6.S196: Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology
Syllabus and Timeline
6.S196 is a project-based course. In small teams, you will work closely with a person with a disability in the Cambridge area to design a device, piece of equipment, app, or other solution that helps them live more independently. Over the course of the term, each team meets with its "client," iterates through multiple prototypes, and learns about the challenges and realities of designing technologies for people with disabilities.
To be successful in developing assistive technology that is effective and gains acceptance, you will need to understand the person's realities and needs, grasp the situations and environments in which the device will be used, and appreciate the broader context of disability and assistive technology in society. To realize this goal, this course has the following components:
Weeks 1-5: Foundational Lectures and Understanding User Requirements
We will introduce the history and current state of assistive technology and the challenges that remain today. The specific concepts that we will explore in class include contextual inquiry, user analysis, and evaluation metrics.
Week 1: Introduction to Assistive Technology
Wed 5 September: Lecture: Professor Teller, "Introduction & Overview"Wed 5 September: Lab: People-first language / Disability etiquette
Week 2: Project Matching & Contextual Inquiry
Mon 10 September: Lecture: Professor Teller, "System Model"Mon 10 September: Lab: Wheeled mobility & campus accessibility
Wed 12 September: Lecture: Professor Teller, "The Human User"
Wed 12 September: Lab: TBD
Week 3: Team Formation & Project Matching
Mon 17 September: Lecture: Professor Miller, "Ethics" (PDF) (powerpoint slides)Mon 17 September: Lab: Human Subject Protection and Human Subject Training (PDF) (MSWord lab exercise)
Wed 19 September: Lecturer: Professor Miller, "User-Centered Design" (powerpoint slides)
Wed 19 September: Lab: Contextual Inquiry
Fri 21 September: No MIT classes today; see the Career Fair Schedule for other things to do today!
Week 4: Idea Generation
Mon 24 September: Lecture: Brian Charlson, The Carroll CenterMon 24 September: Lab: Voiceover/Screenreaders
Wed 26 September: Lecture: Mary Ziegler & Kathy Cahill, MIT ATIC, "Assistive Technology - Our Scope and Challenges" (powerpoint slides) (Rich Text Format (RTF) transcript)
ATIC Handouts:
Assistive Technologies at MIT
ATIC's Alternative Pointing Devices & Keyboards
Wed 26 September: Lab: TBD
Week 5: Measurement Instruments
Mon 1 October: Lecture: Professor Teller, "Information Processing I"Mon 1 October: Lab: Alternative text input
Wed 3 October: Lecture: Professor Teller, "Information Processing II"
Wed 3 October: Lab:TBD
Fri 4 October: ADD DATE
Week 6: Project Development
Mon 8 October: No MIT classes today; MIT observes Columbus Day.Wed 10 October: Lecture: Melissa Simonian, Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, "Cognitive-Linguistic Disabilities"
Wed 10 October: Lab: Project component purchase
Week 7: Mid-Semester: Panels, Etc.
Week 7: Proposal Writing
Mon 15 October: Lecture: Professor Miller, "User Testing" (powerpoint slides)Mon 15 October: Lab: Project Check-in and Panel preparation with David Hayden
Wed 17 October: Lecture: Professor Teller, "Functional Deficits that Accompany Aging"
Wed 17 October: Lab: TBD
Week 8: Project Development & Panels
Mon 22 October: Lecture: Chris LaRoche & Katherine Wahl, MIT IS&T, "Usability"Mon 22 October: Lab: *Rescheduled* WEEK 7 PANELS (Panelist(s): Judy Brewer (W3C), Don Fredette (TBH), Prof. Rupal Patel)
Wed 24 October: No PPAT lecture today
Wed 24 October: Lab: Project check-in with David Hayden & Prof. Miller
Week 9: User Testing & Iteration #1
Mon 29 October:Mon 29 October: MIT Closed due to Hurricane Sandy
Wed 31 October: Lecture: Krzysztof Gajos, "Personalized Adaptive Accessibility" (HALLOWEEN!)
Wed 31 October: Lab: Project Check-in
Week 10: Evaluation of First Prototype
Mon 5 November: Lecture: Jack Geilfuss & Steve Saling, Leonard Florence CenterMon 5 November: Lab: Alternative Pointing/Touch Input Devices
Wed 7 November: Lecture: Samantha Scolamiero, "Functional Deficits Accompanying Brain Injury" (powerpoint slides)
Handout:
"How I lost 20 pounds on the New Moo Diet"
Wed 7 November: Lab: Project Check-in
Week 11: User Testing & Iteration #2
Mon 12 November: No MIT classes today; MIT observes Veterans Day.Wed 14 November: Lecture: Barbara Johnson, MIT IS&T, "Hearing Impairment and Cochlear Implants"
Wed 14 November: Lab: Project Check-in
Week 12: User Testing & Iteration #3
Mon 19 November: Lecture: Don Fredette, The Boston Home, "Adaptive Technology at TBH"Mon 19 November: Lab: Project Check-in
Wed 21 November: DROP DATE - No lecture & no lab today, Happy Thanksgiving!
Fri 23 November: No MIT classes today; MIT is closed for the Thanksgiving Vacation.
Week 13: Final Testing and Analysis
Mon 26 November: Lecture: Judy Brewer, W3C, "Web Accessibility, Universal Design and Assistive Technology"Mon 26 November: Lab: Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Wed 28 November: Lecture: Professor Rupal Patel, "Assistive Communication"
Wed 28 November: Lab: Project Check-in
Week 14: End-of-Semester Panels
Mon 3 December: Lecture: Michele Friedner (rescheduled from 29 October)Mon 3 December: Lab: WEEK 14 PANELS
Fall 2012 PPAT Final Presentations
315pm: Convene, introductions
330pm: Team Steve
Julian Gonzalez, Shawn Wen
Augmented caregiver access and E911 capability for a client with ALS
400pm: Team Janet
Casey Chiou, Joy Ekuta, Jason Strauss
Accessible touch- and speech-based nurse call for a client with MS
Wed 5 December: Lecture: TBD
Wed 5 December: Lab: WEEK 14 PANELS
Fall 2012 PPAT Final Presentations
315pm: Convene, introductions
330pm: Team Lindsay
Marcus Lowe, Victoria Sun
Making an inaccessible touchscreen accessible for a blind client
400pm: Team Haben
Veronica Newlin, Priya Saha
Haptic call notification for a blind & hearing-impaired client
430pm: Team Laurie
Kaiying Liao, Rohan Mahajan, Kwadwo Nyarko
Accessible tablet control of an adjustable bed for a client with MS
Week 15: Final Reports
Mon 10 December: Lecture: William Li, "Life After PPAT"Mon 10 December: Lab: Low-Vision Assistive Technologies
Wed 12 December: LAST DAY OF CLASSES
Wed 12 December: Lecture: Professors Teller & Miller, "Course Summary"
Wed 12 December: No lab
Wed 12 December: Individual Final Reports and Team Make Posts Due
Please contact TA David Hayden (dshayden@csail.mit.edu) or Prof. Teller (teller@mit.edu) with any questions.