6.S196: Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology

Resources and Links

Interesting Readings and Articles

  • Francie Latour, "A talk with Graham Pullin: Why prosthetics should be beautiful," The Boston Globe, March 15, 2009
  • Design Meets Disability by Graham Pullin (published by MIT Press)

    Technical Resources

  • MIT TLL Problem Solving Roadmap
  • MIT TLL Modeling Roadmap
  • MIT TLL Communication Roadmap
  • MIT 6.S083: Building Mobile Applications , App Inventor for Android
  • NSF Engineering Senior Design Projects to Aid Persons with Disabilities
    NSF supports a program for student engineers to cover supplies, equipment, and fabrication costs for assistive technologies. Approximately 15 U.S. universities participate and, since 1989, a book has been compiled with two-page papers describing the design, solution, and results. (Approximately 100 projects were in the 2008 edition.)
  • One Switch UK
    A collection of simple computer games that can be played with just one switch input.
  • Shapeways 3D Printing, 3D-printing-as-a-service
  • danger!awesome, laser-cutting and etching studio in Central Square
  • OpenSim Community, part of the National Center for Siumlation in Rehabilitation Research (NCSRR)

    • Disability

  • MIT Student Disability Services: Etiquette for Communicating with People with Disabilities
  • The Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Disability Law Center
    This is Massachusetts' Protection and Advocacy group for people with disabilities. "These good folks can help you understand your rights, and may be able to help you secure employment (and possibly training) in your field of choice."

    • Principles of Assistive Technology

  • World Health Organization: International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF)

    Commercially Available Assistive Technology Resources

  • TASH Mini Relax Switch
  • Enabling Devices
    This is a good source for switches and other basic assistive devices.

    Events and Competitions

  • Boston Accessibility Unconference, Cambridge, September 17, 2011
  • Change People's Lives Conference, Boston, September 23, 2011

    Resources on Usability

  • User Edit: Finding usability issues and erorrs in documentation (courtesy Chris Laroche)

    Other Assistive Technology Course Syllabi

  • Rutgers University: MAE 473: Design of Assistive Devices, Kathryn Higgins
  • Stanford University: ENGR110/210: Perspectives in Assistive Technology, David Jaffe and Drew Nelson
  • MIT: Water Jet Technologies (MIT Hobby Shop with past projects at The Boston Home and the Protestant Guild Learning Center), Ken Stone
  • MIT: Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries, Amos Winter, Amy Smith

    Resource Links from Textbook

  • Abledata
  • AbleLink Technologies
  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)
  • Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE)
  • AT&T Natural Voices demo
  • AT&T Natural Voices demo
  • Australian Association of Occupational Therapists
  • Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association (ARATA)
  • Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
  • Cepstral (Synthetic Voices)
  • Closing the Gap (CTG)
  • CSUN Conference
  • DECtalk, MIT lab
  • E-triloquist
  • Freedom Scientific
  • Temple University Institute on Disabilities: Augmentative Communication On-line Users' Group (ACOLUG)
  • International Seating Symposium
  • International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC)
  • Invacare Corporation
  • Microsoft Accessibility