Assistive Technology, which is often known as AT, is a product, system or piece of equipment that supports a person living with a disability to work, live and learn. Assistive technology helps people who have difficulty speaking, typing, writing, remembering, pointing, seeing, hearing, learning, walking, and many other things. Different disabilities require different assistive technologies (https://www.atia.org/home/at-resources/what-is-at/#what-is-assistive-technology).
AT can also include communication aids. Communication aids can be ‘high tech’ e.g. text-to-speech eye gaze technology and ‘low tech’ e.g. a paper based communication board or book. AT could simply mean an easy to use remote control for people with physical and/or cognitive difficulties or using their Alexa device to remember their shopping list if they find it difficult to write. It could also mean a complex system using a power wheelchair with an attached or ‘mounted’ specialist computer that is made accessible using specialist switches to control the computer. Some people might access the computer using their hands, their eyes via eye gaze or by another part of their body i.e. tapping a switch with their chin or foot.
So, who can help with AT? The team is made of a variety of people depending on the person’s needs, including specialist assistive technologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.
Most of use assistive technology these days, whether that’s sending voice notes to our friends on our smart phones or controlling the temperature of how homes from our phones. As technology develops more and more options for AT are available for both people with and without disabilities. AT can be the difference between someone being largely non-vocal with no way to consistently communicate and a lot of difficulty getting around to being able to say what they want to say and go where they want to go. It’s an exciting time to be a part of this field and we’re looking forward to seeing where it goes.
