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

-
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


Comments

Post a Comment

We invite you to share your thoughts and additional resources with our community of readers.

Also, contact us if you would like to be a guest blogger.

Popular posts from this blog

Low-Tech Ways for Adapting Books for Fine Motor

-
Image
By: Teresa Loos , EC-SEAT Scholar Part of teaching children with special needs includes providing them with a least restrictive environment in which they have access to the curriculum, opportunities to participate, and can be supported and accommodated in their education. As an educator, I live by  Universal Design for Learning  and the  National Association of Education for Young Children and the Division for Early Childhood’s Position Statement on Inclusion , which ensures that children with special needs have access, participation, and support. When people think of assistive technology, the assumption is some sort of device they can use. However, according the Assistive Technology: principles and practices, assistive technology is a broad range of devices, services, strategies, or practices that can be implemented to eliminate or alleviate problems of an individual with special needs (Cook & Hussey, 2002). Assistive technology can also be low-tech and does not require a d
Read more

App Review: TouchChat HD

-
Image
By:  Melissa Giconda , EC-SEAT Scholar                             App Name:  TouchChat HD Where:  Google Play Store Link: https://touchchatapp.com/apps/touchchat-hd-aac Cost:  $149.99 (USD + tax) About the app:  TouchChat HD is an app that functions as a communication tool for those with communication impairments. This app is used to help children or students who may be non-verbal. It helps students to be able to communicate without actually being physically verbal . It has many options to edit vocabulary and is limitless with flexibility; you are allowed the opportunity to add familiar people, places, snacks, and much more. It is simple enough for a student who has the ability to read written language but also accommodates students who are pre-reading (or not reading at all) and allows them to select icons based on pictures. TouchChat provides both English and Spanish options in one universal app supporting iPhone®, iPod®, and iPad®. Positive:  TouchChat HD is easily able to be per
Read more

Assistive Technology vs. Instructional Technology - Three Questions with Dr. Therese Willkomm

-
Watch the following 5-minute interview with Dr. Therese Willkomm, ATP to learn about the difference between Assistive Technology vs. Instructional Technology and how it relates to Universal Design for Learning.  Dr. Therese Willkomm, ATP - Assistive Technology vs. Instructional Technology and Universal Design for Learning from Carrie Smart on Vimeo . Links to Interesting articles and materials to inform our thinking: AT in NH -  Website  and  YouTube 29 U.S. Code Chapter 31 – Assistive Technology for Individuals with Disability Assistive Technology and IDEA: Regulations Assistive Technology Laws What is Assistive Technology? How is it Funded? Assistive Technology Act Universal Design and Technology Universal Design for Learning and Assistive Technology Evaluating Apps – Instructional vs. Assistive Technology
Read more