ADAPTIVE DESIGN ASSOCIATION INC

Adaptive Design Association (ADA) addresses a critical barrier faced by people with disabilities: access to timely, appropriate adaptive equipment. Commercial devices are often unaffordable, delayed, ill-fitting, or unavailable, leaving individuals, families, and providers without viable solutions. ADA advances healthcare, education, and social well-being by engaging communities in the design and fabrication of custom adaptations that increase independence, participation, and inclusion. Using affordable, sustainable materials such as triple-wall cardboard, ADA creates individualized equipment for people of all ages. Its trauma-informed, person- and family-centered approach engages individuals, caregivers, and care teams directly in the design process to ensure solutions are responsive and effective. In fiscal year 2025, ADA produced 273 custom adaptations for 90 clients, the majority of whom were children under age 10. ADAs Tactile Systems Program expands access to augmentative communication for people who are blind, visually impaired, or have complex communication needs. In FY25, ADA distributed more than 16,000 tactile communication cards through its partnership with the American Printing House for the Blind. With support from the Lavelle Fund for the Blind,ADA is developing an e-commerce platform to enable families and organizations to directly access customized materials. ADA also provides hands-on workshops for educators and service providers to increase adoption and effective use of tactile communication tools. ADA integrates community education across all programs, engaging volunteers, including youth with autism, in hands-on learning that builds technical skills and advances disability awareness. The Made2Learn program is a transition-focused workforce development initiative for high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since 2013, more than 200 students have gained practical design and fabrication skills while contributing to the creation of adaptive equipment for their peers and communities. In FY25, ADA began expanding Made2Learn through a two-year grant from the New York Community Trust to develop a replicable model for inclusive maker education. ADA openly shares its designs and methodologies to expand access and promote equity. Through professional development workshops, internships, and volunteer programs, ADA trains educators, therapists, engineers, and community members in adaptive design practices. In FY25, these efforts reached more than 700 individuals across a range of ages, abilities, and backgrounds. ADA also partners with corporations to support its programs and provide employee engagement opportunities through hands-on volunteer experiences. ADA envisions a future in which every community has access to adaptive design resources, ensuring greater inclusion and participation for people of all abilities.