The Promise of Generic Technology for Young People With Cognitive Disabilities
By Gillette, Yvonne; DePompei, Roberta; Faithful, Debra; Neff, Danielle; Closing the Gap, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 1, 14-15, 36Publication Date: June/July 2005
Article discusses efforts by the Assistive Technology Research and Development Collaborative on Cognitive Disabilities (the AT Collaborative), which has studied the use of generic technology applications for people with disabilities since 2001, with funding and support from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The AT Collaborative has studied the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and traumatic brain injury, and focuses on applications for people ages eight to twenty-two at the University of Akron, School of Speech-Language Pathology. Two reasons for the exploration of generic technology are discussed: (1) generic devices, such as the Palm Pilot personal digital assistant, are commonly used by people of all ages and abilities and are less stigmatizing, and (2) generic devices are often more affordable. Various surveys of technology usage are discussed.
Published by: Closing the Gap, Inc. (Website:http://www.closingthegap.com)
This publication is included in the library of the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC), accession number J49197
