Conversations That Matter: Assistive technology and occupational therapy

Occupational therapy encompasses the most extensive scope of practice among professions working with assistive products, with OTs focusing on the foundational concepts for utilising assistive technology (AT) as a means to enhance participation (Layton et al., 2023).

This article shares findings from the ‘Conversations That Matter’ session hosted by the Australian Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association (ARATA)1 at the Occupational Therapy Australia 30th National Conference & Exhibition in Cairns in June 2023.

This ‘conversation’ was structured to draw on two important AT reports released in 2022: 1) The Global Alliance of Assistive Technology Organizations’ (GAATO) Assistive Technology Outcomes and Impact: A Global Grand Challenge Report (GAATO, 2022), and 2) The inaugural World Health Organisation (WHO)/United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Global Report on Assistive Technology (WHO & UNICEF, 2022).

An online resource was also developed for the session, which provided ready access to these two open-access reports as well as links to various AT models of practice and outcome measurement tools. This resource is available at https://bit.ly/3oVhdQO.

1 Australia Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology Association (ARATA) - https://www.arata.org.au/

GAATO, 2022 suggest that AT stakeholders, including OTs, ought to measure need; document all inputs in an AT provision process; and measure valued outcomes, including those of consumers. Further, it is essential to measure broad impacts, for example, downstream influences on family and community. To enhance access to AT for users everywhere, sharing data and informing policy are also vital steps to consider. See Figure 1.

These challenges are highlighted in the WHO/UNICEF Global Report on AT, which presents a path for global AT action by outlining ten recommendations. This report underscores the importance of adopting ‘people-centred, collaborative and multisectoral actions to make access to assistive technology a reality for all those in need’ (WHO & UNICEF, 2022, p. vii).

Recommendation 2: Ensure that assistive products are safe, effective and affordable.

Recommendation 4: Actively involve users of assistive technology and their families.

Recommendation 5: Increase public awareness and combat stigma.

Recommendation 8: Develop and invest in enabling environments.

Recommendation 3: Enlarge, diversify and improve workforce capacity.

Recommendation 1: Improve access to assistive technology within all key development sectors.

Recommendation 6: Invest in data and evidence-based policy.

Recommendation 7: Invest in research, innovation and an enabling ecosystem.

Recommendation 10: Provide technical and economic assistance through international cooperation to support national efforts.

Recommendation 9: Include assistive technology in humanitarian responses.