Integrating Adapted Physical Activity Projects into a Computer Engineering Capstone Class

The capstone design class is the culmination and synthesis of a student’s undergraduate experience. It plays a key role in many institutions’ accreditation processes and its importance cannot be understated. In the class, topics such as universal design, user-centered design, needs analysis, requirements specification, validation, teamwork, and communication skills are common across disciplines and across universities. Projects may be devised by a collective group of faculty, sponsored by industry, extend from research projects, or, in the case of servicelearning, may serve the needs of non-profit community partners. Though the project genres vary, the intended learning outcomes drive the student experience. The Computer Engineering program at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo has a two-quarter capstone design class that guides students through the design process to address open-ended problems for real-world clients. A significant percentage of these projects are for the design of assistive devices for people with disabilities to participate in a variety of recreational activities. The endusers of these devices are given opportunities to exercise and experience greater independence through the devices designed by students in the class. This paper presents the design of the capstone class and the intent behind the in-class activities and out-of-class assignments that guide students through the design process.