Adapted Paper

Adapted paper is used to assist in making a more efficient writing experience for individuals with physical and motor limitations, as well as those with sensory needs. Adapted paper may contain bold or raised lines. Some types use color to visually define lines, margins, and writing areas.

AT Category: Sensory
- Tactile
AT Category: Academic
- Access
- Fine Arts
- Math
- Writing

Low Tech

Considerations

Take the following considerations into account when selecting and implementing AT to ensure that the chosen tools are well-suited to the student’s needs, align with their goals, and seamlessly integrate into their educational journey. By embracing a collaborative approach and considering the specific skills, tasks, and implementation context, educators can provide students with the necessary support to thrive academically and functionally, promoting inclusivity and fostering their overall success.

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Occupational Therapist (OT): An OT may be a member of the multidisciplinary team that evaluates or reevaluates students suspected of having a disability, including dysgraphia, and participates as an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee member in writing the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP), drafting annual goals, and recommending assistive technology services and/or the related services of occupational therapy. An OT may provide services that are academic and/or functional in nature. Examples are graphomotor skills needed for handwriting; fine motor skills which include small, finely coordinated hand movements; visual perceptual skills which include the ability to understand and interpret what is seen; visual motor skills which include the ability to coordinate visual and motor skills; and/or self-care skills which include feeding, dressing, hygiene, and toileting skills for increasing independence in necessary life skills. The OT may be a member of the Local Education Agency (LEA) assistive technology (AT) team.
Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI): A TVI is a licensed teacher who has received specialized training and certification in meeting the educational needs of students who have visual impairments ages birth to 21 years. This role may involve adapting teaching methods and materials to accommodate the unique needs of students with varying degrees of vision loss. They are skilled in using and teaching students to use assistive technologies such as screen readers, braille displays, and audio books.
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): An SLP is a member of the multidisciplinary team that evaluates or reevaluates students suspected of having a speech impairment (SI) and participates as an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee member in writing the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP), drafting annual goals, and recommending assistive technology services and/or the special education service of speech therapy. An SLP may provide services that are academic and/or functional in nature depending on the age or grade-level of the student's curriculum. Speech therapy in schools most often addresses communication skills in the areas of articulation, language, and fluency. SLP services can be provided 1:1, in a small group setting, or may involve the SLP providing inclusive support in a general education classroom. The SLP may be a member of the LEA assistive technology (AT) team.

Skills and Tasks What skills or tasks will the student utilize this tool for? What areas, functional or academic, does this tool support?

Visual/tactile discrimination
Line awareness
Drawing
Painting
Sketching
Creating art pieces

Implementation Context In what activities, classes, or environments will the student utilize this tool?

Adapted writing paper can be invaluable for students facing challenges in writing due to issues like fine motor deficits (such as poor wrist/hand position or reduced fine motor strength), visual impairments, and sensory or perceptual processing difficulties.

Typical adaptations in writing materials include paper featuring bold and/or raised lines, colored sections to clearly delineate the writing area, and personal dry erase boards. Writing guides offer students defined boundaries within which to write, aiding in improving legibility, maintaining writing size, and staying aligned with the baseline.

Bold lined paper enhances visibility of guidelines, assisting students in adhering to them more effectively. Raised lined paper offers tactile cues with embossed or raised lines, providing sensory feedback for maintaining alignment with top and bottom lines. Some adapted writing paper employs different colors for top, middle, and bottom lines to signal letter beginnings and endings, while others use shaded areas from center to bottom to assist in maintaining appropriate lowercase letter sizes.