6.811: Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology

Syllabus and Timeline

6.811 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 4 Sep:
- Lecture: Prof. Teller, "Introduction & Overview"
- Lab: People-first language / Disability etiquette
Week 2: Project Matching & Contextual Inquiry

Mon 9 Sep:
- Lecture: Prof. Teller, "System Model"
- Lab: Wheeled mobility & campus accessibility
Wed 11 Sep:
- Lecture: Prof. Teller, "The Human User"
- Lab: Discussion
Week 3: Team Formation & Project Matching

Mon 16 Sep:
- Lecture: Prof. Miller, "Ethics"
- Lab: Human Subject Protection, Human Subject Training
Wed 18 Sep:
- Lecture: Prof. Teller, "Information Processing"
- Lab: Voiceover/Screenreaders
Fri 20 Sep:
Student holiday
Week 4: Idea Generation

Mon 23 Sep:
- Lecture: Prof. Miller, "User-Centered Design"
- Lab: Contextual Inquiry
Wed 25 Sep:
- Lecture: LaRoche and Wahl, "Usability"
- Lab: TBD
Week 5: Measurement Instruments

Mon 30 Sep:
- Lecture: NO LECTURE [ST Traveling]
- Lab: Alternative text input
Wed 2 Oct:
- Lecture: NO LECTURE [ST Traveling]
- Lab: TBD
Fri 4 Oct:
ADD DATE
Week 6: Project Development

Mon 7 Oct:
- Lecture: Melissa Simonian, Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, "Cognitive-Linguistic Disabilities"
- Lab: Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Wed 9 Oct:
- Lecture: Brian Charlson, The Carroll Center
- Lab: Low-Vision Assistive Technologies
Week 7: Proposal Writing

Mon 14 Oct:
COLUMBUS DAY holiday
Wed 16 Oct:
- Lecture: Prof. Miller, "User Testing"
- Lab: Project Check-in / component purchase
Week 8: Project Development & Panels

Mon 21 Oct:
- Lecture: Mary Ziegler & Kathy Cahill, MIT ATIC, "Assistive Technology - Our Scope and Challenges"
- Lab: PANELS
Wed 23 Oct:
- Lecture: Prof. Teller, "Functional Deficits that Accompany Aging"
- Lab: PANELS
Week 9: User Testing & Iteration #1

Mon 28 Oct:
- Lecture: Krzysztof Gajos, "Personalized Adaptive Accessibility"
- Lab: Project check-in with Tom Lieber, Prof. Miller
Wed 30 Oct:
- Lecture: Prof. Rupal Patel of NEU, "Assistive Communication"
- Lab: Project Check-in
Week 10: Evaluation of First Prototype

Mon 4 Nov:
- Lecture: Dr. Riad Hammoud, Eye Tracking
- Lab: Cognitive Disabilities
Wed 6 Nov:
- Lecture: Diana Petschauer, AT Practitioner
- Lab: Group work / project Check-in
Week 11: User Testing & Iteration #2

Mon 11 Nov:
No MIT classes today; MIT observes Veterans Day.
Wed 13 Nov:
- Lecture: Barbara Johnson, MIT IS&T, "Hearing Impairment and Cochlear Implants"
- Lab: Makeup of SpeechOver lab exercise
Week 12: User Testing & Iteration #3

Mon 18 Nov:
- Lecture: Don Fredette, The Boston Home, "Adaptive Technology at TBH"
- Lab: Group work / project Check-in
Wed 20 Nov:
- Lecture: Judy Brewer, W3C, "Web Accessibility, Universal Design and Assistive Technology"
- Lab: Alternative Pointing using Head and Gaze Tracking
Week 13: Final Testing and Analysis

Mon 25 Nov:
- Lecture: Jack Geilfuss & Steve Saling, Leonard Florence Center
- Lab: Group work / project Check-in
Wed 27 Nov:
- Lecture: NO LECTURE TODAY; early departure for Thanksgiving
- Lab: NO LAB TODAY; early departure for Thanksgiving
Fri 29 Nov:
MIT closed for Thanksgiving Vacation
Week 14: End-of-Semester Panels

Mon 2 Dec:
- Lecture: William Li, "Life After PPAT"
- Lab: FINAL PANELS with Teller/Miller, starting 4pm
Wed 4 Dec:
- Lecture: Prof. Teller, Prof. Miller, "Course Wrap-up"
- Lab: Final Panels with Teller/Miller, starting 4pm
Mon 9 Dec:
- Lecture: NO LECTURE
- No lab, but Tom Lieber available to help with DIY posts
Wed 11 Dec:
- Lecture: NO LECTURE
- No lab, but Tom Lieber available to help with DIY posts
- Team DIY posts, Individual final reflections, due today

Please contact TA Tom Lieber or Professor Teller at ppat@csail.mit.edu with any questions.

6.811: Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology

Syllabus and Timeline

Weeks 1-5: Foundational Lectures and Understanding User Requirements

Week 1: Introduction to Assistive Technology

Wed 4 Sep:

Week 2: Project Matching & Contextual Inquiry

Mon 9 Sep:

Wed 11 Sep:

Week 3: Team Formation & Project Matching

Mon 16 Sep:

Wed 18 Sep:

Fri 20 Sep:

Week 4: Idea Generation

Mon 23 Sep:

Wed 25 Sep:

Week 5: Measurement Instruments

Mon 30 Sep:

Wed 2 Oct:

Fri 4 Oct:

Week 6: Project Development

Mon 7 Oct:

Wed 9 Oct:

Week 7: Proposal Writing

Mon 14 Oct:

Wed 16 Oct:

Week 8: Project Development & Panels

Mon 21 Oct:

Wed 23 Oct:

Week 9: User Testing & Iteration #1

Mon 28 Oct:

Wed 30 Oct:

Week 10: Evaluation of First Prototype

Mon 4 Nov:

Wed 6 Nov:

Week 11: User Testing & Iteration #2

Mon 11 Nov:

Wed 13 Nov:

Week 12: User Testing & Iteration #3

Mon 18 Nov:

Wed 20 Nov:

Week 13: Final Testing and Analysis

Mon 25 Nov:

Wed 27 Nov:

Fri 29 Nov:

Week 14: End-of-Semester Panels

Mon 2 Dec:

Wed 4 Dec:

Mon 9 Dec:

Wed 11 Dec: