NSF Convergence Accelerator | Living Better through Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology

Dr. Steele AccessEngineering, Outreach, Presentation May 19, 2021October 12, 2021ability, brainstorming, disability, education, Universal Design

A second NSF Convergence Accelerator focused on increasing access and inclusion. The LIBERATE workshop is focused on Living Better through Rehabilitation & Assistive Technology.

As an NSF Convergence Accelerator, participants will seek to identify pathways that could be pursued by multidisciplinary teams to get solutions at least to a prototype stage in 3-5 years. The long-term goal from this workshop is to kickstart the next wave of technologies that will empower people with disabilities.

Dr. Steele will be participating and presenting some kernels of ideas for inclusion, especially highlighting recent work from CREATE.

Slides

Download PDF of slides.

Email Dr. Steele (kmsteele – at – uw – dot – edu) with questions, comments, or suggestions.

KM Steele, B Blaser, M Cakmak (2018) “Accessible Making: Designing makerspaces for accessibility” International Journal of Designs for Learning

Keshia AccessEngineering, JournalArticle, Publications June 27, 2018October 12, 2021DO-IT, education, inclusive design, Makerspaces, Universal Design

Journal article in International Journal for Designs for Learning

Abstract:

The purpose of makerspaces is to increase access to “making” among the general community. Because of this social justice orientation, it is important to consider how welcoming and accessible makerspaces are to individuals with diverse abilities, including individuals with disabilities. This design brief examines a three-step process used to make a university-based makerspace more accessible and welcoming to

individuals with disabilities including a tour, design activity, and brainstorming session. The process helped identify simple changes that were made to the makerspace, as well as increasing student, faculty, and community access. Using a similar process, other makerspaces could improve the accessibility of their spaces, procedures, and tools.

Makerspaces provide the general community with a space to brainstorm, prototype, and create. Considering this, it is especially important to create a welcoming environment for individuals with diverse abilities, including individuals with disabilities.

To read the article in full, CLICK HERE.