Funding and Provision Models for Mobile Technology for Persons with Disabilities

Area of Science:

• Assistive Technology research
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Limited understanding of multidimensional factors affecting assistive technology (AT) access and adoption.
• Need to explore the integration of mainstream consumer technology into AT provision.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the gap in research regarding AT access and adoption mechanisms.
• Provide initial indicators for the social return on investment (SRoI) of using mainstream consumer technology in AT provision.
• Analyze key stakeholder perspectives and documents.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of stakeholder perspectives.
• Review of documents funded by the Global Accessibility Reporting Initiative (GARI).
• Exploration of initial indicators for social return on investment (SRoI).

Main Results:

• Identification of key factors influencing AT access and adoption.
• Preliminary indicators for the SRoI of mainstream consumer technology in AT schemes.
• Insights from stakeholder analysis and GARI-funded documents.

Conclusions:

• Further research is needed to fully understand AT access and adoption.
• Mainstream consumer technology presents a potential avenue for enhancing AT provision.
• Stakeholder perspectives are crucial for effective AT policy and implementation.