Mike,

I read your article "Handicapped Design" in Product Design and Development
with interest because I have worked in the field of rehabilitation research
and development and now teach an assistive technology design course at
Stanford University. 

A few comments. First is not socially correct to refer to "the disabled" as
it serves to separate those individuals from the mainstream. The term that is
commonly used is "people with disablilities". Everyone is "people" - we are
all in this world together. 

I do not think people with disability want to be viewed as inspirational or
courageous. They just want to get by like everyone else. 

People with disabilities are usually not the ones who create tools and
devices that serve their needs. There are many engineers, therapists, product
designers, and health care professionals that work for the benefit of people
with disabilities and seniors. 

While the estimated number of people with disabilities vary depending how the
count is made, a current number of 54.6 million is considered accurate. 

I do not think the talking iPod was designed for people with disabilities. It
more likely addresses the needs of people who are driving or have their eyes
otherwise engaged. 

There is an entire design philosophy called Universal Design that seeks to
build devices and environments that serve everyone regardless of age or
physical or mental capability. 

There are many examples of sports equipment that are used by people with
disabilities and research projects with home-care robots and sensor systems.
I am attaching two examples that I came across today. 

I have never heard the term "partially handicapped". You probably are
referring to individuals with paraplegia. 

In my course, student teams work on projects with people with disabilities in
the local community to design, fabricate, and test devices that benefit them.
Individuals with disabilities are a huge source of engineering design challenges.  

Here is my course website:
http://www.stanford.edu/class/engr110/

Dave Jaffe
650/892-4464

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Mike Rainone
mrain1@pcdworks.com
http://www.pcdworks.com