Holiday Hacking: Making the Holidays More Accessible for Students with Disabilities

Description:

For many children with physical disabilities, playing with off the shelf toys is difficult. Making toys switch accessible does not affect the quality of use or the operation; rather, it allows for alternative access for children to be able to play with toys. This workshop will cover how to modify a battery-operated toy with simple operations and how to create your own DIY accessibility switch. Suggested toys include soft/plush push- button toys, basic remote control toys, and other single function toys that talk, move, or play music. Inexpensive toys are often easier to hack! There will also be a wrapping station available for those toys that will be given as a holiday gift.

All participants will create a battery interrupter, a soft foam switch, and adapt toys for switch access.