engleski

Adopting the use of assistive technology in a child with multiple disabilities

Assistive technology represents various forms of equipment, programs or products used to increase, maintain or improve the functional abilities of people with disabilities. For children with multiple disabilities, the use of assistive technology is an opportunity to engage in various activities and consequently improve the quality of life. The aim of this paper is to present an example of adopting the use of assistive technology in a child with multiple disabilities and factors that contribute to this process from the perspective of an educational rehabilitator during the rehabilitation treatment period. After studying theoretical assumptions of the use of eye gaze technology and the challenges that arise in practice, problem areas were identified. The data was collected by a questionnaire during a semi- structured interview and then processed with thematic analysis of the content. The results point to progress of a child in communication contributed to adopting the use of assistive technology. Furthermore, the results point to the contribution of educational rehabilitation assessment and selection of assistive technology, application of pre-training and training, customization process and providing education and support to the parents of a child with multiple disabilities. The findings indicate an important role of educational rehabilitation work in the adoption of the use of assistive technology in a child with multiple disabilities.

assistive technology ; eye gaze technology ; multiple disabilities

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