Technology Aids
For most people, technology makes life easier. People of all ages have come to increasingly rely on assistive aids and technology such as email, fax machines and memory-dialling telephones. For people with disabilities, however, technology makes impossible daily activities possible.
Assistive technology is the broad term used for any device, technical aid, strategy, service and/or practice, which improves a person's quality of life. It falls into 2 categories:
- General technology benefits everyone, e.g., passenger lifts, automatic doors, adjustable office chairs, easy-to-read signs, etc. This kind of assistive technology often gets taken for granted after a while and is generally thought of simply in terms of convenience. However, for a person with a disability they make all the difference, as they would be unable to function in an environment without them.
- Specific technology is personalised for the person with a disability. Specific technology may be adapted to meet the precise requirements of an individual with a disability, e.g., a wheelchair, or it may be bought off the shelf, e.g., computer software for voice activation.
Assistive technology is often seen as special, expensive and an additional burden on the employer or service provider. But not all people with disabilities need assistive technology and not all assistive technology costs a lot of money.
See some examples of Accessibility Provisions which could be considered in the context of providing a genuine opportunity for people with disabilities to participate in the workplace.
Find further information, through Useful Links, on organisations which can offer advice and/or solutions to people with disabilities on available equipment and possible adaptations.
