Accessibility + Mrs. Salter’s Arcade = A Lesson in Retrofitting vs. Universal Design
My classroom finished building their arcade games today in an epic all day build. They are fun and each game is unique. They are also now built for accessibility, but they weren’t yesterday. We have had a whirlwind lesson in retrofitting vs. universal design because we wanted all students at our school can be part of our arcade.
I teach grade five and grade five is a magic age. They know how the world should work and they have sensible indigent belief that they can make a difference for the better. I could not be more lucky because my class sees the world they want and use their voices to make it happen. Student choice, voice, and collective compassion are powerful tools.
How did this all start?
Yesterday I finished reading Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. I read this book every year and we have powerful discussions about communication, inclusion, and universal design. We also talk about retrofitting and what we can do to make our school more accessible.
I had just finished the chapter about the dinner Melody went to with her teammates and emphasized the agony of stairs (roll, bump, roll, bump) when an elevator is broken, and no ramp is available. My students stopped me and started talking about how there should be more ramps than stairs because ramps help people with mobility issues—not just people in wheelchairs.
One student exclaimed, “We don’t have a ramp!” This was quickly followed by, “How will Student X come to our arcade?”. Student X is in a wheelchair and has gross motor as well as communication challenges. We realized that Student X couldn’t get up our stairs and even if we got him up the stairs, he wouldn’t be able to turn his wheelchair to get in the room. So then kids started yelling things like:
‘We just finished our simple machines unit—we need a ramp!’
‘We can build it! No problem. We have everything we need!’
I had to gently explain that we couldn’t actually build our own ramp because it might not be safe. I told them we could ask for one, but we probably wouldn’t get it before next week. I had a solution because there is one empty room in the school used for meetings and I could book it for a day next week. Student X could come to the room inside and play our games.
So, we looked at the games and realized…we didn’t know if he could play them.
In fact, one child actually said, “Mrs. Salter, we didn’t universally design our games! What can we do?”
What could we do? Our class decided we needed some research.
Our amazing EA and a few students found Student X and asked him (and his EA) about mobility, game preferences, and a few other questions. They reported back:
He likes blue
He can wack his arms with some accuracy
With hand over hand support, he can loosely grip/hold to shove something
He likes hockey
He loves textures and sensory boards
We got measurements for the tray on his wheelchair (so we knew how big the space was to rest games on)
Based on what we learned, the wack-a-mole game was the only game that Student X would be able to use. Many of the games involved throwing or flicking items into holes and this was not something Student X would be able to do.
The class was devastated, but we knew we could do something about it because:
1. We had information
2. We had a goal that everyone could participate
3. We had time to think and solve this problem
So, we all did some thinking and came together this morning and had a few solutions.
Retrofitting: A Trebuchet
I was also devastated along with my class when I realized (1) the student could not get into my room and (2) he couldn’t play so many games. I had to sit and think…stew…to solve this problem. I knew a basic catapult wouldn’t work because Student X did not have the muscle control to pull down and hold before releasing. I knew levers were going to help somehow though. In the middle of the night, I woke up and said out loud: Trebuchet! Thank goodness my husband is a sound sleeper…
A trebuchet is a siege weapon that has a long arm and a counterweight. It is used to throw items. If we made something like a trebuchet, Student X could hit one thing down to cause projectiles to fly through the air.
One student who was already done his game asked to help me as we figured out the chain reaction trebuchet-like device that Student X could use for all projectile games. It used a series of levers as well as a wheel and axle. We even used blue felt to create a more comfortable surface to hit down on.
When we were done, I sent my amazing EA and the student who helped me make it to find Student X, so he could try his trebuchet-like device. It worked perfectly and he loved it. We will gift it to him when the arcade is done, so he can use it for future fun! For right now, this device is safely locked in my cupboard.
Student X will now be able to play ALL of the games that involve projectiles, and my students are thrilled. This fix is an example of retrofitting. It is the addition of extra technology (or parts) so that all students can use the game. This means that we did not originally design with all in mind, but we found a solution and made it work.
Retrofitting is often expensive and harder than if something is designed for accessibility from the start. Yes, this was a small easy fix that just took a bit of time, but not all retrofitting is like this.
My portable, for example, has two sets of stairs and no ramp. In fact, only one portable on site has a ramp and this was a retrofit when a student broke their leg about five years ago. I am sure it cost significantly more for the district to pay to have the ramp put in after the fact. Universal design in architecture is vital so that all people can use a space fully and feel welcome.
Universal Design: Thinking of Everyone from the Start
There were also two games made today that are universal designs. This means that the games were designed from the start to be accessible for all students. Every person in the school can play them.
Game 1: Marble Maze
One of my students made a large marble maze for his big game but realized that it wouldn’t be possible for Student X to pick up the game and move it. This student decided, he needed to design a marble maze that would work. Watch the video to see the way it was designed so all students at our school can use it.
Game 2: Bowling
This was my idea and I worked with the same student who helped me build the trebuchet to make bring it to fruition. Watch the video to see how the game is universal and accessible for all students. Student X will play it the same as every other student—no special equipment needed.
Once the game was made, it became very popular. Every single student wanted to try it and we are pretty sure it will be one of the most popular games at our arcade
Final Thoughts
My students have built all core competencies with this project, but yesterday and today—the focus was personal and social awareness. They suddenly realized what we were missing and had to fix it.
This project, which they already loved, has become a lesson in universal design vs. retrofitting. A lesson in compassion and wanting all to be able to participate—not just sit in a corner. I could not be more proud of my little humans and the way they see the world, which is how we should all see the world. They recognized a mistake they made. They did research. They prototyped. They made sure their ideas worked. They solved the problem. The world is better, and our arcade is perfect.
This is my challenge to you: Take your students for a walk around the school or neighbourhood and think about accessibility. Make a list of what looks universally designed vs. retrofitted. Make a plan as a class as to what can be done to make your school more accessible, then find a way to make that plan a reality.
This is my EXTRA Challenge: Think about universal design from the start, don’t be like me and have to retrofit. If you are doing something with your class and you will be inviting other classes in, make sure you know the accessibility needs of the students coming in so all can participate.
Kids are special. They see the world the way it is and the way they want it to be. Harness that amazing energy and use it to help create the world they want—because it is probably anti-racist, accessible, and filled with LGBTQIA2+ Allies. That is a world I want to live in as well.