NEW PALESTINE — The idea behind the project is to help kids with disabilities learn to get around more easily while having a little fun in the process. That meant starting from scratch, including design and construction.
Emma Birch, 21, New Palestine, is a Ball State University senior taking a class for interior design, her major. She was part of a group of students who created an interactive play wall for children with disabilities.
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Birch and her colleagues hope their work will help children improve coordination; learn about problem-solving; and strengthen other skills.
The team partnered with the Children’s TherAplay Foundation in Carmel. The program provides physical and occupational therapy on horseback for children with diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury and developmental delays.
The goal for the immersive learning project was to construct something fun and interactive for kids with challenges to help them learn and grow through play and creativity, Birch said.
Birch and fellow student Susan Lamermayer were in charge of building the ramp for the project. The two made it look like an alien spaceship complete with all the bells and whistles.
“The goal is to help the kids practice walking while interacting with the lights and sound,” Birch said.
The immersive learning course was led by Shireen Kanakri, an associate professor of interior design. The class was a continuation from the previous semester where students helped to propose a new design for the entire building at Children’s TherAplay Foundation.
In this phase of the project, Birch and her fellow students designed furniture pieces, including a sensory wall, a cruising wall, the ramp bridge and more.
“We are specifically designing the pieces that will be used to help treat the children,” Kanakri said.
Everything will be tested on campus, in schools labs, before being implemented at the facility in Carmel.
Birch, who will graduate in May with a degree in interior design, said her goal is to get a job at a commercial interior design firm in Indiana and to explore her interests in the field.
“This project is preparing me for my future career as a designer by giving me an understanding how components come together and how to create construction documents for contractors,” Birch said.
The project also helped her to think about others, particularly people with autism or learning disabilities and how to accommodate them with the designs she will create in the future.
Birch feels fortunate attending a university where she feels like educators work with students to help them reach their professional goals.
“Ball State has empowered me by offering projects in which we are able to work with real clients,” Birch said.
Birch graduated from New Palestine High School in 2016. While Birch doubts construction or furniture building will be a part of her future job, she does hope to help design work that ends up helping others.
“I would like to do more work for the community in the future for sure,” Birch said.
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In the spirit of the season, the Daily Reporter is publishing a four-part series of stories starting today called "Angels Among Us." The series, which will continue Friday, Saturday and next Tuesday, will profile ordinary people who have accomplished extraordinary things in service to others.
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