Research Project (Final Assignment) – 400 Points
Purpose: The purpose of your final research project is to demonstrate your understanding of the course material and its practical application. It is designed to allow you to focus on specific populations of people with disabilities (and perhaps involve an individual you personally know), demonstrate deep knowledge in a particular area of AT, and a systematic evaluation of the AT needs of an individual.
Success criteria are listed below with associated point values.
The research project in this course will serve as your final and should include the following characteristics:
o I482 & N485 students: 8-10 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font)
o I590 students: 12-15 pages (double-spaced, 12-point font)
o In-depth research project on a particular disability category and type of AT:
o Choice of anyone listed below:
Low vision,
Blindness,
Deaf-blind,
Multiple disabilities,
Deaf,
Hard of hearing,
Mobility disability such as spinal cord injury, neurological condition, degenerative mobility condition, Cerebral Palsy, fine motor issues, etc.
Learning disability,
Intellectual disability,
Autism,
Age-related disabilities,
Other disability of student’s choice with instructor’s approval (by two weeks before the due date of this assignment).
o Project will include research on:
1. The nature of the chosen disability, functional limitations, and progression of the chosen disability, if applicable (70 points).
2. Interview with a person with this particular disability and/or their family member or care provider (80 points):
This can be demonstrated in a written or video format, with the permission of the parties to be interviewed.
Examples of topics to be covered in the interview: the person’s disability conditions, strengths and/or barriers identified, goals in relation to the setting picked in requirement 3, and/or the kind of Assistive Technology (“AT”) this person is using or has used previously, and/or whatever information that can help you determine the appropriate AT you would recommend, etc. This is by no means an exhaustive list and is only intended to provide you with some examples of discussion topics.
3. Systematic evaluation and recommendation of appropriate AT in a specific setting such as Home, School, Workplace, Community navigation, or Other (110 points) for the person you interviewed:
State the medical conditions, vocational or educational or independent living goals, job or other daily duties, tasks intended to achieve, the technological background of this person, the
environment, or settings this person is in, and any assumptions, if necessary, especially when some facts might not be readily available.
Recommended AT to help this person to meet his or her goals must include the web-links, manufacturer of any AT devices or software, costs of any AT devices or software, features of the AT devices or software, etc.
If you do not feel comfortable writing it all out in a traditional research paper style, this can be substituted with a chart, table, or picture of your own creation, etc. However, this kind of presentation must be supported with descriptions that can help the readers understand the information clearly. It can be included in an appendix which has to be within the 8-12-page range.
4. Training outline and learning objectives for recommended AT (70 points):
Present how you would plan the training with learning objectives for the person you interviewed to use the recommended AT to reach his or her goals in the specified setting.
5. Development of a resource kit for current and future needs related to the chosen disability and AT need (70 points):
If you do not feel comfortable writing it all out in a traditional research paper style, this can be substituted with a chart, table, or picture of your own creation, etc. However, this kind of presentation must be supported with descriptions that can help the readers understand the information clearly. It can be included in an appendix which has to be within the 8-12-page range.
Examples include a list of support contact information, a list of Frequently Asked Questions, a set of step-by-step instructions for different scenarios, a list of weblinks for the organizations, etc. This is by no means an exhaustive list and is only intended to provide you with some examples of items to be included in the resource kit.
6. Bonus Points for I482 & N485 students (required for I590 students): Identify and discuss any relevant research trends to monitor related to a particular disability (50 points).
