Application Discussion: Vehicles, Machines, and Equipment
Assistive Technologies in Disability Services
-Introduction.
In your work as a disability accommodations specialists, you may be tasked with responsibility of determining and securing various machines, equipment, tools, or altered vehicles in order to allow someone with a disability to function in the workplace. This is the work of vocational rehabilitation counselors, assistive technology specialists, and other related careers that specialize in identifying available accommodations and facilitating funding for them. In some cases, equipment specifically designed for a particular function may be available. But in many cases, a bit of creativity and thinking outside of the box may be required in order to identify universally available equipment which may be used or repurposed for and accommodated technology purpose. In other words, many things that are available to everyone and designed to make a job easier may serve the purpose for use as an accommodated technology even though it may not be created for that specific purpose. Other things may be designed for something different than what it might be used for as an accommodation. The important key is to identify the function needed, the limitation of the person performing the function, then consider what equipment might be used, to accommodate that. Of course funding then has to be considered which and often be a challenge.
-Post.
For this discussion, you will take on the role of a vocational rehabilitation or assistive technology specialist in some area requiring machinery, equipment, or related items required for someone to perform a job function. You may want to consider a job in farming such as those often served by organizations such as AgrAbility, a job on an assembly line in a factory, a construction job, or any other similar type of job. In your original post, clearly identify the job function, the disability and limitations of a person performing that function, then identify several pieces of equipment or equipment modifications using available technology perform that function. Then discuss barriers to providing the accomodations and how you might work to assist overcoming those.
To do that, be sure to review (and cite) websites that provide information on available equipment for assistive technology purposes related to a particular job or function. The sites will include those such as AgrAbility, Alabama Department of rehabilitation services (ADRS), or other state rehabilitation/vocational rehabilitation websites, the Job Accomodations Network or other websites that are not in the business of selling equipment. However, you may also want to look at websites that provide the equipment to determine cost, and perhaps get other ideas regarding available equipment and tools in the market. Be sure to cite the source of ALL of your information provided.