Assistive Technology Maker Spaces and Collaborations - Working together across sectors!

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By: Carrie Portrie, M.Ed, EC-SEAT Project Coordinator

Assistive Technology  - Design, Collaboration, and Making

On Saturday, September 29th, I attended the Assistive Technology Makers Fair at the Grappone Center in Concord, NH with five EC-SEAT project scholars. The event was coordinated by Dr. Therese Willkomm and Stacy Driscoll of ATinNH.org at the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability in collaboration with a planning committee of national stakeholders. I attended sessions that emphasized design and the importance of collaborative inquiry and work across areas of expertise. It made me think about project learning and how students of all ages and professionals can help design, find, and make assistive technology solutions for people of all ages who have disabilities. 
Word Cloud with words associated with the makers fair

Families, professionals, and communities can help people with disability have greater accessibility in their daily lives by embracing the ideas behind design and making. The conference made me think about deep and meaningful projects that are happening and could be generated in high school and
college programs that help students and teachers engage in: 
  • Cross- and interdisciplinary opportunities to engage in projects that support people with disabilities
  • Increased inclusion and independence in daily life through collaborative designs focused on assistive technology solutions, adaptive, flexible, and universal design
  • A means of learning that can inspire people of all abilities to think inclusively and collaboratively across ages and areas of knowledge.

Two projects of the many shared during the day are featured below - learn more about others here. 

Go Baby Go NH!

"It starts with one....one child who needs a little extra help getting mobile. Swirling together low-tech solutions to the dynamic challenge of moving freely, we develop truly custom rides.

Creativity. Function. Design. Fun.
​
Let us help you! Together the road to mobility
gets a new speed limit."
Connect with GoBabyGo NH! They are looking for coordination support and vehicles! Visit: http://gobabygonh.wixsite.com/gbgnh or contact Will Renauld, Teacher of Physics & Engineering at St. Paul's School at wrenauld@sps.edu.

Adaptive Design of Greater Philadelphia is

"spearheaded by Temple’s Institute on Disabilities and funded by a grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, is helping to improve the lives of children with paralysis." 

Learn more about Adaptive Design and the greater Philadelphia project by visiting Russell Goldstein and Kim Singleton's bio pages from the AT Makers Fair or visiting the following website - https://news.temple.edu/news/2017-09-25/project-creates-cardboard-adaptations-kids-disabilities


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