Nykema Lindsey, Innovative CS Teaching and Learning Specialist, recently attended Marquette University’s Adaptive Toy Training Workshop, hosted by the Opus College of Engineering. The two-day, in-person program is designed for professionals interested in learning how to create adaptive toys and launch their own programs to share them with families and therapists. The training is modeled after Inclusive Play: Toys for All, a collaboration between Marquette University and Penfield Children’s Center that modifies off-the-shelf toys into switch-adapted devices, with the goal of creating more affordable, therapeutically meaningful options for children experiencing developmental delays.
The workshop combined instruction in current research on the use of adaptive toys in physical, occupational, and speech therapy with hands-on technical training, including the basics of electricity and electrical safety, hand tool use, and circuit diagramming. Participants completed the full adaptation of three devices, gaining direct experience with the electrical modifications and tool skills required to convert standard toys into switch-activated devices, while also exploring how these toys can be integrated into therapy sessions and family use. No prior experience was required, as all necessary tool and electrical skills were taught throughout the program.
For Nykema, the workshop offered a valuable framework for thinking about accessibility in tangible, hands-on technology. The same principles applied to adapting toys, identifying access points, ensuring safe and reliable connections, and designing for repeatable, dependable use. Tools like micro:bit, VEX Robotics, and similar Blockly-enabled devices often present physical barriers similar to those addressed in the workshop: small components, fine motor demands, and limited alternative input options. Applying switch-adaptation techniques and a structured, diagram-first approach to evaluating circuitry could inform new strategies for modifying classroom hardware, helping ensure that students with disabilities have equitable opportunities to engage in computer science and physical computing instruction. CS Everyone is is lucky to have an amazing professional like Nykema on our team, that is dedicated to continuing her education to further our work.
