Adapting Technology and a Computerized Work Station To Facilitate Participation
Israeli Journal of Occupational Therapy, 14 (2):
H61--H75 (2005)Abstract
Adapting an environment and technology has been found to be one of the important mediators in returning to work and adapting to a physical disability (de Buck, Allaire & laValley, 2002; Livneh & Wilson, 2003). Adopting assistive devices and technology in order to function entails a complex process and depends on several factors: the user, the work environment, the occupation, the assistive devices themselves and professional support throughout the process (Fuhrer, Jutai, Scherer & Deruyter, 2003; Lund & Nygard, 2003). Adapting the environment is one of the specialty areas of Occupational Therapists and links the person's functional ability to the demands of his or her occupation in a given environment. The purpose of this article is to deal with the complexity of adapting technology and assistive devices for people with physical disabilities and specifically adapting computerized work stations. The article presents the need to determine varied ways in which to measures results for this intervention. The article also deals with the gap between the potential that technology offers people with disabilities and their difficulty in adopting it. A follow-up study done in Israel is presented in the article. Ninety (90) subjects from all over Israel were examined one year after they received consultation regarding adapting a computerized work station. The examination included an interview, an observation and a functional test on the computer at each subject's workstation. The article presents the clinical recommendations resulting from the study's findings.