Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits最新文献

Assistive technology (AT) innovations for people who are blind or have low vision are occurring at a rapid pace, yet we know little about what this population thinks or knows about these innovations. This paper presents the results of a survey study with 329 employed people who are blind or have low vision regarding their perceptions about, adoption of, and desires for AT innovations. We found that many people were not aware of any recent technology advancements. A very small percentage of the participants adopted novel AT, as defined in the survey, during the 2-year period of the study, and only about one-third of the participants expressed an interest in adopting a novel AT. Key barriers to adopting new or novel AT were the high cost, the time required to learn the new technology, and the lack of training or support for learning and using the new technology.

This study investigated the preferred and actual methods for learning assistive technology (AT) by employed individuals who are blind or have low vision. Hands-on training was the preferred method for learning to use new AT, particularly among those who lost vision later in life. However, most participants considered self-training as their primary actual learning method. The findings indicate a need for more formal training opportunities and suggest a gap between this need and the availability of training by qualified professionals. The findings also suggest content to incorporate into formal training, including utilizing mobile apps, developing problem-solving skills, and locating and using training resources available online. AT trainers should emphasize to their students the ongoing, life-long learning needed to maintain and enhance AT skills and knowledge.

Project Open (https://project-openaac.com/) is aimed at improving in-person expressive communication for individuals with complex communication needs who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The project includes intersecting research and development tracks. The development track aims to create an accessible, open-source set of tools that researchers and designers can use to develop and test AAC user interfaces. These tools are combined in a web-based platform called the Open-Source Design and Programmer Interface (OS-DPI) and situated for use within an inclusive Project Open Design Community. Benefits of open-source models to support innovation through collaboration among stakeholders, particularly in the early stages of design work, are reviewed. A detailed overview of the OS-DPI, associated Community, and future directions are discussed.

To ensure access to health communication, attention must be paid to the needs of all audiences. As scientists working in a highly technical organization, we often focus more on methods and findings without giving the same thought to how we convey messages and the communication needs of specific audiences. In this essay, we outline how we learned a great deal about communications during the planning and execution of a Public Health Grand Rounds (PHGR). This PHGR gave us a chance to pause and consider what was most important: our public health messages, making them relevant and understandable, ensuring they were informative and actionable, and maximizing accessible outlets and methods for disseminating our messages.

It is essential that people with disabilities have equitable access to COVID-19 communication resources to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. The Accessible Materials and Culturally Relevant Messages for Individuals with Disabilities project aimed to deliver essential COVID-19 information in braille, American Sign Language (ASL), simplified text, and other alternative formats, along with providing additional tools and trainings that people with disabilities and organizations that serve them can use to apply the COVID-19 guidance. Lessons learned from this project can be implemented in future public health emergencies as well as in general public health messaging for people with disabilities. This project, led by Georgia Tech's Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI) and with technical assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was supported by the CDC Foundation, using funds from the CDC Foundation's COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

Purpose: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aim to provide access to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices via brain activity alone. However, while BCI technology is expanding in the laboratory setting there is minimal incorporation into clinical practice. Building upon established AAC research and clinical best practices may aid the clinical translation of BCI practice, allowing advancements in both fields to be fully leveraged.

Method: A multidisciplinary team developed considerations for how BCI products, practice, and policy may build upon existing AAC research, based upon published reports of existing AAC and BCI procedures.

Outcomes/benefits: Within each consideration, a review of BCI research is provided, along with considerations regarding how BCI procedures may build upon existing AAC methods. The consistent use of clinical/research procedures across disciplines can help facilitate collaborative efforts, engaging a range-individuals within the AAC community in the transition of BCI into clinical practice.