Assistive technologies for children with cognitive and/or motor disabilities: a diagnosis of the training needs of informal caregivers

Abstract

Assistive technologies promote communication, personal independence as well as the inclusion of children with cognitive or motor disabilities. Despite the human and material resources available, the implementation of assistive technologies in many family settings is still a struggling task. With the present study we seek to survey information and training needs of informal caregivers related to the use of assistive technologies at home, so as to, in the near future, try to meet them. Therefore, we are conducting a focus group on that topic with therapists, special education teachers and an educational psychologist and analyzing the content of the discussion. The data gives a perspective on (i) how thorough informal caregivers’ knowledge of what assistive technologies and their advantages are, (ii) difficulties reported by informal caregivers when using them with their children, (iii) reasons that may lead them to the abandonment of assistive technology devices, (iv) how they can develop their skills and use the technology more effectively and (v) how information on assistive technologies can be made available to them. Therefore, the full aim of this research is to contribute to reducing technology abandonment and to enhancing its use in the family setting by children with cognitive and/or motor limitations. Some preliminary results are put forward.