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Alternative Seating  |  Determining the Need


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Points to Consider: Student, Environment, Task & Tool

Student:

  • Does your student have low or high muscle tone?
  • Does the student tend to be a sensory seeker or sensory avoider?
  • Does the student gravitate towards a particular seat, rug, or cushion in the environment?

Environment:

  • Are there universal supports available in the environment (program, classroom, building, district) that can first be trialed with the student to determine the need?
  • Consult with your school occupational therapist or physical therapist for further guidance.

Task:

  • What is the student currently expected to complete in the classroom while seated that they can not currently accomplish?
  • What activities are the student more or less engaged with during the day?

Tool:

  • Preliminary features to consider when selecting tools: comfort, movement in place, compression, stability, size of student and tool, and arrangement of environment.
  • What types of training might be required for this student or team members when determining a tool?
  • Trial new tools based on the identification of priority tasks and activities.