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We are working to create an enjoyable, inclusive, and engaging environment for everyone involved. We ask that members of this forum comply with this Code of Conduct. Makers Making Change is constantly growing and evolving, and to accommodate the changing needs of our users, we have created this virtual space for users to exchange ideas in a safe environment.

Respect the Community

We strive to create a community founded on respect and open-mindedness. This means that users should be considerate and accepting of differences where they arise. This includes differences related to culture, identity, and physical or mental ability. While on this forum, users are expected to speak with language that is ‘office-appropriate.’

Members of the forum are asked to keep their discussions civil. This includes:

• Keeping comments clean (refrain from violent, sexual, or hateful speech; use People-First language; be respectful of different identities; in general, don’t be rude)
• Keeping comments relevant to the discussion (off-topic comments will be flagged)
• Countering the thought and not the person when arguments arise (refrain from ad hominem attacks)
• If you see inappropriate behavior, flag it or alert MMC Staff

There is a zero-tolerance policy on hateful language and users who refuse to respect the wellbeing of the community will be contacted, and if the behavior continues will be removed from the forum. If you are uncertain about what language to use, you may reach out to MMC staff or browse the resources available through the Resources category.

MMC staff is committed to moderating the use of this forum, but users are highly encouraged to be aware of inappropriate conduct and flag content that is offensive as well as notify staff when content is upsetting or makes others uncomfortable. For information on how to flag content, please review the Getting Started on this forum document.

Enable Open Source

MMC is dedicated to building a community around open source designs. This means that we create and seek readily available materials related to improving the condition of people with disabilities through offering easily accessible solutions. Designs for assistive technology that we feature on this forum and on our website are free to access and can be downloaded, edited, and made using common materials.

Makers interested in posting their original designs or sharing resources are encouraged to properly attribute content creators and make sure that the documents are compliant with Creative Common’s Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license. Completed designs that are approved by the MMC Research and Development team will be added to the MMC device library and featured on the MMC website. Makers interested in sharing these designs should prepare documents like a build of materials, images, design files, instructions, and other helpful resources.

Encourage Discourse

This forum exists as a tool to bring together members of the global maker community and those persons who are affected by it. MMC wants to use this space to start conversations on accessibility, innovation in assistive technology, accessible gaming, and related topics. Members of threads are asked to create a shared space where forum members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and asking for help.

There are designated spaces on this forum where those with feedback on existing or planned projects can share their thoughts and help create an iterative design process. When providing feedback on this forum, please consider the following:

• Do not share personal information in the public spaces on the forum (such as medical history or address)
• Provide specifics whenever possible around existing tech that will be used in conjunction with a project (such as model of a wheelchair or assistive software being used)
• Consider the audience of your thread and use language that is simplest for them to understand
• Be constructive about elements of the design that are working in addition to what needs to be changed – remember that people are volunteering their time and skills to help you

Create a Network

MMC is proud to offer a networking experience for members around the globe. International makers offer a new perspective and even local makers can benefit from talking to one another. This is your space to shape the conversation, collaborate on new designs, and ultimately help people with disabilities.

We encourage makers to specify their units of measure and to provide links to materials as they are available in their area. When possible, it is helpful to link to globally accessible sources or offer some suggested links for those outside of your immediate area. If you are in need of some assistance finding equipment locally, you can reach out to your fellow members and ask for help.

Sharing events that may interest makers and collaborating with others not currently on the site is a great way to spread MMC’s mission and form important relationships with partner organizations. If you become aware of a fun opportunity for makers, people with disabilities, or disability professionals, you can post that information in the Community category.

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bonnie wood

[@hannahh]

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