Breaking Down Barriers to the Integration of Assistive Technology

Abstract

Although assistive technology (AT) can be life-changing for needing individuals, numerous barriers exist when attempting to introduce and integrate AT into the daily lives and routines of elementary school students with special needs and learning differences. Limited awareness and training are two of the major contributing factors. Recent reports show that approximately 240 million children have disabilities, and without access to the products and services they need, it can significantly impact them as individuals, their families, and their communities (United Nations, 2022). It is expected that the need for individuals requiring the use of AT will rise to approximately 3.5 billion by the year 2050, and therefore, it is essential to offer the needed supports and services in a timely and data-driven manner (United Nations, 2022). Introducing and teaching individuals with special needs and learning differences to use these tools at an early age and with the support of trained multi-disciplinary professionals can help meet these growing needs and challenges. In partial fulfillment of a post-professional doctorate degree in occupational therapy, I have developed this doctoral capstone to include a research study using a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review, an original survey, and semi-structured interviews to gather additional knowledge and data regarding perceptions, learning, and awareness of available AT, its use, and its direct impact on the individual users. The results of this study contributed to the development of targeted interventions and programming to address and limit barriers impeding access to AT for elementary school students.