VIDBE-Q Volume 69 Issue 4
Vignette – Miranda and the School Kitchen Stove
Mr. Vargas is an itinerant TSVI working in a large suburban school district.
One of his students, Miranda, is working toward achieving IEP goals related to
self-determination and independent living skills. Miranda is a blind student in the
seventh grade who would like to volunteer with her school's snack program. She
would like to be able to independently use the stovetop in the school kitchen to
cook simple meals (e.g., grilled cheese sandwiches). In planning to address this
ECC programming goal, Mr. Vargas and Miranda determine that the stove in the
school kitchen is inaccessible as there are no tactile markings on the control panel.
Mr. Vargas enlists the help of one of Miranda's subject area teachers, Ms. Haj. Ms.
Haj is Miranda's Design and Technology teacher and notes that addressing this
design problem aligns with a learning outcome of her class. Ms. Haj helps to
recruit three peers who will work with Miranda.
Design Problem: Miranda cannot independently use the school kitchen stove to
prepare simple meals since all control panel labels are inaccessible.
Criteria for Successful Design: Miranda will be able to independently use the
control panel of the school kitchen stove to adjust the heat of the stovetop elements
while preparing simple meals.
