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Updated: Sep 15, 2025
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
Implementation process evaluation of an interdisciplinary assistive technology program for infants-toddlers with
Deirdre Galvin-McLaughlin1, Erin Cochran2, Kristi Atkins2
1Sargent College of Rehabilitation and Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
Insights
Early intervention with assistive technology (AT) for infants and toddlers is crucial. This study highlights challenges and facilitators in an AT program, suggesting strategy revisions for wider adoption of AT equipment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Assistive Technology
- Early Intervention
Background:
- Tailored interventions yield optimal outcomes for infants and toddlers.
- Children needing assistive technology (AT) often start services later, missing early benefits.
- An interdisciplinary AT program was established for infants and toddlers with complex neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe five years of service delivery within an interdisciplinary AT program.
- To analyze implementation trends and identify barriers and facilitators.
- To propose strategies for improving AT adoption in early intervention.
Main Methods:
- Extracted service delivery data from medical records of 85 patients (2018-2023).
- Utilized descriptive statistics to analyze implementation trends.
- Applied the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) for barrier/facilitator analysis.
Main Results:
- 92% of participants received AT equipment.
- Program completion (31%) and early interventionist outreach (28%) were suboptimal.
- Barriers included COVID-19, staffing, cost, and revision structure.
- Facilitators included community partnerships, virtual care reimbursement, and internal funding.
Conclusions:
- Implementation strategies require revision to enhance AT adoption.
- Proposed changes include formal review processes, altered funding procedures, and dynamic outreach.
- Improving early interventionist participation is key for broader AT equipment use.
Abstract:
Although research has demonstrated that tailored intervention for infants and toddlers leads to best outcomes, children who may benefit from interventions incorporating assistive technology (AT) are routinely not enrolled in these services until preschool or later. The purpose of this study is to describe five years of service delivery associated with an interdisciplinary AT program for infants and toddlers with complex neurodevelopmental disabilities. Data describing service delivery was extracted from the medical records of 85 patients who received evaluation or intervention sessions from 2018 to 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to examine trends in implementation. Although trends suggest that implementation strategies were successful in providing participants with AT equipment (92% of sample), participation in the program as designed was only completed for 31% and outreach to early interventionists was only completed for 28% of the sample. Analysis of data within constructs and subconstructs of the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR1211), revealed that barriers to implementation included: COVID-19 (outer setting), lack of scheduling and administrative staff support (inner setting), cost (innovation) and limited structure to revision (implementation process). Facilitators included: community partnerships with Go Baby Go Oregon (outer setting), insurance reimbursement of virtual care (outer setting), and internal funding for patient equipment (inner setting). Changes in implementation strategies seem warranted to expand the adoption of AT equipment. Proposed strategies include formal strategy review process (structured revisions), altering internal funding source ordering procedures, and adding dynamic outreach options for increased participation by early interventionists.
