Assistive Technology Exhibition Content Report

This report provides an overview of assistive technology, including definitions, resources, developments, and impacts. It discusses the 10 categories of assistive technologies and the barriers that block the use of assistive technology in schools and outside world. The report also covers the ethical considerations related to the use of assistive technology and the influence of assistive technology on individuals. Finally, the report analyzes the impacts of assistive technology on students and their academic achievements, as well as on the health and well-being of disabled and elderly individuals.

Exhibition content report

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1: Definitions, drivers, and demographics...................................................................................1
2: Resources and Developments .................................................................................................2
3: Influence of Assistive Technology..........................................................................................5
4: Analyse impacts of Assistive Technology...............................................................................7
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Assistive technology refers to the services and systems that relates to the delivery of
assistive services and products. Assistive products are those which improve the functioning and
maintain independence of an individual, hence promote their well-being. Some examples of
assistive products are: spectacles, hearing aids, pill organizers, wheel chairs, communication
aids, etc. Statistically, all over the globe approximately 1 billion people require 1 or more
assistive products. Assistive technology provide opportunity for people to live productive,
healthy, and dignified life (McNicholl and et. al., 2021). This technology proved to be very
effective in reducing the needs of support services, work and care provided by caregivers, people
often included and participative in activities. Disabled people, old-age group population, people
with non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions have a great benefit of assistive
technologies.
TASK 1
1: Definitions, drivers, and demographics
Assistive technology includes assistive, rehabilitative, and adaptive devices to ease the
life of disabled and old people. This technology provide assistance and act as a helping hand, so
people are able to perform their activities of daily living (ADL). Assistive technology can
develop a great independence by enabling people with disability to perform several tasks which
they were previously unable to access. There are 10 categories of assistive technologies which
are used by the people depending on their needs are:
 Vision
 Hearing
 Speech communication
 Learning, cognition, and developmental
 Seating, positioning, and mobility
 For daily living
 Regarding environmental adaptations
 Vehicle modification and transportation
 Computers and related peripherals
 Recreation, sports, and leisure
1

WHO reported to be in coordination with Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology
(GATE), which aims to facilitate access of assistive technologies with high quality for every
individual at every location. Assistive Technology within Universal Health Coverage refers to
ensuring that services are not accessible to all, and are customised to make the technology
inclusive by considering the related-impairment and other relevant health needs (Syriopoulou-
Delli and Gkiolnta, 2022). The significance of AT as a support for UHC was identified at 71st
World Health Assembly (WHA). Various practices and research are conducted to gather
information and need of assistive technology in case of cognitive disabilities. Technology can
help to provide cognitive support like reminders, task-management functions, by giving relaxing
arousal, by mood and behaviour trackers, by tracking passive symptoms like pulse, breathing
rate, GSR, etc. Inequalities in assessing assistive technologies can be observed due to limited
availability of assistive instruments. It leads to shortage of instruments within areas and unequal
distribution of services within the population.
Key Performance indicators for assistive technology in healthcare are; people, time,
quality, financial performance, and growth. People who suffer from functional impairment
within their body are generally seems to have lower self-esteem (Bennett, Brady and Branham,
2018). Person with disability assume themselves as useless, worthless, inefficient in many ways.
Assistive technologies should always be efficient and of good quality. Assistive technologies
assist people and help the to feel complete by providing them support they required much. KPI is
a factor to measure the performance that is utilized by a person to analyse, observe, optimise, and
transform a healthcare process to enhance satisfaction for primarily patient and also healthcare
providers. Assistive technologies reduce the need of care workers or carers.
2: Resources and Developments
Many resources are available to support students with physical disabilities and these resources
offers a wide range of information to assist IEP teams. Teams need to work collaboratively to
provide proper support to individual student. These technologies provide support by strengthen
student's engagement, access, and progress in education curriculum (Boot and et. al., 2018).
Many organisations are working worldwide which support assistive technology named as:
 WisTech
 Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC)
 Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America
2

 Centre on Technology and Disability.
 National Assistive Technology Research Institute
 Assistive Technology Industry Association
 Project Core
 Wisconsin Assistive Technology Regional Network (WATRN)
Assistive technology is one of the technology that one can hardly ignore. Every technological
sector needs time to time advancement in order to fulfil the requirements arise and this
technology plays an important role in reducing dependency amongst people with disability. Now
with such advance technology in recent times now students and older people can carry out their
works without the need of assistance and help from another person. In this section of the report,
the discussion will cover the points of barriers which somehow blocking the use of assistive
technology in schools and outside world.
 Lack of training in assistive technology: At is all about technology and it is a factual
thing that technological operations needs skills to operate and maintain the device. A
study was conducted by Bausch and Ault to survey about the use of assistive technology
in classrooms (Svensson and et. al., 2021). It has been found that most of the teachers did
not have any idea about how to install and use the devices. Lack of training is the main
reason which blocking the introduction and usage of assistive devices in classrooms.
Therefore education bodies needs to understand the delicacy and take responsibility of
educate and guide people along with teachers and government about using AT.
 Lack of resources: Important required resources to access the assistive technologies are
skills to implement and use the device along with proper electricity supply and internet
connectivity. In a study conducted by Barfurth and Michaud it was revealed that 70% of
people have complaint about that they failed to use assistive technology in their classes
due to the reason of lack of equipments necessary for the access. It is completely an
solely government's responsibility to provide proper connectivity and power supplies to
remote areas to ease the life of individuals with disabilities.
 Poverty: According to a survey conducted in 2017, it was revealed that around 39
million globally living below the poverty line (Atanga and et. al., 2020). Poverty level
does not allow people to choose assistive devices over basic needs. In result many kids
has seen to struggle with disabilities. Lack of funds in institutions bound them to use such
3

devices and avail AT to the students and improper funding also impacts the skills and
teachers are not able to access training for proper implementation of tools.
A huge gap lies between the needs and demands related to assistive technologies. Need of
assistive technologies recognised to be high but demand is low, and even supply is much lower.
This gap lies due to difference in income level and unequal distribution of capital , resources and
devices among the different geography. These fluctuations in need and demand represents a
challenge to improve the access of AT. Many responsible factors that limits the access and
availability of such technology are: Lack of awareness among people and service providers about
beneficiaries, high cost of devices and lack of financing, lack of availability and lack of training
(Kruse and et. al., 2020). A survey has conducted to determine the needs of elderly group people
with disabilities by covering six countries in WHO, it has been revealed that older people
observed to be more prior towards function their daily routine than social activities. Some
functional activities in which AT can be used be older people were: drinking and eating
independently without anyone's support, able to transfer from bed to chair or vice versa, able to
maintain cleaning and personal hygiene, and able to hear and communicate properly. Assistive
technologies are also used in management and prevention of ill health and in case of injury.
Disability and injury cause sudden fall in people and mostly falls were observed to be associated
with risk factors like confusion, weakness, unsteady gait, balance disturbances and effect of
psychoactive medicines. Assistive technologies like wheelchairs, canes, walkers, and modified
shoes can be used effectively for prevention.
Ethical considerations related to use of Assistive technology are:
 Privacy and confidentiality: Privacy is a main concern for senior citizens and that is the
reason that why older age patients does not prefer to adopt smart home technology. These
smart technologies have features of collect, transmit, distribute and exchange the
information related to elderly patients. Heath care robots are the example which enable
healthcare professionals to keep eye on patient's well-being by means of different tools
like camera, speaker, and ultrasound (Albina and Hernandez, 2018).
 Data protection: It is well connected to privacy issue. Assistive technological devices
are used to detect falls, home automation technology used by professionals to monitor
their patient's responses and conditions at remote area. These advanced technological
devices have inbuilt cameras which perform the function of capturing images and make
4

videos of the older age patients. Sometimes these images and videos might be
inappropriate and interfere with someone's privacy. So, it is of major concern yo older
people if their personal images and videos are seen and accessed by third party.
 Security and safety: Older adult care takers are seems to be more concern about security
and safety instead of independency and privacy concerns. Ethical guidelines recommends
that it is important to maintain a balance amongst need of safety for leaders along with
concern about preserving their privacy and autonomous.
 Responsibility
 Social impact
 Equal rights to use of robot
 Technology development
3: Influence of Assistive Technology
Assistive technology have many pros and cons . Some of the pros are:
 Every individual have equal access and opportunity to use technology and no one feels
left out.
 AT provides an ideal way to enhance understanding of people about technology (Floyd,
Galyon and Floyd-Norris, 2020).
 Physically challenged students have developed the ability to learn things even
technological skills at their own pace and learn things with same speed as students
without disability.
 Students with disability able to achieve academic standards.
 Disabled students have opportunity to get socialize and make good social relationships
with other students.
 Assistive technology helps in merging the gap and build social bridges among students.
Some of cons of assistive technology are:
 Assistive technologies are very costly and that is why not in every individual's reach.
 Proper training is required to access the technology, hence time consuming.
 No one can fully rely on technology. It is obvious to develop some technical issue at the
time of need.
 Assistive technology requires lots of equipments and this may create a issue in sense of
storage and space (Manjari, Verma and Singal, 2020).
5

 It is not easy to replace and repair a assistive devices readily. The main reason behind this
is that these devices are too expensive and equipments are not easily available.
New care model programme was first invented by NHS in 2015, to support improvements and
integration of services. In March 2015, first 29 vanguards were selected are; Integrated primary
and acute care systems, multi speciality community providers, and enhanced health in care
homes (Ali, Alam and Taylor, 2020). Eight additional vanguards were introduced in July 2015,
Emergency care vanguards developing approaches in order to improve service coordination and
fluctuate down pressure on A&E departments. Acute care collaborations aims to establish link
different hospitals together to improvise their financial and clinical viability, as well variations in
care and efficiency also decrease. Each vanguard act as blueprints for the NHS and set an
example of inspiration to rest of health and care system. The nine areas where support is
provided by this model:
 Designing new care models: operating with vanguards for development of model care,
enhance the value and impact for patients.
 Evaluation and metrics: provide support to vanguard to understand the impact on staff,
patients, and population.
 Integrated commissioning and provision: assist vanguards to neutralise barriers which
restrict local health system from moving forward for the development of integrated
commissioning.
 Accountability, governance, and provider regulation: assisting vanguards to develop the
right organisational model and promote understanding regarding the impact and
regulation process.
 Empowering patients and communities: standing with vanguards to enhance the way of
effective dealing with patients, communities, and local people foe service development
(Kohlmeyer, 2022).
 Harnessing technology: Provide support to vanguards to consider their thinking about
care delivery, facilitate the potential to deliver care in different way through digital
technology.
 Workforce redesign: vanguards were supported to develop a flexible, modern, effective
workforce which is organised around patients.
6

 Local leadership and delivery: operating with vanguard to learn and develop leadership
skills and take knowledge from international experts.
 Communications and engagement: working with vanguards to demonstrate effective
practice in order to make them engage with patients, staff and local population.
4: Analyse impacts of Assistive Technology
Assistive technology have played a vital role in bringing equality among students and provide
opportunity them equally to access academic knowledge. It improved the health and well-being
of students and boost up their self-esteem by making them complete and accomplish what they
considered to be impossible. Assistive technology fulfil the needs of the people by providing
them aid for the disabilities (Dos Santos and et. al., 2022). Assistive technology provides
innumerable treatment objectives fro physical therapy professionals. Assistive technology users
experience accessibility to perform activities which were supposed to be impossible to do for
them, it reduces their dependency on others, and facilitate benefits in accessing education, health,
and information. In inclusive education assistive technology focus on using technology which
can assist and enable learning process. A wide population of students who is 'at risk' are observed
to be in need of assistance, but they do not fit into a diagnostic profile; they lack assistance. It
has been reported in a survey that need of assistive technology among population is likely to rise
to 3.5 billion, by 2050. Gaps in AT services and lack of training in workforce has also revealed
in a survey conducted on 70 countries. Th global report given many recommendations to
increase availability and access, implement inclusion policies, raise awareness to bring
improvement in lives of millions (Widehammar, Lidström, and Hermansson, 2019). It
specifically upholds for improving access in field of education, health and social care system,
ensuring the effectiveness, affordability, and availability of assistive products; enlarging,
improving, and diversifying capacity of workforce, as well invest in innovation and research
process.
CONCLUSION
From discussion made in above report it is evident that assistive devices plays an
imperative role in older people lives especially, walking devices and robots. Theses assistive
devices provides a great contribution in performing human's daily activities. Assistive
technologies providing assistance to people from past few decades. It helps people with disability
7

to keep move on with their daily life activities and live their life independently. It also increase
reach of disabled people to those activities that were always supposed to be impossible to
achieve. However, some barriers and limitations exist like high cost of devices, less availability,
unequal distribution, etc. that block the reach of technology to every affected individual.
8

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Albina, E.M. and Hernandez, A.A., 2018, November. Assessment of the elderly on perceived
needs, benefits and barriers: Inputs for the design of intelligent assistive technology.
In 2018 16th International Conference on ICT and Knowledge Engineering (ICT&KE) (pp.
1-10). IEEE.
Ali, M.A., Alam, K. and Taylor, B., 2020. The mediating effect of information and
communication technology usages on the nexus between assistive technology and quality
of life among people with communication disability. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and
Social Networking, 23(5), pp.338-345.
Atanga, C., Jones, B.A., Krueger, L.E. and Lu, S., 2020. Teachers of students with learning
disabilities: Assistive technology knowledge, perceptions, interests, and barriers. Journal of
Special Education Technology, 35(4), pp.236-248.
Bennett, C.L., Brady, E. and Branham, S.M., 2018, October. Interdependence as a frame for
assistive technology research and design. In Proceedings of the 20th international acm
sigaccess conference on computers and accessibility (pp. 161-173).
Boot, F.H., Owuor, J., Dinsmore, J. and MacLachlan, M., 2018. Access to assistive technology
for people with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review to identify barriers and
facilitators. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 62(10), pp.900-921.
Dos Santos, A.D.P., Ferrari, A.L.M., Medola, F.O. and Sandnes, F.E., 2022. Aesthetics and the
perceived stigma of assistive technology for visual impairment. Disability and
Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 17(2), pp.152-158.
Floyd, K., Galyon, C.L. and Floyd-Norris, K., 2020. Overcoming barriers: Use of assistive
technology to access curriculum. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 52(6), pp.436-439.
Kohlmeyer, K.M., 2022. Voices from Academia Virtual Parent Education on Assistive
Technology: Pandemic Lessons Learned. Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits AT
Services During & After the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Kruse, C.S., Fohn, J., Umunnakwe, G., Patel, K. and Patel, S., 2020, August. Evaluating the
facilitators, barriers, and medical outcomes commensurate with the use of assistive
technology to support people with dementia: a systematic review literature.
In Healthcare (Vol. 8, No. 3, p. 278). MDPI.
Manjari, K., Verma, M. and Singal, G., 2020. A survey on assistive technology for visually
impaired. Internet of Things, 11, p.100188.
McNicholl, A., Casey, H., Desmond, D. and Gallagher, P., 2021. The impact of assistive
technology use for students with disabilities in higher education: a systematic
review. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 16(2), pp.130-143.
Svensson, I., Nordström, T., Lindeblad, E., Gustafson, S., Björn, M., Sand, C., Almgren/Bäck, G.
and Nilsson, S., 2021. Effects of assistive technology for students with reading and writing
disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 16(2), pp.196-208.
Syriopoulou-Delli, C.K. and Gkiolnta, E., 2022. Review of assistive technology in the training of
children with autism spectrum disorders. International Journal of Developmental
Disabilities, 68(2), pp.73-85.
Widehammar, C., Lidström, H. and Hermansson, L., 2019. Environmental barriers to
participation and facilitators for use of three types of assistive technology
devices. Assistive technology, 31(2), pp.68-76.
9

10