Adoption Of Assistive Technologies Research Articles

Obstacles to Using Assistive Technology for Older Adults - Results from a Focus Group Analysis.

Much hope is placed in the use of assistive technologies (AT) to support older adults and retain their independence and quality of life. AT could also be a way to help fulfill the increasing requirements of caring for an aging population. While many devices are freely available, successful and broad adoption is progressing slowly. In a qualitative analysis, we investigated the popularity of AT and the willingness to and obstacles for use. Eleven older adults aged 62-85 participated in three groups, each focusing on a specific age-related case example. Using content analysis, statements have been categorized into three levels: the affected person, their surroundings, and supportive devices. Information (knowledge, consultation) was the topic spoken about the most (n=101), followed by statements focusing on everyday life and the use of assistive devices (n=99). Comments on economic topics carried the least weight (n=28). The biggest obstacles for the reluctant adoption of AT don't seem to be acceptance issues but rather a lack of knowledge of AT and where to get counseling. Thus, the provision and promotion of coherent information material and accessible consultation for users and relatives should be prioritized. AT training for healthcare professionals can provide further opportunities.

Modelling Employers’ Adoption of Assistive Technology in Advancing Employment for Persons with Disabilities

Modelling Employers’ Adoption of Assistive Technology in Advancing Employment for Persons with Disabilities

Health Outcomes Used to Determine Facets of Health-related Quality of Life for Post-9/11 Veterans Using Assistive Technology for A Combat-related Mobility Impairment: A Literature Review.

Novel rehabilitation methods, including distribution and adoption of assistive technology for lower extremity impairments, are becoming crucial to ensure positive quality of life in all individuals. The quality of life of post-9/11 combat veterans is not well understood, in comparison to research on other populations. The following essay describes a review on health outcomes used to determine health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) among combat-injured service members who require mobility-related assistive technology. Reviews pooled data from research on PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO published after September 11, 2001, and included service members who sustained a mobility impairment because of involvement in a post-9/11 combat operation. Basic descriptors were extracted in addition to health outcomes used, which were then categorized and summarized by six domains for HR-QoL as defined by the World Health Organization. This review found health outcomes that fit in the pain and discomfort, negative emotions, mobility, social relations, access to and quality of healthcare services, and religious/spiritual/personal beliefs subdomains. The categorized results detailed their application to track and model HR-QoL health states in those with mobility impairments using mobility-based assistive technology. The research on combat-induced mobility impairments indicates assistive technology improves otherwise poor health states. The results model these domains and subdomains to determine overall HR-QoL and the quality of a healthcare intervention, though additional research is needed as only one study was identified to be experimental in design.

Problems and Solutions in the Design for Deaf Persons who are Sign Language Users to Adopt Assistive Technology Products

Libras is the mother language of people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D/HH) in Brazil, characterizing them as people who use visual cues and signs to communicate with the world. Specialized researchers and educators affirm that people who are D/HH first have to be literate in their mother language (L1, sign language) in order to learn the second language (L2, written language). The teaching-learning process of written language as L2 is still a challenge, subject of many investigations and experimentations. This paper presents results and discussions from exploring and understanding problems and solutions of the design for Deaf persons who are sign language (SL) users to adopt an Assistive Technology (AT) product. This AT product refers to a solution for use in the teaching-learning process of Brazilian Portuguese written language as L2. Our methodological approach is to follow the phases of a framework in proposition, which combines concepts of Co-design, adoption of AT, HumanComputer Interaction lifecycle, Semantic Numbers theory and Writing Process. The framework proposed aims to include codesigners in every phase to guarantee higher chances of being accessible and potentially adopted by the stakeholders. Our results were obtained from two semio-participatory workshops, in which we worked with the Stakeholders Diagram and the Evaluation Frame as co-design artifacts. In the former case, many problems, questions, solutions and ideas were presented by stakeholders, to whom cultural diversity and multimodality were central aspects to be considered in the design of an AT product for Deaf people who are SL users.

Survey on assistive technologies for people with Dementia

Today, in developed societies, life expectancy is noticeably increasing due to improved healthcare systems and medical advances. Along with a longer aging period, falling birth rates, and other concomitant social factors, the age distribution is evidencing a shift towards the demographic expansion of older population stages. Epidemiological studies about this demographic aging distribution of the world population indicate that older adults are experiencing a variety of age-related problems, including Dementia. Dementia is overwhelming and frightening for both loved persons who live with Dementia, and also their caregivers. The number of people living with Dementia in societies is now rising at an unprecedented rate. Neither decisive treatment, nor effective medicines have been introduced to help society cope with such age associated pathologies. However, one promising alternative to this emerging crisis has been the adoption of Assistive Technologies (AT). Therefore, for this study, a systematic literature review is conducted to provide an overview about recent findings in this field of study and also address some available technologies that have potential application for Dementia sufferers. This work makes a report on existing technologies in the field, thus becoming a survey on existing supportive technologies for People with Dementia (PwD). The findings of this work provide an insight into the types and percentages of suggested technologies for each classification that aim to be useful for those researching the field or who want to know state of the art in this presently relevant domain. Concluding points and discussion are presented subsequently.

Assistive technology designed to support self-management of people with dementia: user involvement, dissemination, and adoption. A scoping review.

Assistive technology is advocated as a key solution to the need for support among people living with dementia. There is growing awareness of the benefits of user involvement in the design and test of these technologies and the need to identifying applicable and effective methods for implementation. The aim of this review was to explore and synthesize research addressing assistive technology designed to be used by people with dementia for self-management. Further research aims were to explore if and how user involvement, dissemination, and adoption of assistive technology were addressed. Electronic databases were searched using specified search terms. Key publications and grey literature sources were hand-searched. Materials published until year end 2018 were included. The results were summarized according to the research aims. Eleven papers derived from eight studies were included. The studies presented data from prototype design and testing, and the review showed great variation in study scope, design, and methodology. User involvement varied from extensive involvement to no user involvement. Methods for adoption also varied widely and only targeted prototype testing. None of the studies addressed dissemination. The results of this review underline the need for well-designed high-quality research into all the aspects that are essential to deliver applicable, effective, and sustainable assistive technology to support self-management of people with dementia. There is a need for evidence-based methods to promote and qualify user involvement, dissemination, and adoption. The results also point to the need for standardized outcome measures and standards for conducting and reporting research to improve its quality and impact.

Self-management and cognitive rehabilitation in early stage dementia – merging methods to promote coping and adoption of assistive technology. A pilot study

Objectives: It is essential to develop interventions that meet individual needs for coping and self-management of people with dementia. This study explored the feasibility and applicability of an intervention merging methods of cognitive rehabilitation and self-management groups for people with early stage dementia. The potential of this intervention to promote adoption of assistive technology was also explored.Method: People with early stage Alzheimer’s disease (N = 19) participated in the programme comprising both individual and group sessions. Caregivers were involved in the individual session and a separate group meeting. The intervention both addressed individual goals and more general self-management approaches. In addition, both participants and caregivers were introduced to the ReACT app, a holistic solution tailormade to meet self-management needs of people with early stage dementia.Results: There was significant improvement in the participants’ attainment of individual goals and satisfaction with goal attainment from pre- to post-intervention. Participants and caregivers generally reported a positive attitude towards the intervention, attendance rate was high, and all participants completed the intervention. Qualitative results also indicated that the intervention promoted awareness, acceptance and coping among participants. The specific benefits of using the ReACT app for self-management were also emphasised. Forty-two percent of the participants adopted the app and continued using it after completing the intervention.Conclusion: Results from this pilot study indicated that the intervention is both feasible and applicable and can be an effective method to promote coping and adoption of assistive technology among people with early stage dementia.

From medical devices to everyday products: exploring cross-cultural perceptions of assistive technology

Currently, the assistive technologies (ATs) market is underdeveloped, which limits individual choices. Many people appear reconciled to using available products that, at best, match functionalities to compensate for physical deficiencies. Yet people express a desire for personalized, elegant, discreet and bold artefacts that match their lifestyle and provide opportunities for self-expression. This study adopts a materiality-inspired methodology to explore ATs and to elicit insights into the perceptions and emotions of the study participants towards them. A comparative exploratory study between the UK and Taiwan has been conducted to explore diverse and cross-cultural perceptions. The findings suggest that the design of ATs needs to go beyond traditional considerations, such as price and compliance, and instead focus on how these products enhance users’ positive sense of self. This in return may increase the rate of successful adoption of ATs in everyday life.

Selecting the most suitable classification algorithm for supporting assistive technology adoption for people with dementia: A multicriteria framework

AbstractThe number of people with dementia (PwD) is increasing dramatically. PwD exhibit impairments of reasoning, memory, and thought that require some form of self‐management intervention to support the completion of everyday activities while maintaining a level of independence. To address this need, efforts have been directed to the development of assistive technology solutions, which may provide an opportunity to alleviate the burden faced by the PwD and their carers. Nevertheless, uptake of such solutions has been limited. It is therefore necessary to use classifiers to discriminate between adopters and nonadopters of these technologies in order to avoid cost overruns and potential negative effects on quality of life. As multiple classification algorithms have been developed, choosing the most suitable classifier has become a critical step in technology adoption. To select the most appropriate classifier, a set of criteria from various domains need to be taken into account by decision makers. In addition, it is crucial to define the most appropriate multicriteria decision‐making approach for the modelling of technology adoption. Considering the above‐mentioned aspects, this paper presents the integration of a five‐phase methodology based on the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution to determine the most suitable classifier for supporting assistive technology adoption studies. Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process is used to determine the relative weights of criteria and subcriteria under uncertainty and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution is applied to rank the classifier alternatives. A case study considering a mobile‐based self‐management and reminding solution for PwD is described to validate the proposed approach. The results revealed that the best classifier was k‐nearest‐neighbour with a closeness coefficient of 0.804, and the most important criterion when selecting classifiers is scalability. The paper also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each algorithm that should be addressed in future research.

Designing the ReACT App to Support Self-Management of People with Dementia: An Iterative User-Involving Process

Background: Assistive technology (AT) has the potential to support and enhance self-management of people living with dementia. However, a range of special and heterogeneous needs must be considered when designing and deploying AT for people with dementia, and consequently the involvement of end-users throughout the design process is essential to provide usable and effective AT solutions. Objective: The ReACT study was conducted to investigate how a tailor-made app, the ReACT app, can be designed and deployed to meet the needs of people with dementia in relation to self-management. Methods: This paper presents 4 steps of an iterative user-involving app design process. In the first step, a pilot study was conducted to explore the potential benefits and challenges of using existing off-the-shelf apps to support self-management when living with early-stage dementias. In the second step, focus group interviews provided in-depth understanding of the perspectives and needs of potential end-users of the app. The third step was a product benchmarking process, which served to further qualify the design process. Finally, results from these first 3 steps were included in the fourth step where the ReACT app was designed through an iterative codesign process. In total, 28 people with dementia, 17 family caregivers, and 10 professional caregivers were involved through these 4 iterative steps. Results: The functionalities and the design of the ReACT app directly reflect the perspectives and needs of end-users in relation to self-management. Support of memory and structure in daily living were identified as main needs, and the ReACT app was designed as a holistic and adaptable solution with a tailor-made calendar as a key feature. Conclusion: Based on this extensive iterative user-involving design process, the ReACT app has great potential to support and enhance self-management of people living with dementia. Further studies are needed to test and validate the usability and impact of the app, and methods for deployment and adoption of AT for people with dementia also need to be considered.

FriWalk robotic walker: usability, acceptance and UX evaluation after a pilot study in a real environment

Background: Scientific evidence supports that prevention strategies like multicomponent physical exercise help avoiding functional decline, falls and frailty. The robotic walker FriWalk, developed within the ACANTO project, supports the execution of controlled physical activities during hospital admission to prevent functional deterioration associated to prolonged bedrest. FriWalk shows in a clinical validation study a positive relationship with improvement in physical performance, basic activities of daily living execution and frailty status. Usability, acceptance and user experience (UX) are key aspects to ease the adoption of assistive technologies in the elderly.Objective: This work pursues the evaluation of the usability, acceptance and UX of the FriWalk from the patients and clinical professionals’ perspectives.Methods: Data collected during the validation of FriWalk in a real environment have been used. Forty-two patients recruited at Getafe University Hospital (Acute Care and Orthogeriatric Units) and one clinical professional participated. SUS, TAM, UX and ad hoc questionnaires were administered.Results: Patients provided an average SUS of 52.86 and provided valuable information in the qualitative acceptance interviews. The clinical professional provided an averaged SUS and TAM of 67 and 46.6, respectively, and evaluated all UX categories as above average.Conclusions: Usability results do not qualify FriWalk as above average; the reasons explaining this have been identified and point out to the prototypical stage of the hardware. Acceptance and UX were positively evaluated and allowed the research team to propose a new organizational model to deliver the FriWalk-based prevention program. FriWalk will be soon evolved.Implications for rehabilitationFriWalk showed in a randomized clinical trial a positive relationship with improvement in physical performance, basic activities of daily living execution and frailty status.In terms of usability, user experience (UX) and acceptance, participants of the study have valued the FriWalk robotic walker as a promising help, considering that the device that has been under evaluation was still in a prototype stage.Clinical professional reported FriWalk and its corresponding exercise program description software regarding usability, acceptance and UX as satisfactory tool to prescribe and assess a rehabilitation program for hospitalized patients.

‘That's for old so and so's!’: does identity influence older adults’ technology adoption decisions?

AbstractThe role of identity in older adults’ decision-making about assistive technology adoption has been suggested but not fully explored. This scoping review was conducted to understand better how older adults’ self-image and their desire to maintain this influence their decision-making processes regarding assistive technology adoption. Using the five-stage scoping review framework by Arksey and O'Malley, a total of 416 search combinations were run across nine databases, resulting in a final yield of 49 articles. From these 49 articles, five themes emerged: (a) resisting the negative reality of an ageing and/or disabled identity; (b) independence and control are key; (c) the aesthetic dimension of usability; (d) assistive technology as a last resort; and (e) privacy versus pragmatics. The findings highlight the importance of older adults’ desire to portray an identity consistent with independence, self-reliance and competence, and how this desire directly impacts their assistive technology decision-making adoption patterns. These findings aim to support the adoption of assistive technologies by older adults to facilitate engagement in meaningful activities, enable social participation within the community, and promote health and wellbeing in later life.

Assistive Technology for the Upper Extremities After Stroke: Systematic Review of Users' Needs.

BackgroundTechnical innovations have the potential to compensate for loss of upper-limb motor functions after stroke. However, majority of the designs do not completely meet the needs and preferences of the end users. User-centered design methods have shown that the attention to user perspectives during development of assistive technology leads to devices that better suit the needs of the users.ObjectiveTo get more insight into the factors that can bring the design of assistive technology to higher levels of satisfaction and acceptance, studies about user perspectives on assistive technology for the upper limb after stroke are systematically reviewed.MethodsA database search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus from inception to August 2017, supplemented with a search of reference lists. Methodological quality of the included studies was appraised. User perspectives of stroke survivors, carers, and health care professionals were extracted. A total of 35 descriptive themes were identified, from which 5 overarching themes were derived.ResultsIn total, 9 studies with information gathered from focus groups, questionnaires, and interviews were included. Barriers and enablers influencing the adoption of assistive technology for the upper limb after stroke emerged within 5 overarching but highly interdependent themes: (1) promoting hand and arm performance; (2) attitude toward technology; (3) decision process; (4) usability; and (5) practical applicability.ConclusionsExpected use of an assistive technology is facilitated when it has a clear therapeutic base (expected benefit in enhancing function), its users (patients and health care professionals) have a positive attitude toward technology, sufficient information about the assistive technology is available, and usability and practical applicability have been addressed successfully in its design. The interdependency of the identified themes implies that all aspects influencing user perspectives of assistive technology need to be considered when developing assistive technology to enhance its chance of acceptance. The importance of each factor may vary depending on personal factors and the use context, either at home as an assistive aid or for rehabilitation at a clinic.

Mobile Interaction for Augmentative and Alternative Communication: a Systematic Mapping

Verbal communication is essential for socialization, meaning construction and knowledge sharing in a society. When verbal communication does not occur naturally because of constraints in people’s and environments capabilities, it is necessary to design alternative means. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) aims to complement or replace speech to compensate difficulties of verbal expression. AAC systems can provide technological support for people with speech disorders, assisting in the inclusion, learning and sharing of experiences. This paper presents a systematic mapping of the literature to identify research initiatives regarding the use of mobile devices and AAC solutions. The search identified 1366 potentially eligible scientific articles published between 2006 and 2016, indexed by ACM, IEEE, Science Direct, and Springer databases and by the SBC Journal on Interactive Systems. From the retrieved papers, 99 were selected and categorized into themes of research interest: games, autism, usability, assistive technology, AAC, computer interfaces, interaction in mobile devices, education, among others. Most of papers (57 out of 99) presented some form of interaction via mobile devices, and 46 papers were related to assistive technology, from which 14 were related to AAC. The results offer an overview on the applied research on mobile devices for AAC, pointing out to opportunities and challenges in this research domain, with emphasis on the need to promoting the use and effective adoption of assistive technology.

Assistive technologies for aged care

PurposeOne may categorize assistive technologies for aged care into two types, namely, supportive (helping the elderly with their everyday activities) and empowering (obtaining physical or educational training to help seniors to maintain their capabilities). This paper looks at the impact of this perspective in the adoption of technologies that are used to aid already declined functions in comparison with technologies that are used to empower an elderly person’s capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to extract the factors that influence adoption of assistive technologies among seniors and the theories used in this context.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was conducted on relevant peer reviewed papers. A preliminary exploratory search was conducted to identify keywords and online databases for the search. A total of 104 papers published since 2000 were analyzed after title, abstract and full text filtering.FindingsThe study summarizes and categorizes the factors impacting the adoption of assistive technologies among seniors. The paper analyses the theoretical support utilized by literature and maps the empirical evidence for supportive and empowering technologies.Research limitations/implicationsThis research like any other literature review is limited to the search keys. However, the keys have brought to this work from a preliminary search.Practical implicationsThe work informs nursing professionals on the process to adopt technologies among seniors. The paper also helps technology developers to design technological products that are easier to adopt for older adults.Originality/valueIt was found that existing adoption theories are able to handle supportive technology adoption mainly because of the direct link between usage and improved functionalities. However due to the indirect effect of empowering technologies, elderlies lag in benefit realization for empowering technologies. This opens avenues of research and requires future work and utilization of new theoretical approaches in this area. The paper indicates propositions, claims and suggested questions for future research in both supportive and empowering technologies.

Implicit Intention Communication in Human–Robot Interaction Through Visual Behavior Studies

The emergence of assistive robots presents the possibility of restoring vital degrees of independence to the elderly and impaired in activities of daily living (ADL). However, one of the main challenges is the lack of a means for effective and intuitive human–robot interaction (HRI). While humans can express their intentions in different ways (e.g., physical gestures or motions, or speech or language patterns), gaze-based implicit intention communication is still underdeveloped. In this study, a novel nonverbal implicit communication framework based on eye gaze is introduced for HRI. In this framework, a user's eye-gaze movements are proactively tracked and analyzed to infer the user's intention in ADL. Then, the inferred intention can be used to command assistive robots for proper service. The advantage of this framework is that gaze-based communication can be handled by most of the people, as it requires very little effort, and most of the elderly and impaired retain visual capability. This framework is expected to simplify HRI, consequently enhancing the adoption of assistive technologies and improving users’ independence in daily living. The testing results of this framework confirmed that a human's subtle gaze cues on visualized objects could be effectively used for human-intention communication. Results also demonstrated that the gaze-based intention communication is easy to learn and use. In this study, the relationship of visual behaviors with the mental process during human intention expression was studied for the first time to build a fundamental understanding of this process. These findings are expected to guide further design of accurate intention inference algorithms and intuitive HRI.

Assistive technology for memory support in dementia.

The sustained interest in electronic assistive technology in dementia care has been fuelled by the urgent need to develop useful approaches to help support people with dementia at home. Also the low costs and wide availability of electronic devices make it more feasible to use electronic devices for the benefit of disabled persons. Information Communication Technology (ICT) devices designed to support people with dementia are usually referred to as Assistive Technology (AT) or Electronic Assistive Technology (EAT). By using AT in this review we refer to electronic assistive devices. A range of AT devices has been developed to support people with dementia and their carers to manage their daily activities and to enhance safety, for example electronic pill boxes, picture phones, or mobile tracking devices. Many are commercially available. However, the usefulness and user-friendliness of these devices are often poorly evaluated. Although reviews of (electronic) memory aids do exist, a systematic review of studies focusing on the efficacy of AT for memory support in people with dementia is lacking. Such a review would guide people with dementia and their informal and professional carers in selecting appropriate AT devices. Primary objectiveTo assess the efficacy of AT for memory support in people with dementia in terms of daily performance of personal and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL), level of dependency, and admission to long-term care. Secondary objectiveTo assess the impact of AT on: users (autonomy, usefulness and user-friendliness, adoption of AT); cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms; need for informal and formal care; perceived quality of life; informal carer burden, self-esteem and feelings of competence; formal carer work satisfaction, workload and feelings of competence; and adverse events. We searched ALOIS, the Specialised Register of the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group (CDCIG), on 10 November 2016. ALOIS is maintained by the Information Specialists of the CDCIG and contains studies in the areas of dementia prevention, dementia treatment and cognitive enhancement in healthy people. We also searched the following list of databases, adapting the search strategy as necessary: Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) Databases, up to May 2016; The Collection of Computer Science Bibliographies; DBLP Computer Science Bibliography; HCI Bibliography: Human-Computer Interaction Resources; and AgeInfo, all to June 2016; PiCarta; Inspec; Springer Link Lecture Notes; Social Care Online; and IEEE Computer Society Digital Library, all to October 2016; J-STAGE: Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator, Electronic; and Networked Computer Science Technical Reference Library (NCSTRL), both to November 2016; Computing Research Repository (CoRR) up to December 2016; and OT seeker; and ADEAR, both to February 2017. In addition, we searched Google Scholar and OpenSIGLE for grey literature. We intended to review randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and clustered randomised trials with blinded assessment of outcomes that evaluated an electronic assistive device used with the single aim of supporting memory function in people diagnosed with dementia. The control interventions could either be 'care (or treatment) as usual' or non-technological psychosocial interventions (including interventions that use non-electronic assistive devices) also specifically aimed at supporting memory. Outcome measures included activities of daily living, level of dependency, clinical and care-related outcomes (for example admission to long-term care), perceived quality of life and well-being, and adverse events resulting from the use of AT; as well as the effects of AT on carers. Two review authors independently screened all titles and abstracts identified by the search. We identified no studies which met the inclusion criteria. This review highlights the current lack of high-quality evidence to determine whether AT is effective in supporting people with dementia to manage their memory problems.

Fuzzy context-specific intention inference for robotic caregiving

To provide timely and appropriate assistance, robots must have the capability of proactively understanding a user’s personal needs, the so-called human intention inference. In human–human interaction, humans have a natural and implicit way to infer others’ intentions by selecting correlated context features and interpreting these features based on their life experience. However, robots do not have this capability and it is not realistic to build an explicit formula to associate human intentions with context. In this article, a novel fuzzy context-specific intention inference method is developed for human-like implicit human intention inference. With a fuzzy manner, context features are converted into discrete context statuses, which are similar to human subjective feelings. An intention-centered common sense database is developed consisting of correlated fuzzy context statuses, object affordances, and their relationship with human intentions. With this database, a Fuzzy Naïve Bayesian Network algorithm is adopted for implicit intention inference. Home scenario results validated the fuzzy context-specific intention inference methods reliability and lab scenario results validated the fuzzy context-specific intention inference methods effectiveness and robustness. This work is expected to develop intuitive and effective human–robot interaction, consequently enhancing the adoption of assistive technologies and improving the independence of the disabled and elderly in activities of daily living.

Modelling assistive technology adoption for people with dementia

PurposeAssistive technologies have been identified as a potential solution for the provision of elderly care. Such technologies have in general the capacity to enhance the quality of life and increase the level of independence among their users. Nevertheless, the acceptance of these technologies is crucial to their success. Generally speaking, the elderly are not well-disposed to technologies and have limited experience; these factors contribute towards limiting the widespread acceptance of technology. It is therefore important to evaluate the potential success of technologies prior to their deployment. Materials and methodsThe research described in this paper builds upon our previous work on modelling adoption of assistive technology, in the form of cognitive prosthetics such as reminder apps and aims at identifying a refined sub-set of features which offer improved accuracy in predicting technology adoption. Consequently, in this paper, an adoption model is built using a set of features extracted from a user’s background to minimise the likelihood of non-adoption. The work is based on analysis of data from the Cache County Study on Memory and Aging (CCSMA) with 31 features covering a range of age, gender, education and details of health condition. In the process of modelling adoption, feature selection and feature reduction is carried out followed by identifying the best classification models. FindingsWith the reduced set of labelled features the technology adoption model built achieved an average prediction accuracy of 92.48% when tested on 173 participants. ConclusionsWe conclude that modelling user adoption from a range of parameters such as physical, environmental and social perspectives is beneficial in recommending a technology to a particular user based on their profile.

Practices of Assistive Technology Implementation and Facilitation: Experiences of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments in Singapore

Assistive technology is defined by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004 as any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a (IDEIA, 2004). This broad definition includes devices and software that are beneficial in supporting the instruction of students with disabilities in special education (Duhaney & Duhaney, 2000). General benefits of assistive technology are evident in the literature (Alper & Raharinirina, 2006). Benefits of assistive technology are also reported for students with visual impairments (Abner & Lahm, 2002; Kelly, 2009). IDEIA also describes the need for assistive technology services, which it describes as any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology (IDEIA, 2004). Services include evaluation; purchasing; selecting, designing, or adapting; coordination of device use or services; device training; or expanding the availability of assistive technology. The number of assistive technology devices that have the potential to empower individuals with disabilities has increased in recent years. Kintsch and DePaula (2002) found that even when the devices are purchased, success with these technologies is questionable because individuals with disabilities and their caregivers are unable to integrate the devices into their daily routines. Evaluating the technological needs of individuals with disabilities and identifying the appropriate assistive technology items that will increase their functional capabilities in daily life require guidelines and models (Lee & Templeton, 2008). Broadly, consideration of devices includes a process of evaluation, acquisition, personalization, service coordination, and training (Bausch, Quinn, Chung, Ault, & Behrmann, 2009). Three major points are evident. First, the definition of assistive technology is diverse and multifaceted. Second, there is a process by which to navigate through assistive technology consideration. Third, providing assistive technology services is best facilitated by collaboration among professionals (Watts, O'Brian, & Wojcik, 2004). Increasingly, parents are also reported to influence assistive technology adoption and usage (Bausch & Ault, 2008; Hourcade, Parette, & Huer, 1997). Yet given the general definitions of assistive technology and assistive technology services, broad interpretation is reported to pose challenges for assessment, selection, training, and service provision (Marino, Marino, & Shaw, 2006; Watts et al., 2004). Assessing and navigating among assistive technology considerations are therefore indispensable. Ultimately, deciding on the most beneficial device is not straightforward but involves a process of assessment. Beigel (2000) posits that assessment involves three strands: learners, environments, and technology. ASSESSMENT The purpose of assessment is primarily to provide data for team decision making (Stiggins, 2001), with the goal of achieving student attainment of specific skills and knowledge (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA], 1999; Presley & D'Andrea, 2009). Formative assessment helps teams determine learning styles of students over a period of time (Hobson, 1997). These assessments also need to reflect a post-recommendation assessment of a device to determine its effectiveness. Ultimately, assessment models must demonstrate a direct link to learning objectives and student outcomes (Silverman, Stratman, & Smith, 2000). Assessment models need to have technical adequacy sufficient to achieve valid and reliable decisions. Technical adequacy may also be achieved by using multiple assessment tools to meet specific needs. The avoidance of bias across respondents and contexts is necessary (Watts et al. …