Accessible Interactive Play Mat
Fostering collaboration between students with and without disabilities
2023
8 months
Research
Design
Iteration
Reflection
Figjam
Zoom
Sewing Machines
Project Timeline
Process
My role
Tools
Observational Site Visits
User Research
Secondary Research
Ideation
Prototyping
The Experimental Education Unit (EEU) is a school, located at the University of Washington campus, that provides early childhood education for students with and without disabilities. The school follows an inclusive education model and offers programs rooted in principles of accessibility. As part of HuskyADAPT, a student organization at the University of Washington focusing on accessible design and play technology, I got the opportunity to collaborate with the Experimental Education Unit on a design challenge.
Overview
The Problem
The Solution
The EEU is currently in a temporary space. As a result, there is limited space in the building for students to engage in play, which is an important part of childhood and the development of motor skills.
My team and I designed a portable interactive play mat that emulates the “Floor is Lava” game. The mat has lighting throughout the design and is supported by sensory blocks made of textured fabric that represent the blocks. Through this interactive mat, students can engage in play while also developing their motor skills.
Research
Ideation
Prototyping
At the beginning of this project, our problem space was very broad. This posed a challenge to my team and I because all we knew about the problem space was that the EEU was in a temporary space which meant that everyone at the EEU was adjusting to a new environment.
We tackled this challenge head on by deciding to visit the EEU for structured observations. We visited classrooms and interacted with students during play time and story time. I talked to instructors about their current pain points in their temporary space.
Throughout the needs finding process, we identified these key pain points:
There is very limited physical space because the classrooms are in portables. For example, the image on the right shows a small make-shift nap area in the classroom.
Students without disabilities have limited collaboration with students with disabilities during play time. Often, students with disabilities opt out of play time.
During rainy season, students are not able to go outside for play which means that teachers have to come up with engaging indoor activities for all students which can cause stress.
Outdoor Play Area at the EEU, by the portables.
Nap area in the classroom.
Needs Finding + Site Observations
Key discoveries
A classroom at the EEU that we visited.
Before the site visits began, we got consent from the instructors to take pictures of the classroom spaces.
Research
Ideation
Prototyping
Initial Brainstorming and Ideation
My team and I collaborated to create a student and teacher empathy map to synthesize our findings from our site visits. We created a needs profile to understand the most important needs that students had in terms of their experiences and desires.
From our initial ideation conversations, we came up with these priorities:
Portable play that accommodates the small space of the classrooms.
Adapting an already existing game to be more inclusive, joyful, and engaging would be ideal because that would reduce the effort that teachers would have to put in to teach the students. We wanted to reduce the stress that teachers experience in leading play opportunities for students.
The game should improve collaborative play + be inclusive of students with disabilities.
The game should promote motor + sensory play.
One of the observational site visits was particularly enlightening because we observed students play a game of the floor is lava (description of the game linked here!). This was one of the few times that we observed students with and without disabilities engage together during a game. The game is simple yet creates a space for students to play together.
As a team, we created sketches that would adapt this game to make it more inclusive, educational, and collaborative. We shared our initial ideas with the instructors at the EEU and they loved it!
What if we... made a sensory play version of The Floor is Lava?
Low-Fidelity Prototyping
High-Fidelity Prototyping
From the initial concept sketches, we began to think of materials we could use for the low-fidelity prototype. We started with cardboard, string lights, and some different textured fabric to test out our ideas.
The image on the left shows a small scale version of the “sensory rocks” with different textured materials. These rocks would be placed on the cardboard mat on the right which represents the lava. We tested out different colored fabrics on the light to determine which fabric best highlights the light or the lava. Through wizard of oz prototyping, we tested out our idea and got positive feedback that the idea could successfully emulate the Floor is Lava while creating an opportunity for sensory play.
We sent out a survey to teachers at the EEU to get feedback on our low-fidelity prototype. Based on the input we received, we made a few modifications. We also decided that we would use corduroy, faux fur, velvet, sherpa, and a grass textured fabric for the rocks.
The modifications we made:
Replacing cardboard with two plastic vinyl sheets to make the interactive mat easy to transport + fold, while also protecting the lighting
Using foam blocks that can be wrapped in different types of fabric to create a sensory experience
Spreading the LED lights across the mat that creates a feeling of flowing lava
Key Features of the Interactive Play Mat
To play this version of the Floor is Lava, the teacher will have to open up the mat on the floor. Then, the students get the chance to build the landscape by spreading out the foam blocks/rocks across the lava. When the teacher turns on the light and the lava begins to flow… the fun begins! The teacher can control the lighting at any point of the game through a remote control to change the flow of the lava. This allows the teacher to have some control of the game.
Through these features, students with and without disabilities get to collaborate on building the landscape before the game begins. The rocks also offer opportunities for sensory play.
To make our interactive play mat inclusive, we wanted to design while keeping in mind that some students might experience overstimulation while playing.
In the case of a student feeling overstimulated, they are able to:
Place their rock outside of the mat and interact with it independently while still being in the game. Independent of the game, the rocks offer a chance for sensory play. The student can still feel included in the game because they can play with the rocks without having to move around.
Designing for Accessibility and Inclusivity
My team and I presented our final prototype + research findings at the end of year HuskyADAPT x CREATE Design showcase. Through this event, we got to consult clinicians, industry professionals, and students about their input on our final prototype. We also got the chance to create a poster highlighting our key findings. At the Design Showcase, we also got to test our prototype with children who found it really joyful to be able to run around the mat on the foam blocks!
The Design Showcase
Reflection + Lessons Learned
I deeply enjoyed working on this project because it gave me the chance to use my design thinking skills in a tangible and impactful way. I learned how useful observational field visits can be in helping narrow down the scope of the problem space. I also learned that simplicity is key. We started with an idea that would incorporate a complex Arduino programmed lights but we realized that it would be more cost effective and intuitive for teachers to work with programmable LED lights. For a future iteration, I would love to work on usability testing and try out our prototype with young kids across different schools.
I also loved the experience of designing with accessibility in mind at every step of the way. This project altered the way that I approach design thinking. Now, I am much more conscious about keeping accessibility at the forefront of my designs.