What is the Switch Kit?

The switch kit is a DIY toolkit designed to facilitate digital accessibility using accessible switches, which can be either commercial switches like the AbleNet Big Red Switch or homemade ones from various materials. What sets our switch kit apart is its compatibility with a wide range of switches, made possible by housing a MakeyMakey board within the input device. MakeyMakey is a commercial circuit board that transforms everyday objects into touch-sensitive inputs. By integrating it into our input device, we’ve made the board easier to use and more durable.

The switch kit connects to your tablet or computer, enabling it to be used with apps or websites. We’ve developed user-friendly games using Scratch, a kid-friendly programming platform, but the switch kit can also work with other games or apps that utilize arrow keys or the space bar for input. Additionally, it’s compatible with device-specific switch control platforms, offering unlimited accessibility possibilities.

This website includes the following resources:

Instruction manual to create your own input device
Instruction manuals to create your own DIY switches
Access to the game library created within Scratch

Do-it-Yourself Switches

A yogurt container with conductive tape on the lid and a wire coming out of it.

Conductive Switch

A piece of coroplast with a piece of conductive material creating a bridge over it.

Feather Switch

Two pieces of coroplast covered in conductive tape arranged in a chip clip style with a wire coming out of it.

Paddle Switch

A 4 inch piece of pool noodle cut into a hoagie with conductive tape on each side of the bun.

Pool Noodle Switch

A square piece of fabric with a monoaudiojack coming out of it.

Soft Switch

A small metal barrel connected to a monoaudiojack wire.

Tilt Switch