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assistive technology

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Definition

Assistive technology (also referred to as “adaptive technology” or an “assistive device”) refers to a device, object, or program used by a person with a disability whose disability is not accommodated by the existing built or social environment. Assistive technology commonly includes mobility devices (for example, canes or walkers), communication technology, screen readers, hearing devices, or prosthetics. Many people with disabilities also develop their own assistive devices and adapt existing objects

Describing someone as, for instance, “using” a wheelchair rather than being “confined” to it or “dependent on” it avoids defining someone’s experiences with these devices for them. “Assistive technology,” though often used interchangeably with “adaptive technology,” is a more precise term, as “adaptive” could imply a need or desire to adapt to “normal.” Terms like “futuristic,” or “cyborg” can suggest that the devices are a scientific miracle, but many assistive devices are as mundane to the person who uses them as the equivalent object would be to a person without a similar disability.

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