The purpose of this project is to enable students to engage in a hands-on, real-world learning experience that merges empathy, design, and collaboration. Through understanding the unique needs of wheelchair users, students craft innovative solutions, reflecting on user-centered design principles. This project fosters self-directed learning, encourages collaboration, and cultivates a deeper awareness of accessibility issues, empowering students to make tangible contributions to their communities.

Students will develop self-directed learning skills by using feedback to enhance their designs and reflect on their learning journey. They will cultivate collaboration skills as they co-design the iPad holder with peers and partner with community experts. They will also understand the real-world implications of product design through role-playing activities, hands-on demonstrations, and interactions with wheelchair users and industry professionals. The project supports critical thinking and empathy as students iteratively improve their prototypes based on insights gained throughout the project.

Throughout this project, students will collaboratively design and create prototypes of an adjustable iPad holder tailored for secure attachment to different types of wheelchairs. By the end, each team will have a fully functional prototype that reflects insights gathered through interaction with wheelchair users and manufacturing experts. These prototypes will be tested in real-life scenarios to ensure their practicality, ease of use, and effectiveness in addressing the needs identified during the project.

Begin with the "Empathy and Insight Workshop," where students role-play various scenarios mimicking challenges faced by wheelchair users. This immersive experience sets the stage for understanding real-world obstacles, fostering empathy, and encouraging students to think from the perspective of users for whom they are designing. Facilitate discussions that prompt observations and insights relevant to the project, motivating a thoughtful and empathetic approach to their designs right from the start.

The "Invention Showcase" will invite diverse community members, including teachers, parents, and student peers, to engage hands-on with adaptive iPad holder prototypes designed for wheelchairs. Participants will circulate through interactive stations where they can test the products, offering feedback that students can incorporate into future iterations. This exhibition provides students with the opportunity to articulate their design process and receive constructive feedback in real-time.