Assistive technology use is associated with reduced capability poverty: a cross-sectional study in Bangladesh

Purpose: About half of all people with disabilities in developing countries live in extreme poverty. Focusing on the ends rather than the economic means of human development, the capability approach offers an alternative view of poverty. The purpose of this study was to explore the relation between assistive technology use and capability poverty in a low-income country. Method: Self-reported data on food intake, health care, education, politics, self-determination, self-respect, family relationships and friendships were collected in Bangladesh through interviews of people with hearing impairments using and not using hearings aids, and people with ambulatory impairments using and not using manual wheelchairs (N?=?583). Differences in outcomes between users and non-users of assistive technology were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Assistive technology users were more likely than non-users to report enhanced capabilities, hearing aid users to a larger extent than wheelchair users. Synergistic effects between assistive technology use and education were found. Conclusion: The use of assistive technology is predictive of reduced capability poverty in Bangladesh. Lack of wheelchair accessibility and the nature of selected outcomes may explain the limited association in the ambulatory group. Enhancing the effects of the other, there is support for providing education in combination with hearing aids.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Assistive technology use is associated with better opportunities to do things one has reason to value.

• Assistive technology use is associated with better attitudes from neighbors, which is likely to result in a higher level of self-respect.

• There are positive synergistic effects of hearing aid use and primary education.

• Physical accessibility needs to be considered in the provision of wheelchairs.

     

Cross-cultural adaptation of the assistive technology device – Predisposition assessment (ATD PA) for use in Brazil (ATD PA Br)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the Assistive Technology Device Predisposition Assessment (ATD PA) for use in Brazil.

Method: The selection of the Assistive Technology Device Predisposition Assessment (ATD PA) was determined by previous literature reviews of articles published in 2014 and 2016 in six databases with the terms "assistive device" or "assistive technology" or "self-help device" combined with "evidence-based practice" or "framework" or "measurement scale" or "model and outcome assessment". This review indicated that the conceptual model of Assistive Technology (AT) most discussed in the literature was the Matching Person and Technology (MPT) model, and this finding determined the selection of ATD PA as an assessment within the MPT portfolio of measures. The procedures for cross-cultural adaptation were as follows: Equivalence of Concept, Semantic and Operational. Five experts were asked to translate 725 items and these translations were evaluated and a high level of agreement was demonstrated.

Results: The Portuguese version, Avaliação de Tecnologia Assistiva – Predisposição ao Uso – ATD PA Br, was derived from the original version in English (ATD PA).

Conclusion: The ATD PA Br will support professionals and people with disabilities in Brazil to better select AT devices according to the clients’ needs.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• Provides a systematic way of selecting assistive technology devices for the use of individuals with disabilities according to the Brazilian reality.

• A systematic way of selecting the assistive technology that can help decrease the abandonment of the assistive technology use.

• The use of the Matching Person and Technology theorical model and of the assessment ATD PA Br is essential to guide the researches and clinical practice in Brazil.

     

Assistive technology products: a position paper from the first global research,innovation, and education on assistive technology (GREAT) summit

Abstract

This paper is based on work from the Global Research, Innovation, and Education on Assistive Technology (GREAT) Summit that was coordinated by WHO’s Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE). The purpose of this paper is to describe the needs and opportunities embedded in the assistive product lifecycle as well as issues relating to the various stages of assistive product mobilization worldwide.

The paper discusses assistive technology product terminology and the dangers of focusing on products outside the context and rolling out products without a plan. Additionally, the paper reviews concepts and issues around technology transfer, particularly in relation to meeting global needs and among countries with limited resources. Several opportunities are highlighted including technology advancement and the world nearing a state of readiness through a developing capacity of nations across the world to successfully adopt and support the assistive technology products and applications.

The paper is optimistic about the future of assistive technology products reaching the people that can use it the most and the excitement across large and small nations in increasing their own capacities for implementing assistive technology. This is expressed as hope in future students as they innovate and in modern engineering that will enable assistive technology to pervade all corners of current and potential marketplaces. Importantly, the paper poses numerous topics where discussions are just superficially opened. The hope is that a set of sequels will follow to continue this critical dialog.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Successful assistive technology product interventions are complex and include much more than the simple selection of the right product.

• Assistive technology product use is highly context sensitive in terms of an individual user’s environment.

• The development of assistive technology products is tricky as it must be contextually sensitive to the development environment and market as well.

• As a field we have much to study and develop around assistive technology product interventions from a global perspective.

     

Assistive technologies in reducing caregiver burden among informal caregivers of older adults: a systematic review

Aim: The world population is rapidly ageing. As population age, the incidence of functional limitations increases, demanding higher levels of care from caregivers. Assistive technologies improve individuals’ functioning, independence, well-being and quality of life. By increasing independence of older adults, assistive technologies decrease workloads required from informal caregivers. This review investigates, evaluates, and synthesises existing findings to examine whether and how assistive technologies reduce caregiver burden. Methods: Databases searched included MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Three groups of keywords were combined: those relating to assistive technology, caregiver burden, and older adults. Results: Two theories emerged from the analysis of study results. Caregivers reported that assistive technologies decrease caregiver burden. However, caregivers had concerns that assistive technologies could add to caregiver burden, highlighting the limitations of assistive technology. Conclusions: As suggested by a majority of the studies in this review, assistive technologies contribute to reducing caregiver burden among caregivers of older adults. Assistive technologies assisted caregivers by reducing time, levels of assistance and energy put towards caregiving, anxiety and fear, task difficulty, safety risk particularly for activities requiring physical assistance and increasing the independence of the users. Further research is required to better understand limitations of assistive technologies.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Support for informal caregivers of older adults need more attention and recognition.

• Assistive technologies can reduce caregiver burden among informal caregivers of older adults.

• Further research is required to better understand the effectiveness of assistive technologies in reducing caregiver burden as well as limitations and barriers associated with using assistive technologies.

     

Integrating medical,assistive, and universally designed products and technologies: assistive technology device classification (ATDC)

Introduction: ISO26000:2010 International Guidance Standard on Organizational Social Responsibility requires that effective organizational performance recognize social responsibility, including the rights of persons with disabilities (PWD), engage stakeholders and contribute to sustainable development. Millennium Development Goals 2010 notes that the most vulnerable people require special attention, while the World Report on Disability 2011 identifies improved data collection and removal of barriers to rehabilitation as the means to empower PWD. Background: The Assistive Technology Device Classification (ATDC), Assistive Technology Service Method (ATSM) and Matching Person and Technology models provide an evidence-based, standardized, internationally comparable framework to improve data collection and rehabilitation interventions. The ATDC and ATSM encompass and support universal design (UD) principles, and use the language and concepts of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Purpose: Use ATDC and ICF concepts to differentiate medical, assistive and UD products and technology; relate technology “types” to markets and costs; and support provision of UD products and technologies as sustainable and socially responsible behavior. Conclusion: Supply-side and demand-side incentives are suggested to foster private sector development and commercialization of UD products and technologies. Health and health-related professionals should be knowledgeable of UD principles and interventions.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• An ICF-based classification that differentiates medical, assistive and universally designed technology has important applications to rehabilitation practice and public policy.

• Connecting individual needs associated with diminished functioning to appropriate technology supports efficient and effective rehabilitation practice, with improved individual and societal outcomes.

• Connecting aggregate needs (markets) to appropriate technology provides a data collection framework to support evidence-based and socially responsible public policy.

     

Co-construction of an Internet-based intervention for older assistive technology users and their family caregivers: stakeholders’ perceptions

Abstract

Purpose: Providing care to older adults using assistive technology can be challenging for family caregivers. To inform the development of an Internet-based intervention, this study aimed to identify older assistive technology users and family caregivers’ needs related to assistive technology procurement, and to explore how to offer remote support through an Internet-based intervention.

Methods: Based on an iterative user-centered design approach, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders about their experiences with assistive technology procurement/attribution and their perceptions of a proposed intervention. A modified content analysis approach was used, with a mix of emerging and a priori concepts.

Results: Participants view assistive technology procurement as an ongoing cyclical process, with potential unmet needs at key moments before and after assistive technology procurement. Assistive technology user-family caregiver dyads needs focus on assistive technology information, access, assistive technology-person-context match, training and support. While participants felt there were benefits to the proposed intervention they also identified potential implementation barriers.

Conclusion: Assistive technology Internet-based interventions dedicated to family caregivers should ensure systematic and tailored follow-up while integrating some form of human support. This study guides the prototype design of the proposed intervention towards a graded support approach, empowering assistive technology users and family caregivers to resolve assistive technology-related challenges.

• Implication for rehabilitation

• Providing home-based care to older adults using assistive technology (e.g., mobility aids, communication aids) can be challenging for family caregivers.

• Using a user-centered design approach, an Internet-based intervention is under development to support older assistive technology users and their family caregivers.

• Through interviews with diverse stakeholders, this study explores unmet needs related to assistive technology procurement and perceptions about the proposed intervention.

     

An overview of systematic reviews of adaptive seating interventions for children with cerebral palsy: where do we go from here?

Purpose: This article provides an overview and assessment of systematic reviews of adaptive seating outcomes in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and proposes strategies to advance and improve the clinical utility of future research evidence. Methods: A comprehensive search for systematic reviews was performed to locate and evaluate the functional effects of adaptive seating in children with CP. Relevant electronic databases were searched to identify reviews published between January 1990 and December 2010. Results: The search yielded five reviews of adaptive seating interventions that found generally positive, but inconclusive evidence of effectiveness for postural control and management, seated posture, upper extremity function, and overall clinical outcomes. Review authors consistently reported that they were unable to combine data from original research studies to make sound clinical recommendations due to the low quality of studies, the lack of appropriate outcome indicators, and the heterogeneity and lack of clarity in population characteristics and adaptive seating interventions. Conclusions: Strategies to improve the quality and clinical relevance of new research evidence for adaptive seating interventions include the adoption of an expanded view of child functioning, a child motor function classification and development approach, and contemporary frameworks for the measurement and evaluation of assistive technology outcomes.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Assistive technology practitioners recommend adaptive seating devices to improve child functioning.

• Past systematic reviews of adaptive seating outcomes in children with cerebral palsy provide limited empirical support.

• Current thinking about child health and assistive technology outcomes provides direction to inform research and clinical practice.

     

Exploring the experience of clients with tetraplegia utilizing assistive technology for computer access

Purpose: Assistive technology for computer access can be used to facilitate people with a spinal cord injury to utilize mainstream computer applications, thereby enabling participation in a variety of meaningful occupations. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the experiences of clients with tetraplegia trialing assistive technologies for computer access during different stages in a public rehabilitation service. Method: In order to explore the experiences of clients with tetraplegia trialing assistive technologies for computer use, qualitative methodology was selected. Data were collected from seven participants using semi-structured interviews, which were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed thematically. Results: Three main themes were identified. These were: getting back into life, assisting in adjusting to injury and learning new skills. Conclusions: The findings from this study demonstrated that people with tetraplegia can be assisted to return to previous life roles or engage in new roles, through developing skills in the use of assistive technology for computer access. Being able to use computers for meaningful activities contributed to the participants gaining an enhanced sense of self-efficacy, and thereby quality of life.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Findings from this pilot study indicate that people with tetraplegia can be assisted to return to previous life roles, and develop new roles that have meaning to them through the use of assistive technologies for computer use.

• Being able to use the internet to socialize, and complete daily tasks, contributed to the participants gaining a sense of control over their lives.

• Early introduction to assistive technology is important to ensure sufficient time for newly injured people to feel comfortable enough with the assistive technology to use the computers productively by the time of discharge.

• Further research into this important and expanding area is indicated.

     

Assistive technology as reading interventions for children with reading impairments with a one-year follow-up

Purpose: This pilot study investigated the possible transfer effect on reading ability in children with reading difficulties after a systematic intervention to train and compensate for reading deficiencies by using applications in smartphones and tablets. The effects of using assistive technology (AT) one year after the interventions were completely studied. School related motivation, independent learning and family relations were also considered.

Method: 35 pupils aged 10–12 years participated. They were assessed five times with reading tests. The participants, their parents and teachers were surveyed with questionnaires regarding their experience of using AT. The data from the assessments were analyzed with paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The data from the questionnaires were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: The paper shows that using AT can create transfer effects on reading ability one year after the interventions were finished. This means that reading impaired children may develop at the same rate as non-impaired readers. Also, increased school motivation and an increase in independent learning and family effects have been shown.

Conclusions: This paper provides implications in how to facilitate reading impaired pupils’ learning process and realizes the need to challenge the concept of reading to change to fit modern means of gaining information.

• Implications for rehabilitation

• Children with reading impairment could benefit from assistive technology in regards of their reading development process and increase their chances of not falling behind peers.

• Assistive technology as applications in smartphones and tablets may aid children with reading impairment to have an equal platform for learning in school as their peers without reading difficulties.

• Assistive technology could facilitate the information gaining process and subsequently increase motivation to learn and increase interest in reading activities.

• Assistive technology had wider effects on its users: stigmatizing situations when leaving the classroom for special education were avoided and positive effects on family life were noted.

     

Multiple stakeholder perceptions of assistive technology for individuals with cerebral palsy in New Zealand

Background: This study sought to gain an understanding of the experiences and perspectives of assistive technology from different stakeholders in technology adoption, in the New Zealand context.

Methods: A focus group was held with individuals with cerebral palsy (n?=?5), service providers (n?=?4), caregivers (n?=?3) and a biomechanical engineer. The data recordings from the focus group were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis.

Results: Themes emerged around barriers imposed by the assessment process and training in assistive technology procedures, the influence of family members, the environment that assistive technology is used in, and psychosocial aspects of being able to participate and integrate into society.

Conclusion: The results are similar to other literature, suggesting new innovations and changes are in dire need, to improve assistive technology experiences for all stakeholders.

• Implications for Research

• Service providers for assistive technology desire more effective training and support of existing and emerging technologies.

• Although the set procedure for acquiring assistive technology in New Zealand is comprehensive, incorporating multiple perspectives, it is difficult to follow through in practice. More innovative procedures are needed.

• The movement of Universal Design is significantly improving the perception of individuals with disabilities, and has enabled greater social inclusion. More assistive technology developers need to ensure that they incorporate these principles in their design process.

     

Assistive technology for promoting adaptive skills of children with cerebral palsy: ten cases evaluation

Abstract

Objectives: To extend the use of assistive technology for promoting adaptive skills of children with cerebral palsy. To assess its effects on positive participation of ten participants involved. To carry out a social validation recruiting parents, physiotherapists and support teachers as external raters.

Method: A multiple probe design was implemented for Studies I and II. Study I involved five participants exposed to a combined program aimed at enhancing choice process of preferred items and locomotion fluency. Study II involved five further children for a combined intervention finalized at ensuring them with literacy access and ambulation responses. Study III recruited 60 external raters for a social validation assessment.

Results: All participants improved their performance, although differences among children occurred. Indices of positive participation increased as well. Social raters favorably scored the use of both technology and programs.

Conclusion: Assistive technology-based programs were effective for promoting independence of children with cerebral palsy.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• A basic form of assistive technology such as a microswitch-based program may be useful and helpful for supporting adaptive skills of children with cerebral palsy and different levels of functioning.

• The same program may improve the participants' indices of positive participation and constructive engagement with beneficial effects on their quality of life.

• The positive social rating provided by external experts sensitive to the matter may recommend a favorable acceptance and implementation of the program in daily settings.

     

Integrating medical,assistive, and universal design products and technologies: Assistive Technology Service Method (ATSM)

Introduction: ISO26000 provides guidance on effective organizational performance that recognizes social responsibility (including rights of persons with disabilities (PWD)), engages stakeholders, and contributes to sustainable development []. Millennium Development Goals 2010 state: while progress has been made, insufficient dedication to sustainable development, and inequalities to the most vulnerable people require attention []. World Report on Disability 2011 recommendations includes improved data collection and removal of barriers to rehabilitation that empower PWD []. Background: The Assistive Technology Service Method (ATSM), Assistive Technology Device Classification (ATDC) and Matching Person and Technology (MPT) provide an evidence-based, standardized, internationally comparable framework to improve rehabilitation interventions []. The ATSM and ATDC support universal design (UD) principles and provision of universal technology. The MPT assures interventions are effective and satisfactory to end-users []. The ICF conceptual framework and common language are used throughout []. Method: Research findings on healthcare needs are translated. ATSM applications in support of these findings are presented. Results: National initiatives demonstrate the need and value of the ATSM as an evidence-based, user-centric, interdisciplinary method to improve individual and organizational performance for rehabilitation [including AT] services. Conclusion: Two Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology articles demonstrate ATSM and ATDC use to strengthen rehabilitation services and integrate Universal Design principles for socially responsible behavior.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• An evidence-based framework for the provision of assistive technology demonstrates the translation of research to improve inter-disciplinary rehabilitation practice.

• A patient-centered approach moves practice from the medical toward the societal model to improve the effectiveness of rehabilitation outcomes.

• Efficient service provision, including the promotion of universal products and technologies, supports sustainable rehabilitation healthcare.

     

The Trunk Impairment Scale – modified to ordinal scales in the Norwegian version

Purpose: To translate the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), a measure of trunk control in patients after stroke, into Norwegian (TIS-NV), and to explore its construct validity, internal consistency, intertester and test–retest reliability. Method: TIS was translated according to international guidelines. The validity study was performed on data from 201 patients with acute stroke. Fifty patients with stroke and acquired brain injury were recruited to examine intertester and test–retest reliability. Construct validity was analyzed with exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory, internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha test, and intertester and test–retest reliability with kappa and intraclass correlation coefficient tests.Results: The back-translated version of TIS-NV was validated by the original developer. The subscale Static sitting balance was removed. By combining items from the subscales Dynamic sitting balance and Coordination, six ordinal superitems (testlets) were constructed. The TIS-NV was renamed the modified TIS-NV (TIS-modNV). After modifications the TIS-modNV fitted well to a locally dependent unidimensional item response theory model. It demonstrated good construct validity, excellent internal consistency, and high intertester and test–retest reliability for the total score.Conclusions: This study supports that the TIS-modNV is a valid and reliable scale for use in clinical practice and research.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Trunk control is an essential part of balance and postural control, thereby an important prerequisite for daily activities and function

• Impairments of trunk control is a common problem in stroke

• The TIS-modNV is a valid and reliable measure to evaluate impairments in trunk control

• The TIS-modNV containing ordinal superitems is recommended for use in clinical practice and research

     

The use of mobile devices as assistive technology in resource-limited environments: access for learners with visual impairments in Kenya

Purpose: In this paper, the authors explore the use of mobile devices as assistive technology for students with visual impairments in resource-limited environments. This paper provides initial data and analysis from an ongoing project in Kenya using tablet devices to provide access to education and independence for university students with visual impairments in Kenya. Method: The project is a design-based research project in which we have developed and are refining a theoretically grounded intervention – a model for developing communities of practice to support the use of mobile technology as an assistive technology. We are collecting data to assess the efficacy and improve the model as well as inform the literature that has guided the design of the intervention. Results: In examining the impact of the use of mobile devices for the students with visual impairments, we found that the devices provide the students with (a) access to education, (b) the means to participate in everyday life and (c) the opportunity to create a community of practice. Conclusions: Findings from this project suggest that communities of practice are both a viable and a valuable approach for facilitating the diffusion and support of mobile devices as assistive technology for students with visual impairments in resource-limited environments.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The use of mobile devices as assistive technology in resource-limited environments provides students with visual impairments access to education and enhanced means to participate in everyday life.

• Communities of practice are both a viable and a valuable approach for facilitating the diffusion and support of mobile devices as assistive technology for students with visual impairments in resource-limited environments.

• Providing access to assistive technology early and consistently throughout students’ schooling builds both their skill and confidence and also demonstrates the capabilities of people with visual impairments to the larger society.

     

Development and evaluation of a hand tracker using depth images captured from an overhead perspective

Purpose: We present the development and evaluation of a robust hand tracker based on single overhead depth images for use in the COACH, an assistive technology for people with dementia. The new hand tracker was designed to overcome limitations experienced by the COACH in previous clinical trials. Methods: We train a random decision forest classifier using ～5000 manually labeled, unbalanced, training images. Hand positions from the classifier are translated into task actions based on proximity to environmental objects. Tracker performance is evaluated using a large set of ～24?000 manually labeled images captured from 41 participants in a fully-functional washroom, and compared to the system’s previous colour-based hand tracker. Results: Precision and recall were 0.994 and 0.938 for the depth tracker compared to 0.981 and 0.822 for the colour tracker with the current data, and 0.989 and 0.466 in the previous study. Conclusions: The improved tracking performance supports integration of the depth-based tracker into the COACH toward unsupervised, real-world trials.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The COACH is an intelligent assistive technology that can enable people with cognitive disabilities to stay at home longer, supporting the concept of aging-in-place.

• Automated prompting systems, a type of intelligent assistive technology, can help to support the independent completion of activities of daily living, increasing the independence of people with cognitive disabilities while reducing the burden of care experienced by caregivers.

• Robust motion tracking using depth imaging supports the development of intelligent assistive technologies like the COACH.

• Robust motion tracking also has application to other forms of assistive technologies including gaming, human–computer interaction and automated assessments.

     

Current perspective regarding adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities accessing computer technology

Purpose: This article was written to summarize current efforts in the research community in regards to assisting adults with severe developmental and intellectual disabilities to access a computer. Method: A literature search was conducted to determine contemporary research that has been conducted to enable computer use in persons with significant developmental disabilities utilizing databases such as ERIC or PubMed. Results: Although various assistive technology devices and interventions have been developed for persons with all types of disabilities, a lack of research into methods to help persons with severe developmental disabilities access a computer is evident. This perpetuates the underutilization of computers in this population such as those attending day programs or residing in residential facilities. Conclusions: Persons with developmental disabilities, particularly adults, are often overlooked and are not thought to be capable of using a personal computer. Though communities have endeavored to further enhance participation by persons with disabilities in many aspects of mainstream society, there is a scarcity of research pertaining to how adults with intellectual disabilities can access a computer, especially those with severe impairments. Once formal schooling is over, there appears to be scant interest in supporting adults using computers.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Helping a person to access a computer use should be considered to be within the purview of rehabilitation professionals, even when an individual has an intellectual disability.

• Research into methods to enable access to computer technology should incorporate persons with severe intellectual disabilities, including adults.

• Assistive technology devices, including those associated with computer technology should be developed with persons with severe developmental disabilities in mind to facilitate access.

• Rehabilitation professionals such as speech therapists, occupational therapists and physical therapists should work in concert to develop guidelines and protocols founded on research to aid persons with severe and multiple disabilities who want to access a computer.

     

Exploring assistive technology and post-school outcomes for students with severe disabilities

Purpose: This study sought to understand the extent to which students with severe disabilities receive assistive technology in school and out-of-school, and the relationship between receipt of assistive technology in school and post-school outcomes for these students. Method: This study was a secondary analysis of the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) from the USA. To analyze the data in this correlational study, researchers conducted frequency distributions, Chi Square Tests of Associations, significance tests and logistic regressions. Results: The main results suggest (a) receipt of assistive technology in school varied greatly by disability identification; (b) receipt of assistive technology post-school also varied by disability identification, but receipt was generally lower; and (c) few statistically significant post-school outcome differences existed between students who received assistive technology and those who did not. Conclusion: An under-utilization of assistive technology exists in practice in the USA for students with severe disabilities.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• An under-utilization of assistive technology for secondary students and adults with severe disabilities likely exists.

• A need exists for improved collaboration between professionals in rehabilitation and professionals in schools to ensure continuation of needed services or aids, such as assistive technology.

• Additional research is needed to better understand the adult life (or post-school) outcomes of individuals with severe disabilities, factors from PK-12 schooling or post-school services that positively and negative impact those outcomes.

     

Enabling appropriate personnel skill-mix for progressive realization of equitable access to assistive technology

Abstract

Background and Methods: This paper reviews the current capacity of personnel in enabling access to assistive technology (AT) as well as the systems and processes within which they work, and was reviewed, discussed, and refined during and following the Global Research, Innovation, and Education in Assistive Technology (GREAT) Summit.

Findings: Key concepts addressed include a person-centred team approach; sustainability indicators to monitor, measure, and respond to needs for service design and delivery; education, research, and training for competent practice, using the six rehab-workforce challenges framework; and credentialing frameworks. We propose development of a competence framework and associated education and training programs, and development and implementation of a certification framework for AT personnel.

Conclusions: There is a resolve to address the challenges faced by People globally to access assistive technology. Context specific needs assessment is required to understand the AT Personnel landscape, to shape and strengthen credentialing frameworks through competencies and certification, acknowledging both general and specific skill mix requirements.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Personnel in assistive technology (AT) provision should be trained using a person-centred team approach, which emphasizes appropriate skill-mix to address multiple needs within the community.

• Sustainability indicators should be used which allow personnel to monitor, measure and respond to needs for service design and delivery.

• A competence framework with associated education and training program, coupled with the development and implementation of a certification framework for AT personnel needs, will promote quality in AT personnel training globally.