Over the past several years Rob has worked with school districts, universities, parent groups, special education agencies, and children’s hospitals to help further the development of the desktop desk. The Mayben family’s goal is to actively participate in leveling life’s playing field by providing opportunities of independence for disabled individuals.

This journey began many years ago when a student with Cerebral Palsy was placed in Rob’s woodshop/math special day class (SDC). Because the student’s ability to communicate was limited and he had difficulty with his fine and gross motor skills, it was hard for him to actively participate in classroom activities, particularly because the tables could not be accessed by his wheelchair. With his patience and Rob’s desire to see him independently participate, the first version of the desktop desk was developed. This allowed him to independently sketch, to the best of his ability, the drawings of a birdhouse he would soon build. On math days he could write his math lesson with no help from his adult aide. He went from watching students, to actively participating with his classmates.

After a short period of time it was obvious the positive effect the desktop desk was making in his school day. His new independence gave him the ability to actively participate with the rest of his classmates. Watching him participate in academic and social activities, independently, day after day, pushed Rob to further develop the assistive device that made a difference, the desktop desk.