Review of Accommodation Strategies in the Workplace for Persons With Mobility and Dexterity Impairments: Application to Criteria for Universal Design
By Zolna, Jesse S.; Sanford, Jon; Sabata, Dory; Goldthwaite, John; Technology and Disability, Vol. 19, pp. 189-198Publication Date: 2007
Literature review undertaken to gather, review and summarize knowledge regarding accommodation of persons with mobility and dexterity impairments in the workplace for the purpose of informing universal design. Online databases including CINHAL, Medline, PubMed, EmBase, free text websites, and the Georgia Institute of Technology’s library were used to search for articles focusing on individuals with either mobility or dexterity impairments and the workplace accommodation strategies implemented for them. Articles were examined to identify workplace characteristics, barriers to work, and types of intervention strategies. Several of the articles addressed a wide variety of employment settings with a broad range of physical requirements, while 3 articles focused on specific job types, 5 were based in competitive employment situations, and 2 focused on support environments. Four types of accommodations were identified to mitigate barriers to work: (1) assistive technology, (2) modifications to the physical work environment, (3) changes in job requirements, and (4) personal assistance. The literature review yielded 2 implications for universal design in the workplace: (1) it can help ensure that workplaces are accessible by employees, and (2) it can help facilitate the provision of individualized accommodations.
Published by: IOS Press (Website:http://www.iospress.nl)
Association for the Advancement of Assistive Technology in Europe (AAATE) (Web Site: http://www.aaate.net )
