Amount of Assistive Technology Assistance – Erik Kondo

When most people think of assistive technology (AT), they view the AT device as a tool that can help people with disabilities do something that they couldn’t do before. Or the AT makes it easier for them to accomplish something. Successful AT devices accomplish both of these things.

One issue that is rarely considered is customizing the Amount of Assistive Technology Assistance (AATA) that the device provides based on the individual. The general thinking, when it comes to people with disabilities, is that more assistance is always better. People with disabilities are typically seen as having a static amount of limited capability. Therefore, adding to this capability with the help of an assistive device is always a good thing.

This is not how assistive technology devices are viewed for the able-bodied population. For example, when a device provides physical assistance to an able-bodied person, there is always the consideration of not providing too much assistance. There is widespread agreement that providing too much help to someone (as long as the someone doesn’t have a disability) has the effect of discouraging the person’s development and creating a dependency on receiving assistance.

When it comes to people without disabilities, we recognize their inherent human potential. We know that they have the ability to develop themselves beyond their current capability. We are acutely aware of the downsides of providing too much assistance. But when it comes to people with disabilities, all of this thinking does out the window. People with disabilities are seen as needing all the help they can get.

The implicit bias is that people with disabilities don’t have development potential.  It doesn’t really matter how much assistance they receive. In addition, people with disabilities are seen as a monolithic group. Therefore, if one person in a certain demographic group needs a high level of assistance, then everyone in that group must also need the same level.

The fact is that the ideal Amount of Assistive Technology Assistance (ATAA) required by an individual to perform a task with (or without) a disability depends on the individual. Too little AATA, and the person can accomplish less than they could, or the task is more difficult than it should be. Too much AATA, and the person will likely not develop their own abilities and will likely become dependent on the AT.

It is also important to realize that the appropriate AATA varies between individuals and may also vary with the same individual over time as their needs change.  Therefore, ideal AT devices need to be designed with variation of AATA in mind.

None of what I am saying should be an earth shattering concept. Treat devices designed to be used by people with disabilities with the same considerations applied to people without disabilities.