Examining and Promoting the Role of Assistive Technology ... · used at the workplace by people with disabilities • Having identified the gaps, now AT service providers, employers,

Kasey Lesner, OTS & Sajay Arthanat, Ph.D., OTR/L., ATP

Department of Occupational Therapy, University of New Hampshire

Acknowledgements: Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research: Undergraduate Research Award. University of New Hampshire

BACKGROUND

PURPOSE • To develop and pilot test an evaluation tool, the Usability Scale

for Assistive Technology to evaluate the effectiveness,

efficiency and consumer-satisfaction with which assistive

technology devices are used to fulfill activities in wide ranging

contexts (Arthanat et al; 2007).

• Specific Aim- To demonstrate the merit of USAT-Workplace in

identification of: a) barriers to AT use; and b) areas to be

addressed through AT services

APPROACH

Method

• Case Series Design - Interview individuals with disabilities

using the Usability Scale for Assistive Technology (USAT,

Arthanat et al.) framework

• Nature of work/ responsibilities

• Performance of specific roles and responsibilities

• Specific AT devices used to fulfill responsibilities

• Usability based on users skills, device characteristics and

environmental support

Sample

• 6 individuals with physical and/ or sensory impairments

• Currently employed

• Use AT devices

• Through referrals from the UNH Institute on Disability, Granite

State Independent Living, and Northeast Passage

Protocol and data collection

• IRB approval through UNH Research Integrity Services

• Semi-structured interview

• With a pilot version of the USAT-Workplace with 5-point Likert

scales

DISCUSSION RESULTS

Examining and Promoting the Role of Assistive Technology for People with

Disabilities in the Workplace

Music Teacher

Teaching Instruments (4)

Smartboard and electric pen

5 5 4 4 3

Teaching Topics (4)


5 5 4 4 3

Student Projects (4)


5 5 4 4 3

Advisor Committee (4)


5 4 4 4 3

Recycling Club (4)

Power wheelchair

5 5 5 5 3

Chairlifts 4 4 5 4 4

Minivan 5 5 5 5 5

Negotiating Contracts (4)

Minivan 5 5 4 4 5

Peter (42 y/o, Diag: Muscular Dystrophy)

Rehabilitative Equipment Associate

Answering phones/ Directing to department (4)

Headset 5 4 5 5 4

Computer 4 5 3 5 5

Faxes (5) Computer 3 5 5 3/4 5

Electric Filing (5) Computer 5 4 4 5 5

Transportation to Work (5)

Adapted van 5 5 4 5 5

Moving around work (5)

Power wheelchair 5 5 4 5 5

College Counselor

Meet with Students (5)

Wheelchair 5 5 5 5 4.5

Gather Information (5)


Educate Students (5)


Retrieving Information (5)


Getting to Work/ Parking (5)

Adapted Van 4/5 5 5 4.5 4

Referral Counselor

Using email

Left-handed mouse 5 5 5 5 4

Pull-out keyboard 5 5 5 5 4

Research



Entering Information into

Database



Phone Calls (4.5) Amplified headset 4/5 5 5 5 5

Working Front Desk (4)

Amplified headset 4 3/4 3 3/4 4

Faxes and Mail (4) Stepstool 4 4 5 4 4

Presentations (3)

Hearing aid 4 4 4 3/4 4

Wheelchair 4 4 4 3 4

Transportation (4) Adapted car with

boat seat and extension peddles

5 3/4 3/4 4 5

Information and Referral

Coordinator

Taking Calls (5)

CCTV 5 5 5 5 5

Zoomtext 5 3.5 4 4 5

Jaws 3 3 3 3 3

Supervision (5) CCTV 5 5 5 5 5

Mailings (5) CCTV 5 5 5 5 5

Documenting, Insurance, Input

(4)

Large print keyboard 4 4 4 5 5

Contacting Coordinator (4)

Phone with high contrast stickers 3 3 5 3 4

Sarah (36 y/o, Diag: Cerebral Palsy)

Brenda (56 y/o, Diag: Spinal cord injury C5,6)

Erin (34 y/o, Diag: Dwarfism and Hearing Impairment)

Kate (45 y/o, Diag: Retinitis Pigmentosa)

Tim (35 y/o, Diag: Spinal cord injury C4)

Director of Family Services

Managing Programs/ Fundraising/ Staff (4)

Mouth Stick 5 3 5 4 5

Adapted Phone 5 5 5 5 4

Reporting (4)


Adapted Phone 5 5 5 5 4

Working with Children (5)


Power Wheelchair 4 5 5 4 3

Transportation


Adapted Van 3 3 5 4 5

Public Transportation (5)


Effectiveness Efficiency Skills Device

Environment

Effectiveness Efficiency Skills Device Environment


Effectiveness Efficiency Skills Device Environment Effectiveness Efficiency Skills Device Environment


“School is supportive of what I need, and if I asked, but they wont go up to me and ask what I

need”

“Once I am in I can get everywhere in the building as long as the lifts are working. Most of the

doors are not equipped with any buttons so I can go one way and push the door, but if I want to go

the other way someone has to open the door for me. That includes my actual classroom.”

“There is no button on the front door to the school, so I technically can’t get in to the front door by

myself because the chair gets in the way if I try to pull the door open. The front doors are locked

with a scanning key card which reads my ID but they put it at shoulder level so I cant reach it with

my arm strength problems. Kids need to scan it and open the door for me.”

“Sometimes it [computer fax machine] goes down and then you need to use the real fax

machine.”

“I use a portable laptop, so if not set up well it can be awkward”

“If I have to put on a backpack, it [wheelchair] will tip back due to the poor alignment”

“For presentations outside the office problems would be worse, such as not being able to

access building easily, and there might be areas that people wont be able to see me”

“The efficiency [of Zoomtext] is a 3.5 because it depends on what document I’m in. It bounces me

around. I can only see parts of the screen at a time. I can’t see the full screen shot. It also

depends on internet.”

“It would be nice to have software for those visually impaired. It’s too much for just visual

disability.”

“The effectiveness [of Jaws] is a 3, as it is very frustrating, it bounces around, and I don’t always

need it to read to me”

“The phone has higher contract stickers on buttons on phone. I could use a phone that actually

has a dark background and bright contrast”

“The mouth stick efficiency is a 3, since it’s not as fast as typing with two hands, and I don’t

use voice control”

“The biggest challenge is finding transportation. I have to rely on others to drive me. I have

to plan ahead and there is no improv traveling.”

“Working with kids while helping with homework using the mouthstick is challenging. I can

write on paper but I can’t write on the white board”

• Work fulfills major life roles and makes up a large part of an

individual’s identity (Bjorklund, 2011).

• 72% of individuals with disabilities (IWDs) in working age group

remain unemployed (Erickson, Lee, & von Schrader, 2011).

• As per the American with Disabilties Act (1990), Assistive

Technology is a reasonable accommodation that supports the

employment of IWDs (Cook & Polgar, 2008). However, several

barriers still exist…

• IWDs must first ask the employer for AT devices that they feel

would benefit them (Driscoll, Rodger, & Jonge, 2001).

• Employers may have fears with implementation of AT (De

Jonge & Rodger, 2006).

• AT services are “fragmented” (Elsaesser and Bauer, 2011, pg-

1); there is still no clear consensus, best practices or guidelines

on how AT service models can be implemented across different

client populations, types of devices and practice settings

(Mendelsohn, Edyburn, Schwanke, & Smith, 2008; Arthanat,

Simmons & Favreau, 2012).

CONCLUSION

• Multitude of responsibilities within jobs

• Using a range of AT devices to fulfill responsibilities

• For the most part the participants were fulfilling their work roles

effectively and efficiently

• Problem areas were specific to the individual regarding mostly

environment or a specific device

• Participants felt empowered to now formally report problem

areas and to advocate with their employers in addressing them

• Realized other AT devices would be helpful for participant

looking beyond what they currently use

• Environmental problems

• Doors that are not automatic

• Unreliable lifts

• Inaccessible buildings

• Noise and lighting

• Cluttered rooms

• Device problems

• Older equipment

• Software updates

• Compatibility issues

• Need for more advanced features

• Skill problems

• More training

• With transportation equipment

• With computer technology

• Findings may not be generalizable depending on individual

diagnosis, work setting, and AT equipment, however

• We demonstrated that the evaluation is viable and has potential

in identifying strengths and gaps in how AT is implemented and

used at the workplace by people with disabilities

• Having identified the gaps, now AT service providers,

employers, and the users themselves can work towards

addressing the problem areas

• Future research should look at testing the evaluation with a

broader sample of participants and should involve an

intervention to address the identified gaps

REFERENCES

Bjorklund, B. R. (2010). Journey of adulthood. (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

Erickson, W., Lee, C., & von Schrader, S. (2011). 2009 Disability Status Report: United States. Ithaca, NY. Cornell

University Employment and Disability Institute (EDI).

Cook, A. M., & Polgar, J. M. (2008). Cook & Hussey's assistive technologies, principles and practice. (3 ed.). St. Louis:

Mosby.

Driscoll, M. P., Rodger, S. A., & de Jonge, D. (2001). Factors that prevent or assist the integration of assistive

technology into the workplace for people with spinal cord injuries: Perspectives of the users and their employers

and co-workers. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 16(1), 53.

de Jonge, D., & Rodger, S. (2006). Consumer-identified barriers and strategies for optimizing technology use in the

workplace. Disability and Rehabilitation. Assistive Technology, 1(1-2), 79-88.

Elsaesser, L., & Bauer, S. M. (2011). Provision of assistive technology services method (ATSM) according to evidence-

based information and knowledge management. Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 6, 386-401. doi:

10.3109/17483107.2011.557763

Mendelsohn, S., Edyburn, D., Rust, K., Schwanke, T., & Smith, R. (2008). Using assistive technology outcomes

research to inform policy related to the employment of individuals with disabilities. Assistive Technology, 20(3),

139-148.

Arthanat, S., Simmons, C. D., & Favreau, M. (2012). Exploring occupational justice in consumer perspectives on

assistive technology. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79, 309-319. doi: 10.2182/cjot.2012.79.5.7

Documents

Examining and Promoting the Role of Assistive Technology ... · used at the workplace by people with disabilities • Having identified the gaps, now AT service providers, employers,