EAGER: Exploring Appropriate 3D Printing Paradigms in Special Education

三维(3D)打印是一项很有前途的技术，正在主流教育中被接受，作为一种让学生参与现实世界问题解决、设计和STEM(科学、技术、工程和数学)主题的手段。这项技术在特殊教育教室中提供了独特而令人兴奋的好处，使学生、教师和治疗师能够快速设计和生产定制的物理对象，如有形的学习辅助工具或定制的辅助技术。例如，教师可以3D打印对象以可视化抽象的科学概念，或者创建自定义手柄和手柄来帮助学生访问课堂技术。这项技术还为不能安全操作传统制造机器的个人提供了建造和定制物理对象的机会。虽然这项技术有很多很有希望影响特殊教育的机会，但在现有3D建模工具、机器操作和教学的设计中，残疾学生及其教师的需求和能力在很大程度上被忽视了。具体地说，许多现有的工具具有陡峭的学习曲线，无法访问，或者使用起来很耗时。在这个项目中，调查人员将与特殊教育教师密切合作，评估现有工具并开发新工具，以满足这一多样化和独特人口的需求。需求分析将通过观察和访谈进行；评估现有设计工具；以及开发和测试新工具。研究人员将观察一个已建立的技术丰富的课堂，为3D打印提供技术支持，并通过这些活动了解残疾人及其教师在教学环境中对3D打印的未满足需求。通过研讨会和课程，研究人员将评估现有的3D建模工具，并在这些背景下提供支持和培训，指出最需要和最有用的培训内容和种类。研究人员将与利益攸关方合作和共同设计，设计和测试新的3D设计工具，这些工具将在现场迭代开发和部署，并观察其采用情况。后续访谈和评估将衡量这些新工具如何应对提出的挑战，以及利益攸关方如何看待它们。潜在的衡量标准包括与预期和需求对比的设计准确性；对3D模型和打印结果的满意度；与设计过程相关的时间节约；以及打印人工制品的实际和预期好处。这些步骤将揭示在这些情况下建模和3D设计需要哪些类型的支持，并使人们更好地了解如何提供一个可供残疾人使用的3D打印教学和设计环境。

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a promising technology that is gaining acceptance in mainstream education as a means to engage students in real world problem solving, design, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) topics. This technology offers unique and exciting benefits in special education classrooms allowing students, instructors, and therapists to quickly design and produce customized physical objects such as tangible learning aids or custom assistive technology. For example, instructors can 3D print objects to visualize abstract scientific concepts, or create custom grips and handles to help students access classroom technology. This technology also offers the opportunity for individuals who cannot safely operate traditional manufacturing machines to build and customize physical objects. While there are many promising opportunities for this technology to impact special education, the needs and abilities of students with disabilities and their instructors have been largely ignored in the design of existing 3D modeling tools, machine operation, and instruction. Specifically, many of the existing tools have a steep learning curve, are not accessible, or are time consuming to use. In this project, the investigators will work closely with special education instructors to evaluate existing tools and develop new ones that serve the needs of this diverse and unique population.Requirements analysis will be conducted using observations and interviews; evaluation of existing design tools; and the development and testing of new tools. Researchers will observe an established technology-rich classroom, provide technical support for 3D printing, and through these activities learn the unmet needs of people with disabilities and their instructors for 3D printing in an instructional setting. Through workshops and classes, the researchers will evaluate existing tools for 3D modeling, and provide support and training in these contexts, noting the content and kinds of training that are most needed and useful. The researchers will collaborate and co-design with stakeholders to design and test new 3D design tools, which will be iteratively developed and deployed in the field, and their adoption observed. Follow-up interviews and evaluations will measure how these new tools have addressed the challenges posed, and how they are perceived by the stakeholders. Potential metrics include accuracy of design contrasted with expectations and needs; satisfaction with 3D models and printed outcomes; time savings related to the design process; and actual and perceived benefits of printed artifacts. These steps will reveal what types of support are necessary for modeling and 3D design in these contexts, and afford a better understanding of how to provide a 3D printing instructional and design environment that is accessible by people with disabilities.