Assistive Technology Devices Research Articles

Towards the development of the psychosocial impact of assistive devices scale for continence (C-PIADS)

© 2014 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved. BACKGROUND: Current outcome measures for continence management devices do not adequately address psychosocial impact. The PIADS is an assessment tool that has been shown to reliably predict the adoption and use of assistive technology devices, but it is not widely used for continence devices.OBJECTIVE: To explore whether the PIADS requires modification to address the particular needs of continence device users and to inform any subsequent item development.METHODS: The study used interpretive methods in which qualitative information from semi-structured interviews was combined with the findings from cognitive interviews for questionnaire pre-testing. A total of 40 participants in UK and Canada were interviewed.CONCLUSIONS: The PIADS appears to fundamentally address many, but not all, of the important psychosocial concerns of adults who have continence difficulties. A version for continence, the C-PIADS, will require modification of the PIADS and is likely to contain some new items.RESULTS: Few participants had difficulty in understanding or relating to the majority of PIADS items. Several items were not considered relevant to continence and some areas for potential new items were uncovered. Embarrassment and concealment of urinary incontinence from others were common topics.

Assistive Technology: Legislation and Legal Issues

Developing special education programs that confer a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities has been a challenge for local education agencies since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was first passed in 1975. Developing a FAPE has been particularly challenging when students require assistive technology (AT) services or devices to meet their unique educational needs. In this article, we consider how students' individualized education program (IEP) planning teams have met this challenge by examining administrative and judicial rulings on the use of AT services and devices by students' with disabilities. Specifically, we first examine rulings from 2005 to the first half of 2013 regarding the IDEA, FAPE, and AT. Second, we explore how courts have interpreted the AT obligations of educational agencies with a focus on cases in which parents were the prevailing party. Primary reasons for school district losses in these cases include failing to: (a) provide AT assessments (b) address AT needs, (c) provide the AT devices or services specified in a student's IEP, (d) properly implement AT services. We end by discussing the implications of these court decisions for school districts use of AT services and devices with students in special education.

Poster 89 Developing Assistive Technology Devices Through an Undergraduate Engineering Senior Design Course

Poster 89 Developing Assistive Technology Devices Through an Undergraduate Engineering Senior Design Course

The Costs and Benefits of User Input in Design Process: A Practical Guide for Assistive Technology Device

The Costs and Benefits of User Input in Design Process: A Practical Guide for Assistive Technology Device

Challenges of user-centred assistive technology provision in Australia: shopping without a prescription

Purpose: People with disability have a right to assistive technology devices and services, to support their inclusion and participation in society. User-centred approaches aim to address consumer dissatisfaction and sub-optimal outcomes from assistive technology (AT) provision, but make assumptions of consumer literacy and empowerment. Policy discourses about consumer choice prompt careful reflection, and this paper aims to provide a critical perspective on user involvement in assistive technology provision. Methods: User-centred approaches are considered, using literature to critically reflect on what user involvement means in AT provision. Challenges at the level of interactions between practitioners and consumers, and also the level of markets and policies are discussed, using examples from Australia. Results: There is no unanimous conceptual framework for user-centred practice. Power imbalances and differing perspectives between practitioners and consumers make it difficult for consumers to feel empowered. Online access to information and international suppliers has not surmounted information asymmetries for consumers or lifted the regulation of publicly funded AT devices. Conclusions: Ensuring access and equity in the public provision of AT is challenging in an expanding market with diverse stakeholders. Consumers require personalised information and support to facilitate their involvement and choice in AT provision.Implications for RehabilitationVariations in approaches informing AT provision practices have a profound impact on equity of access and outcomes for consumers.An internationalised and online market for AT devices is increasing the need for effective information provision strategies and services.Power imbalances between practitioners and consumers present barriers to the realisation of user-centred practice.

What factors are associated with the provision of assistive technologies: the Bogotá D.C. case

Aim: To examine what demographics and clinical factors are associated with the provision of assistive technology (AT) devices in a low-income country. Method: Retrospective cross-sectional exploratory study design including 15 of the 20 localities across Bogotá D.C., Colombia, a city with 6 776 009 inhabitants. Results: The type of AT device provided was significantly dependent (p < 0.001) on the client’s diagnosis, impairment, age, and socio-economic strata, whether the client has a care giver, the geographical zone in which the client lives, the year of the AT provision, and the total number of AT delivered. In contrast, the client’s gender (p > 0.05) and the client’s affiliated type of healthcare service had no effect. In addition to that, the client’s age, the client’s socio-economic strata, the number of AT devices provided to the client, and the diagnostic type were the factors with the strongest level of association with the type of AT device provided. Conclusions: Our research showed that the provision of AT in Bogotá D.C. prioritizes both people who are at the highest levels of vulnerability, and as many people as possible with the budget. That is, the low socio-economic strata, younger and older people, and the provision of at least one AT device.Implications for RehabilitationProvision of AT is intended for equal opportunities for the social participation of people with a disability. Also, people with disabilities have the right to access AT regardless of the type of limitation, gender, race, age or region where they live.Research regarding AT in developing countries is scarce; thus, there is a need to conduct studies in such contexts. This study provides scientific evidence to support the development of models, approaches and strategies of AT provision in low-income countries where resources for rehabilitation are scarce.

Effective Assistive Technology Consideration and Implications for Diverse Students

Often the consideration of assistive technology devices and services during the individualized education program (IEP) process is overlooked. Because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) authorized this consideration, IEP team members must be keenly aware of the importance they hold in providing this valuable input. Thus, IEP team members require expertise in the processes that lead to quality decision-making concerning using assistive technology for the diversity of students with disabilities. This article discusses models and procedures for implementing a system to effectively evaluate whether a student with a disability will benefit from assistive technology services and/or equipment as well as considers the implications for families from diverse cultures.

The Apple iPad as Assistive Technology for Story-Based Interventions

Literacy-based behavioral interventions expand the work of Gray (2004) to enhance social understanding and change the behavior of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. In addition, visually based assistive technologies (e.g., Picture Exchange Communication System®/picture schedules) have been used to foster communication, provide structure, and change behavior for these same individuals. This study explores the use of the Apple iPad2 as an assistive technology device to deliver literacy-based behavioral interventions and Social Stories™ to students ages 3–11 with autism spectrum disorder enrolled in an extended school year program. Adaptations, strategies for making video Social Stories, and other suggestions for teachers who use this technology also are discussed.

Assisting children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to reduce the hyperactive behavior of arbitrary standing in class with a Nintendo Wii remote controller through an active reminder and preferred reward stimulation.

Recent studies in the field of special education have shown that in combination with software technology, high-tech commercial products can be applied as useful assistive technology devices to help people with disabilities. This study extended this concept to turn a Nintendo Wii Remote Controller into a high-performance limb action detector, in order to evaluate whether two students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) could reduce their hyperactive behavior through an active reminder and stimulation in the form of the participants' preferred rewards. This study focused on one particular hyperactive behavior common to both students: standing up arbitrarily during class. The active reminder was in the form of vibration feedback provided via the built-in function of the Wii Remote Controller, which was controlled and triggered by a control system to remind participants when they were engaging in standing behavior. This study was performed according to a multiple baseline design across participants. The results showed that both participants significantly improved their control over their hyperactive behavior during the intervention phase, and retained this effective performance in the maintenance phase. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Exploring the meaning of a new assistive technology device for older individuals

Researching the outcomes of assistive technology devices (ATDs) for older clients is important to facilitate clinical decision-making. However, to understand the outcomes associated with ATDs, one must investigate the users’ experiences and acknowledge the user as an active participant in diverse social contexts. Purpose: To enhance understanding of the users’ perspective regarding ATDs, this study aimed to investigate the meaning of the ATD for older individuals still living in their home environment. Methods: To provide descriptions of ATD experiences, older individuals who received a new ATD to compensate for their challenges in moving around, assist in self-care or both were recruited for the study. Participants were interviewed twice, with a few months between interviews, about their experience in using their new ATD. The interview transcripts were analyzed in a hermeneutical–phenomenological research approach. Results: The analysis revealed three recurring themes associated with the description of ATD experiences: “enabling performance and choice”, “transformation from requiring assistance to assisting others”, and “preparing for the future”. Conclusion: The results show that ATDs are used to enhance competence, mastery, control, self-worth, hope, and preparedness. The ATD service delivery should be client-centered and the client should be acknowledged as an active participant in producing change.Implications for RehabilitationResearching outcomes of assistive technology devices are complicated and should involve the user experience.Assistive technology devices does not have to be used in concrete actions to involve meaning for the user.Health care professionals should be sensitive towards the meaning dimensions of the assistive technology devices as experienced by the user throughout the service delivery process.

A centre for provision of assistive technology services in Singapore

Traditionally, persons with acquired disabilities in Singapore receive rehabilitation services at Rehabilitation Centres or Community Hospitals. They would be prescribed activities of daily living aids and mobility aids to improve their independence in their day-to-day activities. Assistive Technology (AT) devices were not considered as a part of rehabilitation as therapists lacked the knowledge and resources in prescribing appropriate technological solutions to their clients. The services of the Specialised Assistive Technology Centre (ATC) at the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) have changed this perspective and greatly improved service provision and awareness. This article highlights the role of occupational therapists in the provision of AT to complement rehabilitation therapy services for persons with disabilities and in improving rehabilitation outcomes related to AT usage for this population.

Children and youths with disabilities – a part of the digital generation?

Objective: The aim of this article is to report, compare and reflect on two studies which investigated ICT usage in children with physical disabilities compared with that of non-disabled children, and discuss the results in relation to occupational therapy. Method: A cross-sectional survey about ICT – activities in school and outside school among students with physical disabilities (n=287). Group comparisons were made with students from the general population. Results: Students with a physical disability used computers for less varied educational activities than students without disabilities. The environments, in school and outside school, provide different opportunities for developing and using the digital skills of children with physical disabilities. Conclusion: Digital skills developed outside school captivate children with physical disabilities, providing them with increased access to society and benefiting them educationally. The implications are that, in order to increase children’s participation in computer activities in school, changes should be made in their environment, such as having access to their own computers and planning teaching so children have the opportunity of using ICT and computer based assistive technology devices.

Note from the Editors

We are pleased to present to our readers our first issue as the editors of Journal of International Special Needs Education (JISNE) as the journal begins its seventeenth year. We hope to continue the great tradition of high quality that was maintained under the scholarly and wise editorship of Dr. Thomas P. Gumpel for the past seven years. Under Tom's leadership, JISNE has grown significantly. The quantity and quality of submissions to the journal have greatly increased from within and outside of the U.S.A., underlining the international nature of the journal. Additionally, the journal moved to become an e-journal since Fall 2013. It has been a great pleasure and a learning experience for both of us to work with Tom as Associate Editors during the past year. We thank Tom for his enthusiastic stewardship of the Council for Exceptional Children-Division of International Special Education and Services' flagship journal, and wish him all success in his future endeavors.We are also pleased to welcome the new and returning Editorial Board members. JISNE follows the double-blind peer review process whereby the reviewers and the authors are unaware of each other's identity. We rely on the Editorial Board members and Field Reviewers for their service in validating the information that is contained in the manuscript and commenting on its quality. The constructive feedback from reviewers helps the authors to improve their manuscripts to make them more relevant for JISNE's diverse readership.We believe this special issue of JISNE, devoted to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability would be of great interest to the readers. Three of the four articles presented in this special issue cover topics related to the CRPD reflecting different perspectives. We are thankful to Tom for initiating this issue.Winzer and Mazurek's article addresses the genealogy of the CRPD, and the authors argue that the CRPD is both a human rights treaty and a development tool. Schooling is enshrouded as a rights-based case, and inclusive education is viewed as a development tool.Kauffman and Badar argue that instruction, not inclusion, should be the central issue in special education. Anything other than instruction undercuts the legal and moral rights of students with disabilities to an appropriate education and fails to produce substantive social justice.Kanter, Damiani, and Ferri emphasize the importance of Article 24 of the CRPD to ensure an inclusive education system at all levels. The authors then discuss the role of inclusive education in Italy, which has long been regarded as a leader in the field of inclusive education.Argyropoulos and colleagues highlight the framework and discuss the results of an action research project which aimed to facilitate the adoption of assistive technology devices and specialized software by teachers of students with visual impairment.We would like to thank the authors for their thought provoking articles, and our reviewers for their contribution to a high-quality issue. We hope you will find these articles interesting and informative to read. Finally yet importantly, we encourage potential authors to continue to submit their original research, research syntheses, multi-case country studies, and evidence-based policy analyses to JISNE. Do check out our revised author and reviewer guidelines at http://www.jisne.org/.—Rashida Banerjee &amp; Dimitris AnastasiouEditors

Collaborative Action Research Approach Promoting Professional Development for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairment in Assistive Technology

Abstract This paper highlights the framework and discusses the results of an action research project which aimed to facilitate the adoption of assistive technology devices and specialized software by teachers of students with visual impairment via a digital educational game, developed specifically for this project. The persons involved in this collaborative scheme were general and special education teachers, experts in IT, researchers and students with and without visual impairment. The findings of the study indicated that the digital educational game constituted for teachers a fertile ground for consolidation of their knowledge in assistive technology and for collaboration with their students. It is also argued that such applications could prove very useful means for students with visual impairment, encouraging them to use assistive technology since the environment of these applications is designed to be simple, friendly and amusing.

Robotics and Assistive Technology to Improve Function in Neuromuscular Diseases

Therapeutic techniques for people with movement disorders are described along with technology that can be used to mitigate the symptoms. Disorders that affect movement include muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, cerebral palsy and others. The article discusses conventional occupation therapy techniques currently used and robotic and orthotic devices that are seen in a research and clinical setting. First the neuromuscular disease presentation is described. Next the current assistive technology techniques and devices are outlined. Finally, robots and orthoses for the upper and lower extremity are described in terms of effectiveness and cost. The robots are divided into assistive and therapeutic sections and they are further treated as passive and active devices.

Older individuals' experiences during the assistive technology device service delivery process

Objective: Providing assistive technology devices to older individuals living in their ordinary homes is an important intervention to increase and sustain independence and to enable ageing at home. However, little is known about older individuals' experiences and needs in the assistive technology device (ATD) service delivery process. The purpose of this study was to investigate older individuals' experiences during the service delivery process of ATDs. Methods: Nine older individuals were interviewed three times each throughout the ATD service delivery process. The interviews were analysed within a hermeneutical phenomenological perspective. Results: The results show that the service delivery process could be interpreted as an enigmatic journey and described using four themes: “hope and optimistic expectations”, “managing after delivery or needing additional help”, “having available help versus being abandoned”, and “taking charge or putting up”. Conclusions: The results emphasize the need for occupational therapists to maintain an individualized approach towards older clients throughout the service delivery process. The experiences of older individuals were diverse and related to expectations that were not necessarily articulated to the occupational therapist. The situation when the ATD is delivered to the client was highlighted by the clients as an important event with the potential to facilitate a successful service delivery process.

Poor oral health, a potential new geriatric syndrome

This article presents a brief introduction to the medical aspects of ageing and age-related diseases, and to some geriatric syndromes, followed by a discussion on their impact on general and oral healthcare provision to community-dwelling older people. Recent investigations suggest that inflammation constitutes a biological foundation of ageing and the onset of age-related diseases. Multimorbidity and polypharmacy, together with alterations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, make older people at risk of adverse medication reactions. A side effect of several medications is causing xerostomia and hyposalivation, and both the type and number of medications used are relevant. New options of general healthcare provision to community-dwelling older people are the use of mobility aids and assistive technology devices, domiciliary health care, respite care and telecare. Their oral health status may be jeopardised by frailty, disability, care dependency and limited access to professional oral health care. Recommendations for improvement are the following: better integrating oral health care into general health care, developing and implementing an oral healthcare guideline, providing customised oral hygiene care aids, domiciliary oral healthcare provision, visiting dental hygienists and/or nurses, oral hygiene telecare, easily and safely accessible dental offices, transforming dentistry into medical oral health care and upgrading dentists to oral physicians. In case oral healthcare providers do not take the responsibility of persuading society of the importance of adequate oral health, weakened oral health of community-dwelling older people will become a potential new geriatric syndrome.

The influence of assistive technology devices on the performance of activities by visually impaired

Objective: To establish the influence of assistive technology devices (ATDs) on the performance of activities by visually impaired schoolchildren in the resource room. Methods: A qualitative study that comprised observation and an educational intervention in the resource room. The study population comprised six visually impaired schoolchildren aged 12 to 14 years old. The participants were subjected to an eye examination, prescribed ATDs comprising optical and non-optical devices, and provided an orientation on the use of computers. The participants were assessed based on eye/object distance, font size, and time to read a computer screen and printed text. Results: The ophthalmological conditions included corneal opacity, retinochoroiditis, retinopathy of prematurity, aniridia, and congenital cataracts. Far visual acuity varied from 20/200 to 20/800 and near visual acuity from 0.8 to 6 M. Telescopes, spherical lenses, and support magnifying glasses were prescribed. Three out of five participants with low vision after intervention could decrease the font size on the screen computer, and most participants (83.3%) reduced their reading time at the second observation session. Relative to the printed text, all the participants with low vision were able to read text written in smaller font sizes and reduced their reading time at the second observation session. Conclusion: Reading skills improved after the use of ATDs, which allowed the participants to perform their school tasks equally to their classmates.

Healthcare Technology Is on the Move

Healthcare Technology Is on the Move

Robotics and Assistive Technology to Improve Function in Neuromuscular Diseases

Therapeutic techniques for people with movement disorders are described along with technology that can be used to mitigate the symptoms. Disorders that affect movement include muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, cerebral palsy and others. The article discusses conventional occupation therapy techniques currently used and robotic and orthotic devices that are seen in a research and clinical setting. First the neuromuscular disease presentation is described. Next the current assistive technology techniques and devices are outlined. Finally, robots and orthoses for the upper and lower extremity are described in terms of effectiveness and cost. The robots are divided into assistive and therapeutic sections and they are further treated as passive and active devices.