Assistive Technology
GOV.UK (2018) defines the term Assistive Technology (AT) as ‘medical devices are intended to compensate for or alleviate an injury, disability or illness or to replace a physical function. There should be a direct link between the corrective function of the product and the individual using the product for it to be medical device.’
Assistive Technology Industry Association (2019) defines AT as ‘any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities.’ Listing the different kinds of AT from low- tech, i.e. a communication board made from cardboard and fuzzy felt, to high-tech such as special-purpose computers, hardware like prosthetics, computer hardware, i.e. keyboards, special switches or pointing devices to such software as screen readers and communication programs. AT can be inclusive or specialised with materials to aid learning and curriculum for instance educational software. But can also be much more, from electronic devices, wheelchairs, walkers, braces, head trackers etc. AT’s are designed to help anybody with difficulty speaking, typing/ writing, memory, gesturing, sight, hearing, learning, walking and many more as different disabilities require different assistive technologies.
Oxfordshire County Council (Unknown) outlined the benefits of assistive technology saying that it can promote a person’s independence and autonomy, as well as those around them. Aiding to facilitate memory and recollection. Helping to manage any potential risks in and around the home. Reducing early entry into care homes or hospitals as it allows the person to live more independently within their own home. It also helps reduce the stress on carers, which improves both their quality of life and the life of the person they are caring for. At Dementia (2007) explained how assistive technology can help support and enable a person with dementia to be more independent. Outlining some of the benefits for AT in supporting individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia such as; reminding them to take medication at the correct time, helping them to locate lost items, ‘orientate the person that it is day time or night time’, assist the person to contact caregivers, family or friends using a preprogramed number or picture, automatically turn lights on for a person at night time if they get up, automatically switch off the gas if it is left on unlit and can be used to alert carers using a monitoring centre if the person is in need of assistance. Similarly to what Oxfordshire County Council said At Dementia also highlighted AT being beneficial to give carers piece of mind saying, ‘it may enable a carer to get a good nights rest, knowing that if the person gets up at night they will be alerted.’ As well as pointing out that it frees up their duties of care and may allow them to spend better quality time with the person. At Dementia does identify some of AT’s limitations saying it my not be the answer for everybody as people have different needs, capabilities and preferences and in the instance of AT one size does not fit all. If the assistive technology does not meet the individuals needs or preferences of that person it might be ineffective or create additional confusion and distress. They conclude with the statement ‘Assistive technology on its own cannot provide human contact and personal care. Many older people experience loneliness and social isolation. Technology should only be provided as an addition to contact and care, not as a replacement.’
Stanberry and Raskind (2019) wrote an article focusing specifically on AT for children with Learning Difficulties (LD), they believe,
‘The use of technology to enhance learning is an effective approach for many children. Additionally, students with LD often experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities (strengths) to work around their disabilities (challenges). AT tools combine the best of both of these practices.’
They define AT for children with LD as being any device, piece of equipment or system that helps them to bypass, work around or compensate for the individuals specific learning deficit. Studies conducted over the past decade have demonstrated the efficacy of AT for individuals with LD. The technology cannot cure or eliminate their learning difficulty but it can help a child to reach their full potential, allowing them to capitalize on their strengths and work around the area of difficulty, for instance a pupil who struggles to read but has good listening skills could benefit from listening to audio books. ‘In general, AT compensates for a student’s skills deficits or area(s) of disability.’ Utilising AT however does not mean that the pupil cannot also receive remedial instruction aimed to alleviate deficits, for example, software designed to improve the persons poor phonic skills. ‘A student could use remedial reading software as well as listen to audio books. In fact, research has shown that AT can improve certain skill deficits (e.g., reading and spelling).’ The benefits of AT for children with LD is that it increases the children’s self-reliance and sense of independence.
In conclusion, assistive technology can help to improve the life of an individual struggling with a disability regardless of their age or specific needs. I myself know the benefits of assistive technology, having dyslexia I have in the past struggled with reading, writing and spelling but software on my laptop allows me to be able to listen to my work, reading it allowed for me so that it makes proofreading easier. I have also found auto correct and predictive texts supportive when typing words I would otherwise struggle to spell. I believe this technology is so vital as it can support so many different peoples needs and allow them to be independent and successful. VR can be used as a form of assistive technology also, it can be used to assist in the training of doctors, pilots, military and police raids etc. as demonstrated in the VR Technology section of this website. The first website reviewed on our site discusses the use of VR in a clinical application; being used in hospitals as a distraction for patients undergoing painful burn wound treatment, the article discusses the effectiveness of the VR simulation game SnowWorld.
