Assistive technologies are central to the realization of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Smith, Emma; Huff, Stephanie; Wescott, Holly; Daniel, Rebecca; Ebuenyi, Ikenna D.; O’Donnell, Joan; Maalim, Mohamed; Zhang, Wei; Khasnabis, Chapal; MacLachlan, Mac

doi:10.1080/17483107.2022.2099987

Cited by 38 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Although assistive products do play a critical role in achieving each of the fundamental rights affirmed in the UN Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) [23,24], this finding is of concern and suggests the need to explore additional measures to ensure equal participation, beyond the provision of assistive products alone. In a wider perspective, it calls for empirically evaluating the combined impact of measures mandated in international policies, such as the CRPD [23], to understand to what extent all human rights and freedoms are fully and equally enjoyed through those measures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Assistive Products Enhance or Equalize Opportunities? A Comparison of Capability across Persons with Impairments Using and Not Using Assistive Products and Persons without Impairments in Bangladesh

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aiming to compare capability across persons with impairments using and not using assistive products and persons without impairments in Bangladesh for 16 different functioning, we contrast two sets of self-reported cross-sectional data from eight districts of Bangladesh: i) data from persons with hearing impairment not using hearing aids, persons with hearing impairment using hearing aids and persons without impairments (N = 572); and ii) data from persons with ambulatory impairment not using manual wheelchairs, persons with ambulatory impairment using manual wheelchairs and persons without impairments (N = 598). Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to compare levels of capability across the three groups in each data set. Results showed that, for all functioning in both data sets, the levels of capability were statistically significantly highest for persons without impairments. Compared to persons with hearing impairments not using hearing aids, persons with hearing impairments using hearing aids scored higher in all functioning metrics, with statistical significance at the .05 level for 12 of them. Persons with ambulatory impairments using manual wheelchairs scored higher than persons with ambulatory impairments not using manual wheelchairs for 11 of the functioning metrics, but none of the comparisons between the two groups were significant at the .05 level. Assistive products—hearing aids more than manual wheelchairs—enhance capabilities but do not fully equalize opportunities between people with and without impairments.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Assistive Products Enhance or Equalize Opportunities? A Comparison of Capability across Persons with Impairments Using and Not Using Assistive Products and Persons without Impairments in Bangladesh

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Of great scope and impact is the "Global Report on Assistive Technology" developed by UNICEF and WHO [29]. The report on ATs gives a strategic vision [42,63,64] for international access to ATs, with a focus on several issues, including the need and the expected economic benefits. Among the most important outputs of the document are 10 recommendations.…”

Section: Direct Evidence From the Un Unicef And Who Websitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, if we focus on recent scientific articles conducted by the WHO experts themselves, the need to echo this issue [66] and the need to study critical aspects of the diffusion of the culture of ATs in some nations (which is also reflected in the participation in the surveys themselves carried out by the WHO and UNICEF) is particularly emphasized [65]. Furthermore, the importance and central role of ATs with regard to the realization of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [63] and the central role of monitoring tools are highlighted in the recent scientific contributions conducted by the WHO experts, both at the system level and at the need level of the ATs made available by the WHO [64,66,67].…”

Section: The Contribution Of the Umbrella Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting Universal Equitable Accessibility: An Overview on the Impact of Assistive Technology in the UN, UNICEF, and WHO Web Portals

Simeoni,

Pirrera,

Meli

et al. 2023

Healthcare

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The number of people with disabilities and frailties who need support and assistance is increasing. Assistive technologies (ATs) are increasingly playing a central role in supporting people with disabilities and frailties. The study investigated the impact of the ATs on the websites of the UN, UNICEF, and WHO in terms of proposed activities and actions. The methodology proposed was based on two points of view: (1) A formal process to directly select elements in the institutional webs of the UN, UNICEF, and WHO. (2) A formal process for a complementary literature narrative review based on an umbrella review of Pubmed and Scopus. A standard checklist and a qualification process were applied. The outcome reported 35 documents from the direct search on the web and 19 systematic reviews for the complimentary literature overview. The direct search returned documents related to initiatives focused on the following: The tailoring of the ATs to a person based on international guidelines and specific monitoring initiatives of the AT introduction/access based on surveys both at the population and system/government level with the publication of the data/metadata in an observatory. Dissemination initiatives of both the culture of ATs (e.g., catalog, guidelines, reports, congresses) and of recommendations. The literature overview contributed more specifically to the use and effectiveness of categories of ATs. Both direct research and the literature overview have shown a consistent growth in interest in ATs. The initiatives of the UN, UNICEF, and WHO have been consistent with the institutional role and aimed at improving the diffusion of ATs through capillary monitoring, which is not free from obstacles, and a diffusion of the culture and rational use of ATs. The narrative review shows also the important role of research in monitoring the development, use, and effectiveness of devices, strategies, and support of international institutional initiatives. Important initiatives have been launched internationally on AT in terms of monitoring, dissemination, and improvement in access. However, it is necessary to consider and face the obstacles that limit these initiatives.

show abstract

“…A recent review of the literature demonstrated how AT provision and use enables each of the articles of the CRPD [49]. The authors demonstrated that in some instances, AT was directly referenced (for example, reference to mobility) but in other instances, the link was more indirect (e.g., access to health services (ibid).…”

Section: The Crpd and (Disability) Justice Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This gap in implementation can be seen in the reporting on the CRPD, which is in place to help safeguard and check progress toward the realization of the convention. In a recent review of CRPD Reports by states parties, it was found that there is a lack of evaluation of policies, and given that each state has implemented a different policy (perhaps developing a more context-specific one), the lack of evaluation means that it is impossible to measure the effectiveness of approaches [50].…”

Section: The Crpd and (Disability) Justice Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assistive Technology (AT), for What?

Austin

Holloway

2022

Societies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Amartya Sen’s seminal Tanner lecture: Equality of What? began a contestation on social justice and human wellbeing that saw a new human development paradigm emerge—the capability approach (CA)—which has been influential ever since. Following interviews with leading global assistive technology (AT) stakeholders, and users, this paper takes inspiration from Sen’s core question and posits, AT for what? arguing that AT should be understood as a mechanism to achieve the things that AT users’ value. Significantly, our research found no commonly agreed operational global framework for (disability) justice within which leading AT stakeholders were operating. Instead, actors were loosely aligned through funding priorities and the CRPD. We suggest that this raises the possibility for (welcome and needed) incoming actors to diverge from efficiently designed collective action, due to perverse incentives enabled by unanchored interventions. The Global Report on Assistive Technology (GReAT) helps, greatly! However, we find there are still vital gaps in coordination; as technology advances, and AT proliferates, no longer can the device-plus-service approach suffice. Rather, those of us interested in human flourishing might explore locating AT access within an operational global framework for disability justice, which recognizes AT as a mechanism to achieve broader aims, linked to people’s capabilities to choose what they can do and be.

show abstract

Assistive technologies are central to the realization of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Cited by 38 publications

References 33 publications

Do Assistive Products Enhance or Equalize Opportunities? A Comparison of Capability across Persons with Impairments Using and Not Using Assistive Products and Persons without Impairments in Bangladesh

Do Assistive Products Enhance or Equalize Opportunities? A Comparison of Capability across Persons with Impairments Using and Not Using Assistive Products and Persons without Impairments in Bangladesh

Promoting Universal Equitable Accessibility: An Overview on the Impact of Assistive Technology in the UN, UNICEF, and WHO Web Portals

Assistive Technology (AT), for What?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About