Project Introduction
Embedded Files
Aligned with the IMLS National Leadership grant program goal #1, objective 1.3 to create and/or facilitate opportunities for continuous learning for families, groups, and individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and needs, including individuals with disabilities, researchers from the University of Oklahoma will provide evidence of the current state of programming, design, and accessibility of public library makerspaces’ programs for youth with disabilities (age range: 8-24) and suggest principles for inclusive making programs. We have partnered with a team of experts in makerspace design, a youth services librarian, a self-advocate with disabilities, a special education specialist, and a parent advocate for youth who have disabilities to conduct a three-year applied research project.
Project Goals
1) Determine the prevalence of makerspaces or maker programming for youth with disabilities in public libraries.
2) Determine the role of parents/caregivers and youth with disabilities in maker programming decisions.
3) Determine the barriers encountered by both libraries developing the programs and those of youth with disabilities who participate.
4) Determine the accessibility of makerspaces or maker programming (both physical and learning-enabled design) for youth with disabilities.
5) Determine the best practices being applied to ensure accessibility of makerspaces and maker programming for youth with disabilities.
Research Questions
1) To what extent do public library makerspaces provide inclusive, inquiry-based programming for youth with disabilities?
2) How do public library makerspaces incorporate the opinions and participation of parents/caregivers and youth with disabilities into their programming decision?
3) What challenges exist for libraries/librarians developing makerspaces for disabled youth?
4) How accessible are makerspaces to youth with disabilities (both physical and learning-enabled design)?
5) What accessibility and inquiry-based learning best practices are makerspace programs using to engage youth with disabilities?
6) What principles can guide public library makerspaces to facilitate inclusive maker programming for youth with disabilities?
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse