The role of supporters in facilitating the use of technologies by adolescents and adults with learning disabilities: a place for positive risk-taking?

Abstract

The role of supporters in facilitating access to and use of technology by people (adolescents and adults) with learning disabilities has not been the primary focus of much of the research that has been undertaken to date. The review of literature presented in this paper suggests, however, that issues of support, risk and safety are emerging as factors that have a significant influence on the quality of technology access and use that adults with learning disabilities experience. There is a need for more research into how the relationship between supporters, technologies, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities is mediated by risk, and this paper offers an original perspective on how positive risk-taking might be a useful conceptual framework to aid in the exploration of this relationship.

Keywords:

• technology
• support
• access
• risk

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my colleagues Brahm Norwich and Hazel Lawson for their helpful feedback on an earlier draft of this paper.