Enabling appropriate personnel skill-mix for progressive realization of equitable access to assistive technology

Figures & data

Figure 1. Systematic approach to personnel skillset development for assistive technology provision.

Table 1. The six rehab-workforce challenges [58] framework.

1. Establish personnel requirements to account for the need and demand of assistive technology [12].

2. Structural improvement to classify specific competencies and practices, and related training needs according to specific contexts and technologies [10,22,59–68].

3. Generate an understanding of the whole assistive technology workforce [12] at all levels of the service, to include those specific professionals: occupational therapists, physiotherapists, physicians specializing in physical and rehabilitation medicine, assistive technology professionals, rehabilitation engineers, prosthetists/orthotists and other professionals in the specific context.

4. Develop and deliver education and training and outreach supports (tele-services, coaching) valuing prior existing competencies.

5. Meet context specific requirements of personnel.

6. Develop international solutions which can be tailored locally, including existing learning programs in AT, competence frameworks and certification schemes.

Table

Daily Living	Communication		Sensory		Personal Mobility
Self-care/Domesticlife/Cognition	Augmentative andAlternativeCommunication	Access to ICT	Visual	Auditory	AmbulantMobility	Prosthetic &Orthotic	Posture andwheeled mobility
Chairs forshower/bath/toilet	Communicationboards/books/cards	Key board andmouse emulatorsoftware	Spectacles	Hearing aids	Canes/ sticks	Orthosis Spinal	Pressure reliefcushion
Fall detectors	Communicationsoftware	Simplifiedmobile phones	White cane	Hearing loops	Club footbraces	Orthosisupper limb	Pressure reliefmattress
Hand rails/grab bars	Gestures voicetechnology		Braille display(note takers)		Crutches,axillary/elbow	Prosthesis,lower limb	Tricycle
Incontinenceproducts,absorbent	Videocommunicationdevices		Braille writingequipment/braillers	Deaf blindcommunicators	Rollators	Orthosis,lower limb	Wheelchair manual,active users
Personalemergencyalarm			Magnifiers digital,hand-held	Alarm signallerswith light, soundand vibration	Standing frames		Wheelchair manual,assistant controlled
Personal digitalassistance (PDA)			Magnifiers, optical	Closedcaptioningdisplays	Therapeuticfoot wear		Wheelchair manualpostural support
Pill organisers			Screen readers		Walking frames, walkers		Wheelchair, electricpowered
Ramps, portable			Audio players withDAISY capability
Recorders
GPS

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