Making space for all: developing partnerships to improve stem programs including students with disabilities

Federal Grant Award Summary

The Challenger Center for Space Science Education received a $149,982 project grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076), awarded on September 15, 2025, with completion targeted for February 28, 2027. The award funds the development and implementation of accessible science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning experiences designed to advance informal STEM education partnerships serving elementary and middle school students, with particular emphasis on students who are deaf and hard of hearing, or blind and low-vision.

The primary product involves the design and refinement of immersive space mission simulation experiences conducted within Challenger Learning Centers, where participants roleplay as scientists, engineers, and other STEM professionals in realistic spacecraft and mission control environments. Through a design thinking methodology encompassing empathize, define, inquire, imagine, prototype, try, and notice-and-reflect phases, the project identifies and documents accessibility best practices and partnership models to ensure inclusive participation. The intended outcomes include deepened STEM engagement and identity among all learners regardless of disability status, increased self-efficacy, exposure to diverse STEM career pathways, and development of critical skills including communication, collaboration, and problem-solving to inspire sustained interest in STEM throughout students' educational trajectories and career paths.

Abstract

This project will explore partnerships to learn how to advance accessibility in informal stem learning experiences for all students including students with disabilities. The project investigates best practices in establishing partnerships for informal science learning organizations that work with elementary and middle school youth who are deaf and hard of hearing, and/or blind and low-vision. Within each challenger learning center are immersive environments in which the participants, primarily middle school students, roleplay as scientists, engineers, medical professionals, and other stem occupations on a realistic space mission. There is a mission control room and a room that looks like the interior of a spacecraft. The rooms include real science equipment, computer workstations, and audiovisual equipment – a hybrid of digital and physical stem learning. The simulated missions to space: 1) deepen learner engagement and interest in stem, 2) build stem identity, 3) increase stem self-efficacy, 4) introduce youth to a range of stem careers, and 5) enable learners to practice skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem solving. The goal is to inspire all young learners - irrespective of their race, gender, socioeconomic status, or disability status - to stay engaged with stem throughout their education and life and feel capable and empowered to pursue stem careers. A design thinking approach is implemented in these seven phases: empathize, define, inquire, imagine, prototype, TRY, and notice and reflect. Initial activities will be held to develop understanding among collaborators that is mutually beneficial (empathize & define). Then results are discussed and used to identify and document and make necessary changes to learning centers and partners (inquire & imagine). The eventual goal is to use the insights generated to build capacity for the center to effectively serve all learners. This partnership development and planning project is funded by the advancing informal stem learning (aisl) program, which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of stem learning in informal environments. This includes providing everyone multiple pathways for accessing and engaging in stem learning experiences. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.