Project Title: Focus Kits

Long Title (if desired): Focus Kits: Borrowable Tools for Successful Studying and Assistive Technology Devices

Project Lead's Name: Eric Weaver

Project Lead's Email: weavered@MiamiOH.edu

Project Lead's Phone: 513-529-2299

Project Lead's Division: ULB

Other Team Members and their emails: Sean Poppe, poppe@MiamiOH.edu

List Departments Benefiting or Affected by this proposal: Center for Student Disability Services

Estimated Number of Under-Graduate students affected per year (should be number who will actually use solution, not just who is it available to): 2000

Estimated Number of Graduate students affected per year (should be number who will actually use solution, not just who is it available to): 280

Describe the problem you are attempting to solve and your approach for solving that problem:

1. Problem description: Many members of the university community have diagnosed or undiagnosed attention deficit or autism spectrum disorders that affect their ability to study in neurotypical environments. Those affected by generalized anxiety and post-traumatic stress may also find it difficult to focus on a task for long periods.
2. Approach to solving problem: The Miami Libraries can provide portable tools to help ease those difficulties. Our proposal is to create a set of 9 "Focus Kits" to be distributed to our four library locations and to be used in our study rooms. Each kit can be borrowed by any member of the Miami community at our circulation desks and would include modern tools that address common distractions / agitators (sound, light, and color) and seek to relieve anxiety and stress. The tools address different needs: for example, we would provide both noise canceling headphones for those who find noise disruptive and a background noise generator for those more distracted by silence. The lamp allows for dimmable, warm light and soothing colors, and the various fidget devices can be used to increase focus and relieve stress. The storage case helps to ensure anonymity and privacy and also lets users experiment with different tools to find the best options for their particular needs.

In addition we are requesting assistive technology consisting of ergonomically-designed mice and keyboards. These could also be borrowed by the Miami community and would help those with various disabilities, such as low vision and motor function disorders.

Additional Resources: " "Sounds Hammered My ADHD Brain Like Blows." ADDitude Magazine. https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-noise-distractions/ " "The Body-Brain Connection: How Fidgeting Sharpens Focus." ADDitude Magazine. https://www.additudemag.com/focus-factors/ " "What Do We Know About the Noise Sensitivity in Autism?" Interactive Autism Network. https://iancommunity.org/ssc/noise-sensitivity-autism " "Sensory abnormalities in children with autism spectrum disorder." Jornal de Pediatria 94.4 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021755717307659 " "What is Adaptive Technology?" Missouri University ACT Center. https://actcenter.missouri.edu/about-the-act-center/what-is-adaptive-technology/

How would you describe the innovation and/or the significance of your project: This is significant due to the fact that it addresses a problem that Miami University considers a priority as well as the fact that the affected members of the Miami University community need to be given reasonable access to the desired items. It is innovative for Miami University in that this would be an initial attempt to provide these items to the community at large as witnessed by the attached letter of support.

How will you assess the success of the project:

• Frequency of checkout.
• Provide form and other methods of patron feedback.

Total Amount Requested: $4,886.41

Is this a multi-year request: No