Developing technologies that enable individuals with disabilities: A unique design experience

Abstract

People with disabilities encounter a significant number of barriers and challenges, including lack of employment opportunities and access to adequate facilities. Today, over 60% of people with disabilities do not have jobs. Lack of awareness about the challenges faced by persons with disabilities still is a considerable concern. In an effort to ease some of those challenges, a semester long team design project has been introduced, to encourage the students to develop technologies that can empower people with disabilities to overcome barriers to employment. The students are challenged to design the assistive device in direct collaboration with a particular person who is disabled, a physical therapist at the local hospital, as well as with the disability services at Texas A&M University. The project gives undergraduate students a chance to make a difference, by developing technologies to aid people with disabilities. It also enhances the design experience and self-learning of the undergraduate students in our department. I expect that this project, which focuses on enabling the disabled, will encourage more students and engineering professionals to become interested in seeking degrees in Engineering with special emphasis on human-centered design. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.