Perspectives in Assistive Technology is a Winter Quarter Stanford course - completing its nineteenth year - that explores the design, development, and use of assistive technology that benefits people with disabilities and older adults. It consists of semi-weekly in-person discussions; lectures by notable professionals, clinicians, and assistive technology users; a tour of an accessible inclusive playground; student project presentations and demonstrations; and an Assistive Technology Faire. Students pursue team-based projects that address real challenges faced by people with disabilities and older adults living in the local community. Check out the course website.

End of the Quarter - The Winter 2025 course has come to an end. Here are a few non-anonymous student comments from their Individual Reflections.

• Each [guest] speaker conveyed genuine passion and dedication to addressing their specific challenges.
• Dave’s first lecture gave great insights and introduced key concepts of assistive technology, credibility, and the social impact of engineering.
• A key learning experience and concept of the class was the importance of empathy and the social responsibility of engineers.
• The teaching staff was incredibly supportive throughout the process, and I found their feedback during check-ins helpful.
• Looking back, this course has been one of the most impactful experiences of my undergraduate career. It combined technical problem-solving with empathy-driven design in a way that challenged me to grow both as an engineer and as a person. Working on a project with such tangible social impact has strengthened my understanding of the importance of user-focused design, and I feel confident that this experience will shape how I approach engineering projects in the future.
• This wasn’t just a class; it was a great, chill journey that made me a better engineer.
• I learned that real design often starts where imagination meets constraint - and that understanding the user is far more important than satisfying a rubric. In the end, what mattered most was not the classroom, but the community.
• Aside from the technical challenges, the class also strengthened my teamwork and communication skills.
• Working on a project that had a direct impact on someone’s daily life made this one of the most fulfilling experiences I have had at Stanford.
• In the end, this project taught me that successful design isn’t just about technical solutions - it’s about listening, iterating, and creating with empathy. [Our team] didn’t just build a product for [our community partner]; we built it with her, and that collaboration made all the difference.
• One of the most valuable aspects of this project was the opportunity to work on something with real-world implications.
• The collaborative nature of the project also taught me a great deal about teamwork and leadership. Working with a diverse group of individuals, each with their own strengths and perspectives, was both challenging and enriching.
• [Working on our team's project] was a transformative experience that taught me invaluable lessons about teamwork, communication, and the impact of human-centered design.
• There were so many resources and helpful sections on the class website, and they were super accessible.
• One of the major things I learned in this class was how to communicate and work with an individual or client needing assistive technology.
• Overall, this has been one of my favorite classes that I’ve had the pleasure of taking at Stanford, and many of the skills I’ve learned will stay with me afterwards. I have already highly recommended it to my friends!

The entire Individual Reflections document can be found here.