Aspects On Implementation Of New Technology At Day Centers
Jane Brodin
Department of Special Education
Stockholm Institute of Education
P.O.Box 47 308
S-100 74 Stockholm, Sweden
Tel: +46 8 737 96 26
Fax: +46 8 737 96 30
Internet: Jane.Brodin@lhs.se
Web Posted on: November 22, 1997
The view on persons with mental retardation have changed and the opportunities to use assistive devices for this population have increased during the last decade although Wehmeyer reports that noticably little has happened in this area (1995). This paper focuses on implementation of new technology at day centers for persons with mental retardation. At day centers for persons with mental retardation various categories of professionals are employed and they have naturally different backgrounds, experiences, basic education and in-service training as well as different values and attitudes. Research has shown that, in general, persons with mental retardation are undersupplied with assistive devices (Nicolaou, 1991; Perlman, 1993) and one reason for this is a shortage of knowledge of staff.
Often implementation of new technology is met with resistance among different groups of staff. In some cases the resistance is caused by a fear of not being able to master a new device, in other cases the resistance may be referred to inability to understand the benefits of new technology for persons with functional impairments, e.g. mental retardation. The resistance may also depend on an unwillingness to change working routines, if they regard their present working tasks and experiences as relevant and satisfying.
Previous studies in the telecommunication field on still image telephones (Brodin, 1993) and fax communication (Brodin, in press) carried out in 1990-1992 showed that many factors were important in order to reach a good implementation for both staff and users.
The studies on telecommunication mentioned above showed that;
- the user must have a real need for the equipment
- the user must get support from people (e.g. parents, staff) in the environment
- the equipment must be adapted to suit the user and her/his level of development
- both the staff and the user with disability must be interested in using the equipment
- the staff need knowledge of mental retardation and need to be familiar with the equipment
- the staff need basic education and in-service training on communication/telecommunication
- the staff need time to learn how to operate the equipment and time to train the user
- the methods for training must be developed
If these aspects are regarded, the use of telecommunication devices prove to be successful for the individual. The results from these studies revealed that the user obtained a higher status in the group, increased her/his self-confidence, and increased the interest in social interaction. As it appears from the above checking list, many items should be referred to the staff, and this stresses the importance of well- educated staff with great interest in technology. One conclusion of this is that implementation of new technology at day centers always demand a careful analysis of the prerequisites in each individual case.
Also other studies support these difficulties. The European project TeleCommunity highlighted the difficulties in implementing new technology at day centers for adults with mental retardation (Brodin & Alemdar, 1995) and one idea was to illluminate staff education and staff expectations of assistive devices in depth. What do professionals working at day centers really know about assistive devices for persons with mental retardation? Is the suggested shortage of knowledge and expereinces of staff an obstacle?
A study based on a questionnaire distributed to 57 day centers all over Sweden involved 567 professionals of different categories. The aim of the study was to survey what knowledge the staff possessed of assistive devices and how they value new technology for persons with mental retardation. The results showed that there are shortcomings with regard to staff education and knowledge of new technology.
Two day centers from each county council formed the test group and six day centers with previous experiences from the TeleCommunity project formed the control group. The questionnaire covered 92 items including educational background, devices for motor disabilities, ADL, perception, environmental controls, time controls, communication, information and education, accessibility and expectations on the devices.
The results showed that there is a need for information of assistive devices as less than 50 percent of all staff had got any education on technical devices in their basic education. Occupational therapists and nursing staff were the most well-educated in this field but they were not at all satisfied as they could not meet the goals. They require education on mental retardation, assistive technologies, adaptations of technology and about methods for training.
Although many persons with mental retardation rely on an augmentative and alternative mode of communication the staff had shortcomings also in this field. It seems as if the staff know more about low tech than about high tech. This means that most of the staff were familiar with graphic symbols for communication e.g. Bliss and PIC symbols.
Before new technology is implemented some decisive key questions must be raised;
- Who is going to use the equipment?
- Why will new technology be implemented?
- Where will the technological device be placed and used?
- How will the technology be used - now and later on?
To sum up, implementation of new technology at day centers for persons with mental retardation demands a careful inventory of the need of the individual user. Purpose, goal and sub-goals are necessary to elucidate. This means that it is important to ask the question why new technology should be implemented, what it will lead to for the individual and for whose sake the technology is implemented. If the reason for implementing new technology is only to suit the environment it is probably not worth doing it. If it is to give benefits to the user and to compensate for issues that is difficult for him/her, then it is probably a good step to consider. Who - why - where and how are some of the keywords when implementing new technology. If you have good answers - let's start - if not don't.
Acknowledgement
This paper has been supported by grants from the Swedish Transport and Communications Research Board.
References
Brodin, J. (1993) Still picture telephones as communication aids for people with mental retardation - A Swedish perspective. "EuroRehab", 3, 163-168.
Brodin, J. (in press) Fax communication - A new way for distance communication for persons with mental retardation. "Innovations in Education and Training International"
Brodin, J. & Alemdar, I. (1995) "Videotelephones. A tool for facilitating communication and social integration. TeleCommunity - Final Report". Stockholm Institute of Education: Department of Special Education.
Nicolaou, I. (1991) "Förstår du mig? Ett urval hjälpmedel för utvecklingsstör das kommunikation". [Do you understand me? A selection of technical aids for persons with mental retardation]. Stockholm: The Swedish Handicap Institute.
Perlman, L.G. (1993) "The views of consumers with learning disabilities, mental retardation and their caregivers". Washington, DC: Electronic Industries Foundation.
Wehmeyer, M.L. (1995) The use of assistive technology by people with mental retardation and barriers to this outcome: A pilot study. "Technology and Disability", 4, 195-204.