Potentials of an informational assembly assistance system for persons with cognitive disabilities—Results of a laboratory study

Abstract

In Germany, individuals unable or not yet able to return to the general labor market due to disabilities are employed in sheltered workshops which are called WfbM (“Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen”). These organizations are required to earn the wages for the aforementioned group of people by offering market services. These services include, in particular, assembly activities. However, WfbM face the challenge that customer orders tend to become more complex, especially as a result of an increased number of product variants. This development not only has an impact on the work in WfbM, but also makes it much more difficult to achieve the desired inclusion of people with disabilities in the general labor market. Bearing this in mind, the research question addressed in this article can be stated as such: How far can the use of an informational assistance system compensate for performance deficits of people with disabilities in the context of assembly? The results of the conducted laboratory study show that the implementation of an assistance system can help to reduce existing barriers and challenges resulting from the mismatch between requirements of the general labor market and the performance characteristics of people with cognitive impairments.Practical Relevance: For people with disabilities, the use of assistance systems opens up new opportunities for participation in the general labor market and thus makes an important contribution to implementing the requirements of the “Bundesteilhabegesetz” (a law to strengthen participation of people with disabilities in Germany).