Project Details

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Designing for Access: A Team-Based Approach to Supporting Children with Neurodegenerative Disorders Through Interdisciplinary Education

Company: PSU Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic

Major(s):
Primary: ME
Secondary: CMPSC

Non-Disclosure Agreement: NO

Intellectual Property: NO

This interdisciplinary project brings together student engineers and graduate student speech-language pathologists (SLPs) at Penn State to support environmental access and communication for a child with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD)—a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor control and speech. The child is unable to access a computer or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system through direct selection. The project is designed to address the child’s current needs and prepare for anticipated changes associated with the progression of MLD. The goal is to support the child’s communication and participation at home and at school through personalized, accessible technology solutions. There are two primary areas of focus: 1. Adapted Cursor Development Engineers will develop a cursor system that wraps around the child’s display, providing a simplified, accessible interface for interacting with his computer. The goal is to identify reliable selection/alternative access methods (adapted joysticks) for his current needs (across vision, motor, cognition, and language) that are adaptable for future changes. 2. Environmental Control Solutions The team will also design low-effort, flexible tools to help the child engage with his surroundings independently. This includes systems to support access to books, toys (remote control cars), music, and video, as well as environmental controls for lights, thermostats, and other smart home devices. Solutions will prioritize ease of use, adaptability, and long-term use. This project highlights the value of collaborative, person-centered design and interprofessional teaming and learning, with engineers and SLPs working closely to assess needs, prototype solutions, and iterate based on real-world use. The ultimate goal is to improve communication and participation across environments now and in the future.