Assistive Technology Essay

Introduction Assistive technology serves to help people with disabilities obtain, maintain, and advance in employment. Assistive technology is a generic term for devices that increase a person’s function, independence, participation and productivity in society or to perform activities that would otherwise be labeled as difficult, dangerous or impossible. Providing effective technology services is essential to increase positive employment outcomes. Due to a lack of information about assistive technology there is currently a lack of confidence by counselors to identify and recommend assistive work technology services, equipment and training needs. Given the VR counselor’s role to provide the essential link between the client and the AWT technologist, the counselor must be well versed in not only the functional impediments related to the disability but, also be exposed to intensive training with the technology portion. The emphasis on client choice in the rehabilitation counseling process has been a focal point for a while but has not been clarified or implemented. The Assistive Technology Act of 2004 mandates increased access to technology and equipment (ENoll 2010). When technology is expertly matched to the client using aspects of the environment, needs and preference of the client and features in technology considered, it has the ability to aid the client in gaining increased

As available options and features of assistive technologies have increased, their use has been more widely considered and recommended. The differences among individual clients can be better accommodated due to this expanded choice; however, the process of matching client and technology remains convoluted because expectation of and reactions to technologies are complex. Counselor involvement in this part of the process assures expectation and reaction are on the same