Use of assistive technology in workplaces of employees with physical and cognitive disabilities

Abstract

Information technology (IT), especially assistive devices and programs, enable people with disabilities to work. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and use of this IT among workers with disabilities in the open labor market. The focus was on the IT accommodation solutions used in workplaces and how these improved the working skills of disabled people. One fourth (27%) of the participants considered their knowledge regarding assistive technology to be very good or good, whereas 39% considered their knowledge to be very poor or poor. Workers with visual disorders were the most aware of assistive technology in computer work. Over half of the respondents indicated that the user interface, display screen, and mouse settings of their computers were not accommodated. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.