Assistive Devices

Original Editor - Redisha Jakibanjar

Top Contributors - Ines Musabyemariya, Lauren Lopez, Redisha Jakibanjar, Lucinda hampton, Kim Jackson, Rachael Lowe, Rucha Gadgil, Naomi O'Reilly, Aminat Abolade, Robin Tacchetti and Angeliki Chorti  

Introduction

Assistive devices and technologies are those whose primary purpose is to maintain or improve an individual’s functioning and independence to facilitate participation and to enhance overall well-being. Examples of assistive devices and technologies include wheelchairs, prostheses, hearings aids, visual aids, and specialized computer software and hardware that increase mobility, hearing, vision, or communication capacities.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) defines assistive products and technology as any product, instrument, equipment or technology adapted or specially designed for improving the functioning of a person with a disability.

TheInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines assistive products more broadly as any product, especially produced or generally available, that is used by or for persons with disability: for participation; to protect, support, train, measure or substitute for body functions/structures and activities; or to prevent impairments, activity limitations or participation restrictions.

Barriers of assistive devices

• Lack of awareness
• Lack of governance including legislation, policies and national programmes
• Lack of services
• Lack of products
• Inaccessible environments
• Lack of human resources
• Financial barriers

Strategies for providing assistive devices

Strategies for providing assistive technology/ devices need to consider the principles of 5A&Q

• Availability
• Accessibility
• Affordability
• Adaptability
• Acceptability
• Quality

Availability

Services and products are available in sufficient quantity as close as possible to children’s communities.

Accessibility

Services and products are accessible to everyone who needs them. Their delivery should be equitable to avoid discrepancies between genders, impairment groups, socioeconomic groups and geographic regions.

Affordability

Services and products are affordable to everyone who needs them.

Adaptability

Services and products are adapted and modified to ensure they are appropriate to the needs and requirements of individual . They need to accommodate differences in terms of individual factors (for example, health condition, body structure, body function, capacity, gender, age, ethnicity and preference) as well as environmental factors (for example, physical environment, psychosocial environment, climate and culture)

Acceptability

Services and products are acceptable to everyone. Factors such as efficiency, reliability, simplicity, safety, comfort and aesthetics should be taken into account to ensure that devices and related services are acceptable.

Quality

Services and products are of an appropriate quality. Product quality can be measured through applicable technical standards or guidelines in terms of strength, durability, capacity, safety and comfort.

Some assistive devices:

• Wheelchair
• Cane
• Crutches
• Walkers
• Walking stick
• Walking frame
• Tricycle
• Artificial leg or hand, leg or hand splint
• Clubfoot brace
• Eyeglass
• White cane
• Communicaion cards
• Eyeglasses, magnifier, magnifying software for computer
• GPS-based navigation device Braille systems for reading and writing
• Talking book player
• Picture based instructions Timer
• Manual or automatic reminder
• Smartphone with adapted task lists
• Adapted toys and games