Disabled Children and Their Barriers- Assistive Technology

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Making sure our children get the best possible care and education they deserve, is every parents' number one concern. From a classroom, library, and medical attention, we are always putting our children first to prepare them for adulthood. There are times when parents wonder if there could be more done to help their children. When it comes to raising a child with specific disabilities, concerned parents are no different. 

Libraries have integrated Assistive Technology in their settings to better accommodate children with disabilities. Assistive Technology incorporates low-tech and high-tech devices to reach a broad range of disabled people. The reason for this is to help young people engage fully in their activities and daily lives. 

Even though Assistive Technology has been put into place, children with disabilities still must overcome barriers that prohibit them from gaining as much experience as those children without disabilities. According to Jodie Copley and Jenny Ziviani, in their article "Barriers to the use of assistive technology for children with multiple disabilities"(2004), the barriers these children must face are directed at the lack of staff training, negative staff attitudes, insufficient funding, and much more. 

"Children with multiple disabilities often face barriers to accessing and participating in self-care, play, leisure and education (Cavert, 1995)" (Copley and Ziviani,2004).

The low-tech and high-tech devices can also be used in a home-setting to help children engage at home. But without the correct training and education for adults, the children are having a hard time becoming completely engaged socially.  With proper training adults and teachers can fully understand and help their children learn and engage with their peers. Libraries with proper resources have the advantage over those who do not have the proper resources. School Libraries are one of the main areas that focus around children. 

"One-to-one consultation by a technology expert is often cited as a way of ensuring ongoing support." (Copley and Ziviani, 2004).

The best way to ensure disabled children get the best possible care and education by using Assistive Technology is for the teacher or parent to continue educational backround on the AT program. As adults we have an obligation to these children to do what is necessary in ensuring their proper education. They cannot do it alone.

Cited

Copley, Jodie and Ziviani, Jenny. (2004). Barriers to the use of assistive technology for children with multiple disabilities. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oti.213

Perhaps

one

of the

chief

benefits

of AT

use

that

is highly

relevant

for

children

with

multiple

disabilities

is as a means

of

enabling

mastery

or

control

over

their

environment,

including

enhanced

exploratory

play

and

independence

in

activities

of

daily

living

(Reed

and

Kanny

, 1993;

Hutinger

et al.,

1996;

Cowan

and

Tu

rner

-Smith,

1999;

Sullivan

and

Lewis,

2000).

Perhaps

one

of the

chief

benefits

of AT

use

that

is highly

relevant

for

children

with

multiple

disabilities

is as a means

of

enabling

mastery

or

control

over

their

environment,

including

enhanced

exploratory

play

and

independence

in

activities

of

daily

living

(Reed

and

Kanny

, 1993;

Hutinger

et al.,

1996;

Cowan

and

Tu

rner

-Smith,

1999;

Sullivan

and

Lewis,

2000).