Assistive technology and retraining under the Rehabilitation Act.

Abstract

The role of rehabilitation psychologists in the 21st century will be very different from that of the rehabilitation psychologists of the 1970s. I hope that the focus of the discipline will change somewhat from the medical model to the wellness model and that rehabilitation psychologists will add the roles of educator and facilitator to their repertoires. To accomplish the aforementioned goals as well as those implicit in the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, several skills need to be enhanced, such as 1. communications skills, including the use of assistive technologies ( ATs) and alternative communication methods 2. knowledge of and familiarity with AT in rehabilitation, including how to introduce its use and help users become comfortable with AT devices 3 . knowledge of and respect for multiculturalism, including perceptions of AT by different cultural groups 4. knowledge of legislative and advocacy issues, including legal aspects regarding the use of AT. The knowledge base should include seating and wheeled mobility, communication, computer access, environmental controls, work accommodation, transportation, recreation, and AT used by people with sensory disabilities.