay. A flashlight is shown shining light on and reflecting off the overlay.
Photograph of the APH Light Box set up for use with the rectangular blackout sheet from the Level 1 Light Box Materials, the APH Plexiglas® Spinner, and a blue sparkle overlay. As a visual location cue, the edge of the spinner is highlighted by a large red sticker placed at eleven o’clock.

Pre-cut Stickers

Customize the overlays by creating patterns with the pre-cut stickers from the collection or with commercially available stickers.

The collection includes 12 each of small size stickers and three each of large size stickers in blue, red, green, and yellow holographic adhesive paper:

Photograph of a sampling of red, blue, green, and yellow precut holographic adhesive paper stickers showing large and small circles, stars, plus signs, and triangles.

The collection includes 12 8.5-by-0.875 in. strips in blue, red, green, and yellow holographic adhesive paper.

Photograph of red, blue, green, and yellow precut wide (8.5-by-0.875 in.) strips of holographic adhesive paper stickers.

The collection includes eight 8-by-0.25 in. strips in blue, red, green, and yellow holographic adhesive paper.

Photograph of red, blue, green, and yellow precut narrow (8-by-0.25 in.) strips of holographic adhesive paper stickers.

Supplemental Cards

The collection comes with eight blank cards to use for customized target images and one card of each of the following:

Photograph of ten supplemental cards, two blank and one each of purple heart, pink heart, red heart, large green shamrock, small green shamrock, red star, blue star, and yellow star.

Instructions for Use

CVI is a neurological visual disorder suspected by

The degree of CVI can range from mild (typically developing child with limited atypical visual behaviors) to severe (multiple disabilities with many atypical visual behaviors). The degree of neurological damage and CVI depends upon the time of onset, as well as the location and intensity of the damage. It is a condition that indicates that the visual systems of the brain do not consistently interpret or understand what the eyes see. The presence of CVI is not an indicator of the child’s cognitive ability. To read more about the unique visual behaviors associated with CVI, visit the APH CVI Web site.

Learners diagnosed with CVI are challenged in understanding objects and concepts through use of their vision. Materials and environments may need to be adapted for learners in order for them to be successful. The Spinner Overlays for the Light Box are unique in that the parent or teacher may design individualized overlays for each learner. Learners who demonstrate many CVI characteristics generally need a simpler design than learners who demonstrate few atypical visual behaviors. The strategies below build upon the learner’s strengths and assist a parent or teacher in understanding which materials a learner is attracted to and motivated by.

For learners who demonstrate many CVI behaviors, use simple, non-complex materials. Choose single-colored visual targets from the collection of spinner overlays. Use a color that the learner prefers, as indicated by parent report or assessment. Place materials in the learner’s favored visual field. After attaching the Plexiglas® Spinner to the Light Box, place the Spinner Overlay on top via the center hole.

Photograph of four low complexity overlays: red transparent, red sparkle, yellow holographic and yellow sparkle overlays.

Place the rectangular blackout sheet from the Level 1 Light Box Materials around the spinner on the Light Box to help eliminate excess white light and focus attention on the spinner.

Photograph of the APH Light Box demonstrating the use of the rectangular blackout sheet from the Level 1 Light Box Materials with the APH Plexiglas® Spinner, and a red overlay modified with yellow holographic sticker strips.

Consider the environment where you work with the learner. Eliminate visual complexity in the workspace by placing an APH Invisiboard behind the Light Box. Remove distracting sounds and scents that may interfere with the learner’s use of “best vision.”

Describe the visual characteristics of the target to the learner and provide movement by turning the spinner. Ask the learner to “look for the red spinner” and then wait for the learner to respond. Responses may vary from a subtle “stilling” of the learner to an actual head turn toward the target. The learner may require “wait time,” so be patient for the reaction. After the learner loses visual interest or fatigues, provide a visual break. Take note of the color of the target, the number of times the learner was able to regard the target, how long you waited for a reaction, and the environment in which you worked. Share your observations with the educational team to facilitate building additional activities from this baseline information.

Once a learner has developed a visual curiosity for the overlays, encourage him to reach toward the target to make something happen. Provide opportunities for the learner to combine look, touch, and reach to initiate movement of the spinner.

When the learner demonstrates consistent success, reassess to determine if he can attend to more complex targets.

Photograph of four overlays with mid-level complexity: a red holographic overlay with perforations, black and clear dot overlay, clear overlay with yellow stars, and black pinwheel overlay on top of a yellow sparkle overlay.

Follow his lead to create new combinations of overlays and stickers to initiate the look‐touch‐interact sequence. As each level of success is achieved, reexamine the workspace to determine the level of environmental complexity tolerated by the learner.

Photograph of five overlays with high complexity patterns: multi-color stripe overlay modified with yellow and red sticker strips; blue holographic overlay modified with green sticker strips; multicolor dot overlay on top of green holographic overlay; green holographic overlay modified with red heart and star stickers; and clear overlays with green shamrock patterns on top of red holographic overlay.

Be sure to update the learner’s educational team as these factors are determined. This information will help to guide accommodations made throughout the learner’s entire day, when working independently or with his team.

As the learner increases his understanding of two-dimensional materials, use the Supplemental Cards to encourage visual discrimination between same and different, to visually recognize a named object, or to encourage a visually guided reach to a target presented on a complex background. Two spinners displayed next to each other on one Light Box is a way to create activities of comparison for color, shape, or size.

Photograph of the APH Light Box and two APH Plexiglas® Spinners each with different patterned overlays (hearts and shamrocks). The photograph demonstrates the use of a Supplemental card with a heart which matches the hearts on one of the overlays.

References

Jan, J. E., Groenveld, M., Sykanda, A. M., & Hoyt, C. S. (1987). Behavioural characteristics of children with permanent cortical visual impairment. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 29, 571-576.

Lueck, A. H., & Dutton, G. N. (Eds.). (2015). Vision and the brain: Understanding cerebral visual impairment in children. New York, NY: AFB Press.

Roman-Lantzy, C. (2007). Cortical visual impairment: An approach to assessment and intervention. New York, NY: AFB Press.