16/11/2015 Enabli ling Technolo logy - beyond assis istance Chris Abbott Emeritus Reader in Assistive Technologies, King’s College London Editor, Journal of Assistive Technologies Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 1
16/11/2015 Jou Journal of of Assis istive Tech echnologies JAT homepage Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 My hypothesis: We are moving beyond seeing some technologies only as assistive ; and we are learning how to use technology to enable new or better learning. This is not, for the most part, because the technology is better (although this is true too), but mostly because we understand much more now about how to use the technology to enable learning to take place . Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 2
16/11/2015 LOOKING BACK… How have assistive technologies developed, and what have we learned along the way about benefits and barriers? LOOKING AROUND… What do we mean by assistive technology anyway – and how is it changing as Universal Design for Living becomes established? LOOKING AHEAD… What recent developments will offer new possibilities – and what is just over the horizon? Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 LOOKING BACK… How have assistive technologies developed, and what have we learned along the way about benefits and barriers? Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 3
16/11/2015 Are e Ass ssis istiv ive Tec echnolo logie ies ne new? Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 19 1940s Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 4
16/11/2015 LOOKING AROUND… What do we mean by assistive technology anyway – and how is it changing as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) becomes established? Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 World orld Hea ealth th Or Organ anisation An umbrella term for any device or system that allows individuals to perform tasks they would otherwise be unable to do or increases the ease and safety with which tasks can be performed. Glossary Of Terms For Community Health Care And Services For Older Persons, 2004 Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 5
16/11/2015 USA statutory … assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Foundatio Fou tion for or Ass ssis istiv ive Technolo logy (UK) Assistive Technology (AT) is any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and older people. Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 6
16/11/2015 Alternative input devices Braille embossers Keyboard filters Light signaler alerts On-screen keyboards Reading tools and learning disabilities programs Refreshable Braille displays Screen enlargers, or screen magnifiers Screen readers Speech recognition or voice recognition programs Text-to-Speech (TTS) or speech synthesizers Talking and large-print word processors TTY/TDD conversion modems www.microsoft.com/enable/at/types.aspx Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Mod odels ls of of en enablin ing tec echnolo logy • Medical model leads to Assistive Technology • Social model leads to Universal Design for Learning • …or is it really that simple? Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 7
16/11/2015 Lea earning the theories an and tec echnolo logy Behaviourism leads to drill and practice software Social constructivism leads to learning through social networking and online communication Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Tec echnolo logic ical l de determin inis ism “God of technology” or “curing technology” – determinist view More recently – the practices approach as in multiliteracies – uses rather than devices Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 8
16/11/2015 • Truly collaborative …digital technologies …a second wave …which is collaborative rather than individually supportive, holistic rather than skills- based and inclusive rather than separatist. (p. 3) • Abbott, C. (2007). e-Inclusion: Learning Difficulties and Digital Technologies . Bristol: Futurelab. Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Revi viewing the the literature Issues of agency, identity, power and culture, familiar topics in disability studies… are almost invisible in the emerging and sometimes simplistic research literature on inclusion in the educational system. Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 9
16/11/2015 …frameworks such as activity theory and actor network theory in studies of childhood and technology, and technology and learning, may offer fruitful ways of theorising the relationship between social models of inclusion and digital technologies… Abbott (2007) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 AT is a complex phenomenon that takes place in real life, involving technology, humans and activity, while taking place in different contexts… Given the complexity of the whole phenomenon, it is a significant challenge to decide on the correct [methodology]… It may even be that methodological compromises in the studies related to children and AT do not fulfil the criteria of those who fund research or review journal articles, and thus the whole research area becomes more marginalised than it deserves. Salminen (2008, p177) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 10
16/11/2015 Widening the definition Assistive technology can include a symbol, a puppet, a transitional object or object of reference - or a robot Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 MY FIRST INCLUSIVE BALLET supported by the Cultural Institute Dr Chris Abbott Department of Education & Professional Studies Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 11
16/11/2015 Supporting the narration with signing (BSL) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 12
16/11/2015 Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Developing understanding, evolving language Assistive Learning Technology Assistive Living Technology Enabling Technology Inclusive Technology Universal Design for Learning From special devices (low volume, high price) to apps (high volume, low price) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 13
16/11/2015 Gaining ethics approval for research …the way in which power is conceptualised in research by RECs is based on… approaches that assume that the researcher… seeks to have power and control over the researched. …social research is in direct tension with such a position because social researchers often aim for a greater democratisation of the research process by sharing power with stakeholders… The tension is perhaps played out most sharply when considering the involvement of children and young people in research. …research ethics practices… have become reified to a degree that potentially diminishes reflection and innovation by researchers. We suggest this is something that needs to change… (Parsons, Abbott, McKnight & Davies 2015) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 A foc ocus on on use use not not tec echnolo logy Technology uses to train or rehearse Technology uses to assist learning Technology uses to enable learning (developed from Abbott 2007) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 14
16/11/2015 Key areas of international AT research 2007-2011 User involvement participant design, nothing about us without us, from tokenism to shared decision- making Mobile mainstream devices smartphones and tablets, driven by built-in accessibility and user demand Visibility of AT use partly through move of speech synthesis, prediction etc into mainsteam use Interaction and collaboration Multiplying and diversifying routes for collaboration, link to multimodalities literacy research Developing interfaces and technologies Brain control, gesture control, eye-gaze, robotics, natural user interfaces Inclusive design Game engines and disability, ITAG, learning and interaction needs first (Abbott et al, 2014) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 Wha hat ha have we e found out out rece ecently ly? Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 15
16/11/2015 ICCHP 2014, France 14 th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs www.icchp.org 500 participants from more than 50 countries Keynotes on mobile technologies & ULD Many papers on use of AT to enable people to be included in everyday life – public transport accessibility etc Papers on autism mainly focused on AT for social interaction Many papers on research with and for older people Most of the papers dealing with school environments were looking at aspects of tablet use Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 AAATE 2015, Hungary Advancing Assistive Technology and eAccessibility for People with Disabilities and the Aging Population www.aaate2015.eu European event with international participation Keynotes on AAC, robotics, pervasive inclusion, rehabilitation Historically linked to rehabilitation but increasing papers on learning with AT Ambient Assisted Living – smarthomes and robots Paper on barriers to AT uptake identified 4 domains: Telehealth, Telecare, AAC, Education – with minimal sharing between them (Bentley et al, Southampton & Sussex) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 16
16/11/2015 Eye gaze Much interest but some problems Expensive and can be difficult to calibrate Cheaper alternatives but these are less accurate leading to frustration Eye movement control difficult for people with some disabilities BCI (with gaming or Dasher) potentially less tiring and falling in price (P. J. Standen et al, University of Nottingham & Nottingham Trent University, AAATE 2015) Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 In Involving you oung AT users in in res esearch Chris Abbott NCSE Nov 2015 17
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