The Challenge
Disability justice acknowledges systemic barriers that restrict individuals with disabilities from fully participating in society. Thoughtful engineering design can address these barriers, enabling more inclusive and equitable access for all individuals.
Challenge Question
How can we design and construct innovative devices that help remove barriers for people with disabilities, enabling them to accomplish their goals and contribute meaningfully to our community?
Learning Partners and Clients
Partner with ADAPT in New York City, a prominent disability service organization known for advocating accessibility and rights for people with disabilities. Their insights into real-world barriers will significantly inform the project. Through direct interaction, students have the opportunity to form personal connections with clients, enabling them to gather authentic information and ensure their inventions effectively meet real needs.
Phase Outcomes
| Phase | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| Discover | I can learn about the diverse ways people move and communicate, exploring how thoughtful designs can improve accessibility and understanding the importance of creating welcoming environments. |
| Examine | I can investigate various assistive technologies and how they function, analyzing their design features to inspire solutions for our clients' challenges. |
| Engineer | I can develop and construct inventive prototypes that address the challenges faced by our clients, focusing on creating meaningful solutions through collaborative and iterative design processes. |
| Do | I can test my prototypes with real clients, carefully collecting data and feedback to refine the effectiveness of my solutions in addressing identified needs. |
| Share | I can share my invention and personal growth journey with an authentic audience, highlighting the impact of my work on real-world challenges and reflecting on my learning experiences. |
