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Graham is a second year engineering student in Civil Engineering and has a Biological Sciences degree. He is a student member of EWB and is pursuing a specialization in Environmental Engineering. Phillip du Plessix, University of Calgary Phil is a second year Geomatics Engineering student who is specializiing in Biomedical Engineering. Phil haas work as a lifeguard and his summer work was supported by a Summer Research Award. Kara Chomistek, University of Calgary Kara is a second year Mechanical Engineering student who is specializing in Biomedical Engineering. Kara has volunteered with childern with disabilities at the Gorden Townsend School, part of the Alberta Childrens Hospital.

Introduction: Demographic changes and financial pressures are leading to radical changes in statutory provision of simple AT [1]. Retailers are increasingly offering simple aids to daily living through their outlets and the Transforming Community Equipment Services initiative has further advanced the 'mainstreaming' of such AT items [2]. However, there are challenges for this as an emerging market. There is evidence that the public's awareness of the benefits of AT is low, that take-up is limited by stigma and negative associations of old age and that healthcare professionals are nervous about such developments [3].

Independent life becomes a challenge for individuals with disabilities when disability research and development fails to produce results that are beneficial for the disabled community. Poor research and development in disability research creates socially constructed barriers that not only offend the disabled community but also make means of attaining the maximum amount of independence more difficult. These barriers include the discriminatory actions and attitudes of non-disabled individuals as well as poor design in infrastructure, communication and transportation. Insufficient engineering and a lack of consideration of the needs and abilities of the disabled community has led to the incorporation of a Aids for Assisted Living project in a first year engineering curriculum. Engineering Communication and Design is a course that has developed two projects in collaboration with the disabled community in hopes of increasing awareness among students and staff as well as providing means for the community to be actively involved in product development and research. The first project focuses on increasing the independence of children with disabilities in play, through the design of toys and multifunctional play centers for a children's hospital. The second project focuses on the increase of independence for adults with disabilities around the home, specifically in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room. Both of these Aids for Assisted Living projects were developed through extensive consultations with the disabled community with the common goal of starting to diminish some of the socially constructed barriers experienced in disability research. This is hoped to be achieved through student-research subject interaction as well as engineering principles and design. Engineering principles, incorporated through the foundation of the design trinity: familiarization, functionality and testing will be applied to disability design by students who will use these principles to create a fully functional prototype.