Enhancing Lives with Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology
Using the power of technology for mobility, computer
use, communication & control of the environment
Assistive Technology (AT)
•
Goals of this presentation:
–
Help you see ways that AT can help you adapt
to life with a spinal cord injury or spinal cord
disease
–
Discuss how technology helps to re-define
“Disability” and helps to create “resilience”
–
Show how AT can enable performance of
daily activities and help individuals return to
their valued human “occupations”
What is Assistive Technology?
•
Definition: “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
person with a disability”
•
Recognized in Federal Legislation in 1988 with the
“Technology-Related Assistance Act”
–
designed to increase public awareness
–
put a “Tech Act” resource in every state for providing
information and referral to resources
Assistive Technology
•
Wheeled Mobility & Specialized Seating
•
Adaptive Computer Access
•
Electronic Aids to Daily Living
•
Alternative and Augmentative
Communication (AAC)
•
Home & Workplace Modifications
•
Vehicle modifications & Adapted driving
Assistive Technology
•
Amazing gear and gadgets! But, what is the
key?
•
T
h
e
m
a
t
c
h
b
e
t
w
e
e
n
y
o
u
a
n
d
t
e
c
h
n
o
l
o
g
y
!
–
We evaluate with the focus on you & your goals
–
Where you live, what you do, & what is in your
future
–
Determine the best control methods
–
Identify the technology that will make a difference
and help you make informed decisions
–
Help with set up, fit, and training in how to use it.
AT: Providing the Best Support
A New Model for Disability
•
Think of trying to walk on a trampoline…
•
The more severe the impairment, the deeper
a body sinks into the trampoline
•
When the surface of the mat is stiffer and
more resilient it provides better support
•
Assistive Technology can add this “resilience”
–
Modify the “tools”or the task to enable “doing.”
–
Make needed changes in the lived environment
–
Add human assistance when needed
Dealing with Your Disability
•
Right now: You are using active rehab to
improve the strength and ability of your body
and learn new skills
–
Active rehab: Enhance unaffected parts and
stimulate neural plasticity
–
Teach adaptive strategies & adaptive equipment
•
Prevent secondary disability
•
Modify environments
•
Learn about community supports
•
Assistive Technology
Goals for Assistive Technology
•
Compensate for functional deficits
–
Using a keyboard or speech to write
•
Improve task performance
–
Work faster or with fewer errors
•
Increase control over daily life activities
•
Resume roles: worker, student, volunteer,
family member, community member,
recreator.
•
Improve quality of life & capacity as an
“occupational being.”
AT: Designing Specialized Seating
•
Assess yours seated
posture
•
Look at issues of:
–
Pressure management
–
Postural support
–
Comfort
•
Maximize your ability to use
your upper extremities well
•
Prevent pressure ulcers and
over-use injuries
•
Prevent spinal deformity
and postural collapse
AT: Customizing Ultralight Manual
Wheelchairs
•
Allow independent mobility
•
Maximize ability to self propel
•
An effective tool for:
–
Mobility in accessible settings,
–
Access to social & recreational
activities
–
A tool for resuming lifestyle;
maintaining health & wellness
AT: Choosing the Features of Powered
Wheelchairs
•
Allow independent mobility
•
Using specialized controls to
bypass any motor limitation
•
An effective tool for:
–
Preventing pressure wounds
–
Moving & managing posture
–
Changing posture for various
activities
–
Communicating & socializing
–
Controlling the environment
AT: Powered Wheelchairs and Power
Add-Ons
•
Maximize access to
environments & activities
•
Focus on activities &
roles instead of “getting
there.”
•
Prevent over use injuries
and enable improved
pressure
management/comfort
•
But…do require
accessible environments
Adaptive Computer Access
•
Mainstream commercial products are very
useful and can help you get started with
using a computer again
•
Kensington Trackball
•
Speech Recognition
AT: Adaptive Computer Access
•
Enables using a computer
for:
–
Shopping & Banking
–
Finding community resources
–
Communicating & Sharing
ideas
–
Learning & Education
–
Employment
–
Dating
–
Surfing, games, blogging, etc.
AT: Adaptive Computer Access
•
Computers can be adapted for
any impairment:
–
Motor weakness
–
In-coordination
–
Low vision
–
Learning disability
–
Combinations of these limiters
•
Write, journal, visit on Skype,
shop, manage money and pay
bills, search for resources on
most anything, etc.
•
Enable work or education
Adaptive Computer Access
•
Alternate keyboards &
mice
•
Speech Recognition
(tell the computer what
to do or write)
•
Enlarges and reads text
•
Text-to-speech (speaks
the words on a screen)
•
Optical Character
Recognition (OCR)
Electronic Aids for Daily Living
•
For controlling things in
your environment:
–
Telephone
–
Opening and closing doors
–
Home entertainment
–
Lights, fans, heat, & air-
conditioning
•
Computer or application
based or stand-alone
•
Can be simple or
complex
Electronic Aids for Daily Living
•
Uses home automation
technology to enable:
–
Staying safely in your own
environment
–
Being able to entertain
yourself or pursue your
interests without having to
ask for help
–
Maximizes your
independence in your home
or work environment.
–
More and more
commonplace due to Wi-Fi
and internet devices
Electronic Aids for Daily Living
•
iPads, iPhones, iTouch
and other Wi-Fi devices
can send infrared and/or
bluetooth signals and so
can the controls of some
power wheelchairs so
you can operate those
devices with your power
wheelchair controller
Augmentative Communication Devices
•
Allows independent
communication of
needs
•
Range in sophistication
from:
–
Simple communication
of needs/wants
–
Highly developed
language that allows
saying anything!
Augmentative Communication Devices or
Speech Generating Devices
•
Enables:
–
Having your
communication heard by
others
–
Making choices
–
Directing attendant care
–
Communication with
others who are not
familiar communication
partners
Augmentative Communication Devices or
Speech Generating Devices
Benefits of Assistive Technology
•
Our sense of ourselves is wrapped up in
what we do!
•
AT enables:
–
Greater control over and participation in the
events of everyday life
–
Community living
–
Competitive and supported employment
–
Getting involved in leisure activities
How Do You Get AT?
•
Get referred for an assistive technology (AT)
evaluation for “Instrumental Activities of Daily
Living”
•
Rehab facilities have therapists trained to assist
•
Funding and resources can come from:
–
Health insurance or the VA Healthcare
–
Medicare or Medicaid
–
Office of Vocational Rehabilitation –for return to work
•
The Tech Act Projects
–
The Kentucky Assistive Technology Services Network
–
INData: The Indiana Assistive Technology Act at
Easter Seals Crossroads
Assistive Technology
People with disabilities are increasingly a
powerful presence in America, from our
schools to our businesses to the halls of
government --but maybe equally important,
increasingly a welcome, comfortable, normal
presence. President Roosevelt said,
“
No
country, no matter how rich, can afford to
waste its human resources!
“
President Bill Clinton, 1999
We now live an Age of Information
Technology
•
Use the Internet to learn more about AT
•
Search for “Assistive Technology and Spinal Cord Injury
•
Use plain language searches like “Spinal Cord Injury and
Using a Smartphone”
–
Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
–
National Spinal Cord Injury Association
–
FacingDisability.org
–
“How To” and training videos on YouTube orAT product websites
and services
•
Call the Tech Act Project in your state
Assistive Technology empowers individuals with disabilities by providing tools and solutions for mobility, communication, and daily tasks. This technology, defined as items or systems that improve functional capabilities, helps redefine disability, increase resilience, and enable individuals to engage in valued activities. Various forms of Assistive Technology, such as wheeled mobility, specialized seating, computer access, communication aids, and home modifications, play a vital role in enhancing quality of life. By focusing on individual needs and goals, Assistive Technology ensures the best support and facilitates a new model for disability that emphasizes resilience and adaptation.
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Presentation Transcript
Assistive Technology Using the power of technology for mobility, computer use, communication & control of the environment
Assistive Technology (AT) Goals of this presentation: Help you see ways that AT can help you adapt to life with a spinal cord injury or spinal cord disease Discuss how technology helps to re-define Disability and helps to create resilience Show how AT can enable performance of daily activities and help individuals return to their valued human occupations
What is Assistive Technology? Definition: 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 person with a disability Recognized in Federal Legislation in 1988 with the Technology-Related Assistance Act designed to increase public awareness put a Tech Act resource in every state for providing information and referral to resources
Assistive Technology Wheeled Mobility & Specialized Seating Adaptive Computer Access Electronic Aids to Daily Living Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) Home & Workplace Modifications Vehicle modifications & Adapted driving
Assistive Technology Amazing gear and gadgets! But, what is the key? The match between you and technology! We evaluate with the focus on you & your goals Where you live, what you do, & what is in your future Determine the best control methods Identify the technology that will make a difference and help you make informed decisions Help with set up, fit, and training in how to use it.
A New Model for Disability Think of trying to walk on a trampoline The more severe the impairment, the deeper a body sinks into the trampoline When the surface of the mat is stiffer and more resilient it provides better support Assistive Technology can add this resilience Modify the tools or the task to enable doing. Make needed changes in the lived environment Add human assistance when needed
Dealing with Your Disability Right now: You are using active rehab to improve the strength and ability of your body and learn new skills Active rehab: Enhance unaffected parts and stimulate neural plasticity Teach adaptive strategies & adaptive equipment Prevent secondary disability Modify environments Learn about community supports Assistive Technology
Goals for Assistive Technology Compensate for functional deficits Using a keyboard or speech to write Improve task performance Work faster or with fewer errors Increase control over daily life activities Resume roles: worker, student, volunteer, family member, community member, recreator. Improve quality of life & capacity as an occupational being.
AT: Designing Specialized Seating Assess yours seated posture Look at issues of: Pressure management Postural support Comfort Maximize your ability to use your upper extremities well Prevent pressure ulcers and over-use injuries Prevent spinal deformity and postural collapse
AT: Customizing Ultralight Manual Wheelchairs Allow independent mobility Maximize ability to self propel An effective tool for: Mobility in accessible settings, Access to social & recreational activities A tool for resuming lifestyle; maintaining health & wellness
AT: Choosing the Features of Powered Wheelchairs Allow independent mobility Using specialized controls to bypass any motor limitation An effective tool for: Preventing pressure wounds Moving & managing posture Changing posture for various activities Communicating & socializing Controlling the environment
AT: Powered Wheelchairs and Power Add-Ons Maximize access to environments & activities Focus on activities & roles instead of getting there. Prevent over use injuries and enable improved pressure management/comfort But do require accessible environments
Adaptive Computer Access Mainstream commercial products are very useful and can help you get started with using a computer again Kensington Trackball Speech Recognition
AT: Adaptive Computer Access Enables using a computer for: Shopping & Banking Finding community resources Communicating & Sharing ideas Learning & Education Employment Dating Surfing, games, blogging, etc.
AT: Adaptive Computer Access Computers can be adapted for any impairment: Motor weakness In-coordination Low vision Learning disability Combinations of these limiters Write, journal, visit on Skype, shop, manage money and pay bills, search for resources on most anything, etc. Enable work or education
Adaptive Computer Access Alternate keyboards & mice Speech Recognition (tell the computer what to do or write) Enlarges and reads text Text-to-speech (speaks the words on a screen) Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Electronic Aids for Daily Living For controlling things in your environment: Telephone Opening and closing doors Home entertainment Lights, fans, heat, & air- conditioning Computer or application based or stand-alone Can be simple or complex
Electronic Aids for Daily Living Uses home automation technology to enable: Staying safely in your own environment Being able to entertain yourself or pursue your interests without having to ask for help Maximizes your independence in your home or work environment. More and more commonplace due to Wi-Fi and internet devices
Electronic Aids for Daily Living iPads, iPhones, iTouch and other Wi-Fi devices can send infrared and/or bluetooth signals and so can the controls of some power wheelchairs so you can operate those devices with your power wheelchair controller
Augmentative Communication Devices Allows independent communication of needs Range in sophistication from: Simple communication of needs/wants Highly developed language that allows saying anything!
Augmentative Communication Devices or Speech Generating Devices Enables: Having your communication heard by others Making choices Directing attendant care Communication with others who are not familiar communication partners
Augmentative Communication Devices or Speech Generating Devices
Benefits of Assistive Technology Our sense of ourselves is wrapped up in what we do! AT enables: Greater control over and participation in the events of everyday life Community living Competitive and supported employment Getting involved in leisure activities
How Do You Get AT? Get referred for an assistive technology (AT) evaluation for Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Rehab facilities have therapists trained to assist Funding and resources can come from: Health insurance or the VA Healthcare Medicare or Medicaid Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for return to work The Tech Act Projects The Kentucky Assistive Technology Services Network INData: The Indiana Assistive Technology Act at Easter Seals Crossroads
Assistive Technology People with disabilities are increasingly a powerful presence in America, from our schools to our businesses to the halls of government --but maybe equally important, increasingly a welcome, comfortable, normal presence. President Roosevelt said, No country, no matter how rich, can afford to waste its human resources! President Bill Clinton, 1999
We now live an Age of Information Technology Use the Internet to learn more about AT Search for Assistive Technology and Spinal Cord Injury Use plain language searches like Spinal Cord Injury and Using a Smartphone Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation National Spinal Cord Injury Association FacingDisability.org How To and training videos on YouTube orAT product websites and services Call the Tech Act Project in your state
