Disability and Assistive Technology: Types, History & Future

Introduction to Disability

People with disabilities form a significant portion of the population, and their educational and other needs represent important considerations for policymakers and government officials. Generally, disability is viewed as something outside the range of normal physical or mental ability. Disability includes blindness, deafness, a variety of conditions that make it difficult or impossible to walk or speak, mental illnesses, and diseases such as Down syndrome and epilepsy. Disabilities therefore hinder many normal and natural bodily or mental functions. Some of these conditions are congenital, while others develop following a disease, accident, or injury. Almost every woman, man, and child of all ages, races, and ethnicities experiences a disability at some point during their lifetime, for varying reasons and durations.

"Today, 54 million people in the United States are living in the community with a disability. That's one in every five people. According to the most recent census data, around 52 million of them live in their communities. Additionally, about 2 million live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. 22.6% of 45- to 54-year-olds have some form of disability; 44.9% of 65- to 69-year-olds have some form of disability; and 73.6% of those 80 years and older have some form of disability" (U.S. Census Bureau, 2002).

Medical professionals suggest cures, rehabilitation, or protective interventions for individuals with disabilities based on each person's condition. The challenge with disability is that individuals face not only physical hurdles but also restrictions imposed by attitudinal, social, cultural, economic, and environmental barriers to their participation in society. Most people with disabilities can — and do — work, play, learn, and enjoy full, healthy lives in their communities, but social forces often hinder them. Addressing disability effectively requires both medical intervention and broader social engagement from members of society. Some scholars even argue that discrimination against and social exclusion of people with impairments is more disabling than the impairment itself.

Different kinds of disabilities affect people in different ways. Broadly, people may experience physical, mental, or other forms of disability.

Mobility impairment is generally considered the major area of physical disability. Some people acquire mobility impairment at birth, while the majority experience it later in life through accidents, injuries, diseases, or illnesses. Basic mobility, coordination and balance, strength and endurance, and other aspects of bodily function are all affected when a person acquires a physical impairment.

Areas of Disability

Vision impairment also falls under physical disabilities and encompasses people with a complete or partial loss of vision. Vision is affected in different ways for different people. Some individuals are completely blind with no central vision, while those who are partially blind may retain side or peripheral vision, or only the edges or a portion of the visual field may be obscured. Different lighting conditions also affect the sharpness of vision for various individuals.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals are likewise included in the category of physical impairment. A common misconception holds that deaf people are essentially mute, or vice versa, but in reality deaf people may be able to speak clearly. Impairment in hearing or speaking does not mean that a person lacks knowledge, skills, or abilities.

Mental disabilities affect many people either permanently or for a limited period. A mental disability may affect a person's ability to think, reason, or remember. People with mental disabilities have their own individual strengths and weaknesses, which vary from person to person.

Psychiatric disabilities are also included within mental disabilities and may encompass anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other conditions. Some people also live with cerebral palsy or other muscular or neurological disabilities.

Many diseases and conditions affect a person's normal functioning without being immediately visible to others. These disabilities may take the form of chronic illness or other impairments. Diseases and conditions such as asthma, arthritis, heart disease, environmental illness, AIDS, chronic fatigue, hyperactivity disorder, and allergies can all hinder the normal functions of any individual.

History of Disability and Assistive Technology

Most of the developed world took notice of disabled people and their conditions and began taking corrective measures only in the 20th century. Before that, traditional methods were applied and technology played little role in cure or rehabilitation. Medical practitioners had long regarded disabled people as long-term patients, and many charitable organizations consequently established separate institutions for them. This approach of excluding disabled people from the normal environment created additional problems and fostered a culture of dependency.

The situation began to change with the Disability Rights Movement in the 1970s. This movement was initiated by disabled people themselves and led to their greater participation in society. Greater emphasis was placed on technology and the independence of disabled people. Human rights bodies, activists, and other organizations also played important roles, and technology increasingly helped bring people with disabilities into the mainstream. This movement, along with the development of the social model of disability, placed greater emphasis on environmental factors. For example, a person unable to walk could use a wheelchair, but the absence of an elevator could still disable that person even with the assistive tool in hand.

The role of assistive technology became more prominent by the late 1980s, when the U.S. federal government passed and signed into law the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 (Tech Act). The legislation emphasized the need for assistive technology devices that could be used in early intervention and education, rehabilitation and training, employment, residential living, independent living, recreation, and other aspects of daily living. It also helped improve the availability of, and funding for, assistive technology. This legislation was later amended and became the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. Over the following two decades, assistive technology grew substantially and now includes everything that assists people with disabilities.

"Although many people believe the term assistive technology applies only to computers, in reality, assistive technology devices (e.g., adaptive feeding instruments, wheelchairs, vision aids) have a long history in the field of special education and rehabilitation. Current estimates suggest that more than 25,000 assistive technology devices have been designed to enhance the life functioning of individuals with disabilities (Able Data, 2000). Nonetheless, some have argued that the definition is so broad that it could include anything; others have noted that the definition simply reflects the fact that assistive technology solutions may involve no technology, low technology, or high technology" (Edyburn, 2000).