Claire Kearney-Volpe / Scott Fitzgerald / Anita Perr

This multi-disciplinary course allows students from a variety of backgrounds to work
together to learn about and develop assistive technology. Partnering with outside
organizations, students will work in teams to identify a clinical need relevant to a
certain clinical site or client population, and learn the process of developing an idea
and following that through to the development of a prototype product.
This course provides an overview of some of the assistive technologies currently used
by people with disabilities to participate in life’s activities, including those used for
computer access, mobility, and activities of daily living (ADLs). Working in small
groups, you will work with a mentor with a disability to solve a problem by creating a
tech solution making the problem easier to deal with. We have a number of ongoing
projects such as developing interactive activities to improve balance of pre-schoolers
with hearing impairments and cochlear implants, or working with a deaf woman in
Argentina to develop a tool that can allow her to participate in group discussions. Other
projects may include working with people with physical and sensory disabilities. This
course provides you your own evidence of the benefit of using client centered design
with input from multiple professionals.