Question

The use of assistive technology has had a huge impact on disabled individuals. Please discuss the benefits, as well as some potential issues, in the application of assistive technologies with this population. Include your operational definition of assistive technology in your response.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Assistive technologies (ATs) are any item, equipment, product, like reading glasses, crutches, hearing aids etc are designed to help people with disabilities. They improve or increase or maintain the functional capabilities.

Benefits include - To increase independence,communication, participation, help to become mobile, see better, hear better etc. It also increases mental function and self esteem. AT benifts can also be linked to health, mobilty etc.

Some of the potential issues, in the application of assistive technologies with this population linked with AT could be:

Lack of awareness - where people may not know what are the products available or even know how they work and if they beneficial for them.

Inaccessible environment could be another issue. Environment or physical barries like stairs, poor lighting etc.

Lack of human resources could be another issue. This could be like lack of adaptation to the product. Inexperienced tainees.

Financial Barries could also be an issue with ATs. The cost of purchasing, maintaing, replacing the products etc.

Operational Definition: Assistive Technology are euqipments that are specially designed to improve physical and mental health, lifestyle by improving functional capabilties.