Flying Balloons

The Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD) requested a device that children with severe and multiple disabilities could use to blow up balloons and encourage the students to exercise.

A device was designed utilizing an air compressor and hand air-pumps. The balloons can be blown up with the air compresso, or the students can use the hand air-pumps. This allows all of the students in the classroom to utilize the device. When the balloon is almost fully inflated, it flies off of the device.

Impact

Diane Selinger is the teacher at the CCISD who requested the device. After three months of using the device, she has told us that the Flying Balloons device is being used in two SMI (Severely Multiply Impaired) rooms and her classroom. It is used with one-on-one supervision, and they have one student who enjoys running the motor without using the balloons. It has been used as an auditory sensory device, a recreation device (watching the balloons fly away) and a tool (blowing up balloon for parties, etc.). It is also used to teach the students how to take turns and as a cognitive activity, where students anticipate what is going to happen. The Flying Balloons device is a very useful piece of equipment and it will serve many purposes in the long term.

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0079969 and a Research Experience for Undergraduate supplement. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.