Assistive technology refers to equipment, devices and services that may improve function and quality of life for individuals who have special needs due to a physical disability.
Assistive technology enhances the natural abilities of individuals living with disabilities. It enables children to:
Important functions of the Assistive Technology Program are to increase public awareness about the role of Assistive technology in pediatric rehabilitation, to advocate for appropriate technology on behalf of children with disabilities, and to foster integration of children into the communities in which they live, play and learn through the services of the program.
The department is responsible for the design, construction and fitting of specialized equipment that is not commercially available, such as frames that enable a child to stand, specialized seating modules, mobility aids, and specially adapted recreational devices that provide additional support for the child with a physical disability.
The modular seating system developed by the Department is now in widespread use internationally.
Mechanical assistive technology helps individuals with standing, seating, mobility, or provides assistance with tasks of daily living. Examples include standing frames, seating modules, walkers, bath seats, adapted bicycles and sleds.
Staff members provide support and share their expertise with other disciplines. They play a role in securing equipment, for example, attaching a special tray onto a wheelchair to hold a computer, or mounting switches into a position the child can use.
The Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Department at RCC works with children who have communication difficulties primarily because of a physical disability. The team helps children and families to find alternative or additional forms of communication when speech is not the primary mode of communication.
Children are referred to the program by parents, school therapists or other members of the child's communication team. The AAC team works closely with families to identify the child's communication needs, to design a communication program specific to the child's needs, and to provide the necessary training to family and caregivers to ensure the child achieves the optimal benefit from the program. The team also works on a consultative basis with schools or community based teams.
The AAC team consists of a Rehabilitation Engineer, Speech-Language Pathologists, an Occupational Therapist and an Assistive Technology Assistant. The Rehabilitation Engineer examines and monitors the technology field for new technology that may benefit children with disabilities. The Speech-Language pathologists assess speech, provide recommendations and design treatment programs that the child and family may carry out at home and school. The Occupational Therapist provides assessment and recommendations about communication solutions. The Assistive Technology Assistant participates in the production of communication aids and provides training in their use to children and families.
The team has involvement in three primary areas: assessment and training, tailoring an AAC system to meet a child's specific needs and the loan of resources.
The AAC team provides training about the use of AAC equipment and strategies to caregivers, teachers and therapists in community settings such as day cares and schools. For example, the team may be asked to provide direction to caregivers or teachers about the effective use of the computer in school programs. In this instance, the issues may be physical access, or helping the child to learn cause-and-effect, sequencing and multi-step tasks. AAC team members are also involved in training staff in Day Camps for children regarding the function and use of communication aids and equipment.
The AAC department provides recommendations to children and families about communication aids and systems. These aids may take the form of communication boards (word boards, picture/symbol boards) or voice output communication aids (VOCA) that produce vocalizations through a computer or electronic device.
The Assistive Technology Assistant participates in the design and creation of individualized communication aids for use at home, school and play. Communication boards can be customized for specific situations (such as a visit to the zoo or museum) or may serve a more general purpose (symbols that relate to the child's morning routine). The Assistant can also modify classroom materials or a child's favorite story book to include picture symbols. Additional aids produced by the AAC department include symbol song boards, schedule and calendar boards.
The educational materials produced by the AAC department are available for Speech Language Pathologists, Special Education teachers, day care workers, and caregivers to borrow or to purchase at the cost of reproduction.
The Electronics Program makes use of electronic technology (either commercially available or custom-designed) to enhance the lives of children with disabilities. The team, comprised of an Rehabilitation Engineer, an Assistive Technology Assistant and Occupational Therapists work with children with physical disabilities to find ways to make mobility, education and environmental access easier.
The team may make adaptations of consumer available technology, for example by installing large buttons (switches) on a power wheelchair so that a child can start, stop and turn the wheelchair through the operation of a switch. The team modifies battery operated toys so that they may be operated with a touch of a button by a child with physical limitations. Specially adapted toys enable children to learn and make their own choices through play.
The use of electronic technology makes it possible for individuals with significant, physical disabilities to use a computer. Keyboards may be modified to allow individuals with limited motor control to use computers for educational, recreational and entertainment purposes.
Computer access is also made possible by the use of mouse alternatives like track balls, joy-sticks, switches, or even by an infra-red head mouse, which converts head movements to mouse control movements! The team shares information with parents, children and caregivers about such needs as the type of computer best suited for a child, available specially programs and software, and computer interfaces.
The Electronics team shares with families, caregivers and other professionals information on the availability of commercial electronic devices and funding sources. They provide education and training about the use of switches, power wheelchair control, and the technical use of equipment in loan program.
Through individual meetings, workshops and in-services, the team provides information about the switch load program, computer interfaces, the toy modification program, special controls for power wheelchairs and computer access needs for academics and recreation.
The Electronics Department operates an equipment load program for children with special needs due to physical disabilities. Switches and simple electronics such as special adaptors, switch latch timers and switch mounting hardware may be borrowed by families for indefinite use at home, as well as for trial use at school.
Specially adapted electronic toys may be borrowed from the Take-Out-Toy Service (T.O.T.S.) operated by Altrusa International of Winnipeg, located at the Rehabilitation Centre for Children.
The Assistive Technology Program recognizes the need to be involved in research and development in order to advance the level of service that it is able to provide. Each department of the AT Program is involved in research and development.
Links have been established with staff of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Manitoba in order to involve their staff and students in projects identified at the Assistive Technology clinic. A research proposal to develop a seating system for children who have severe lateral asymmetry is currently being developed.
For the past several years, members of the AAC Team have worked closely with staff and undergraduate students from the Department of Psychology at the University of Manitoba on research projects to gain a better understanding of the various aspects of AAC.
The Electronics Department undertake research and development projects through outside funding that address some of the gaps in the array of commercially available products intended to increase the independence of children with physical disabilities.
Funds have recently been obtained from the RCC Foundation to develop a trainable audio response unit. This will be an inexpensive electronic solution that can be trained to respond to a limited number of words or utterances so a child with limited physical ability can use her voice to control battery operated toys, tape recorders, communication devices or even a computer or powered wheelchair.
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