Specialized Desk

Designed & built by Liz Degraffenried and Tad Bergen

Mark Bouse, a Cache Valley man with quadriplegia, has used a wheelchair for most of his life and works from home as a computer programmer. To make his work space more functional Liz and Tad designed and built a free-standing desk. The design process started with a cardboard mockup. The desk’s main features include:

• No obstructions, such as legs, under the center of the desk so that Mark can use it with his wheelchair.
• A bumper rail to stop Mark’s wheelchair as he pulls up to the desk.
• The desk cost the Assistive Technology Lab around $500 to build and design versus Mark purchasing a commercial desk at the cost of $5,000 or more, saving Mark a significant amount of money.

Liz and another student working on the cardboard mock-up of the desk.

Liz and another student cutting out materials for the desk.

A student cutting out pieces for the base of the desk.

The desk under construction.

Tad delivering the desk to Mark’s home

Mark testing his new desk..