Contributors to this Curriculum

Michael Ryan Hunsaker, M.Ed., Ph.D. (he/him)

About Dr. Hunsaker

Michael Ryan Hunsaker holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience (behavioral/translational neuroscience focus) from UC Davis and a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Utah with a credential to teach blind and visually impaired students. His career uniquely bridges scientific research, clinical experience, and classroom practice-positioning him to design accessible educational materials grounded in both neuroscience and practical pedagogy.

Research & Clinical Background

Following his doctoral work at UC Davis (2012), Dr. Hunsaker completed postdoctoral research in primate neural development at the UC Davis MIND Institute, where he developed sophisticated research methods to evaluate developmental disorders. During this period, he gained extensive clinical experience working directly with children and adults across a broad spectrum of diagnoses, including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, genetic conditions (fragile X syndrome, Williams syndrome, 22q11.2DS, Down syndrome), ADHD, and Tourette’s syndrome. This diverse exposure to different neurological profiles taught him a crucial lesson: each learner’s disability uniquely shapes their cognitive strengths, learning preferences, and educational needs.

Transition to Education

In 2013, recognizing the gap between academic research and classroom reality, Dr. Hunsaker made a deliberate career shift to direct education. Rather than pursue traditional academic pathways, he committed to applying his scientific training to help students in real classroom environments. As a special education teacher, he focused on understanding the individual relationship between disability and learning-developing instructional approaches that enable students to access their full potential rather than working around perceived limitations.

Expertise in Accessibility & Inclusive Design

His specialization in teaching blind and visually impaired students, particularly those with additional disabilities, has given Dr. Hunsaker deep expertise in accessible pedagogy and non-visual problem-solving. He grounds all curriculum design in evidence-based practice informed by neuroscience, accessibility research, and years of direct classroom experience with diverse learners. He understands that accessibility is not an afterthought or accommodation; it is the foundation upon which effective education for all students is built.

Creator of Accessible Educational Resources

Motivated by observing persistent gaps in affordable, practical, and culturally responsive accessible educational materials, Dr. Hunsaker created TVI Resources, a collection of free, openly licensed instructional materials designed to meet the real needs of educators and students. This commitment to accessible education informed his development of this curriculum: a comprehensive, text-based approach to 3D design and digital fabrication specifically engineered for blind and visually impaired learners, emphasizing independence, technical mastery, and real-world application.

Acknowledgements

This curriculum stands on the shoulders of innovators, educators, and open-source maintainers whose commitment to accessibility and open education made this work possible.

3DMake

Special thanks to Troy Deck, the creator and maintainer of 3DMake, an open-source command-line tool that automates the workflow from code-based 3D models to print-ready files. 3DMake is essential to this curriculum-it eliminates the visual GUI entirely and makes parametric 3D design accessible to screen reader users through text-based commands and configuration files. Without 3DMake, a truly non-visual pathway from design to fabrication would not exist.

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)

This curriculum was directly inspired by the innovative work at TSBVI, a pioneer in accessible education for blind and visually impaired students. The foundational idea of using text-driven tools and command-line workflows for technical education originated from collaboration with TSBVI educators. Their commitment to demonstrating that blind and visually impaired students can excel in technical fields provided the vision for this project.

OpenSCAD Community

Deep appreciation to the OpenSCAD project maintainers and contributors for creating and maintaining a code-driven, parametric 3D modeling system that is inherently more accessible than traditional GUI-based CAD tools. OpenSCAD’s text-based programming model and screen-reader-compatible approach to geometry design makes it uniquely suited for learners who use assistive technology. The OpenSCAD community’s commitment to open-source principles and accessibility embodies the philosophy that drives this curriculum.

Open Education & Accessibility Movement

Finally, this curriculum is part of a broader movement toward open educational resources that prioritize accessibility from the ground up. It reflects the conviction that education should be barrier-free, that students with disabilities bring unique perspectives and strengths, and that accessible design benefits all learners. The work of accessibility advocates, neurodivergent educators, and disability justice activists informed every decision in building this material.