- Email: [email protected]
Part 2. The assistive technology service delivery process
PART
The assistive technology service delivery process
2
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE CONTEXT OF EMPLOYMENT In the disability-employment service delivery (DESD) process, consumers move through stages much like those in the assistive technology service delivery (ATSD) process. In Part 2 of this text, we frame the ATSD process in much the same way disability-employment services are delivered (Langton, Hughes, Flynn, Gaster, & Augustine, 1994)—providing a readily accessible framework to professionals in both fields. Fig. P2.1 illustrates the employment analog in relation to the ATSD and DESD processes. Colling and Davis in their article The counseling function in vocational rehabilitation provide elements helpful in delineating the person-centered focus of these processes. The elements are not mutually exclusive: •
•
•
•
•
Attending: Information gathering focused on the nature of a consumer’s needs in relation to employment goal striving, building a working alliance, and setting expectations for moving forward toward gainful employment; Exploration: Information gathering continues, the consumer’s Great 8 are considered (Chapter 1: Accommodation System: Self), and employment goals are considered with preliminary consideration of goals and necessary services toward goal achievement. Understanding: Goals and progress measures are developed, services, and potential barriers are determined, and an action plan is developed which is designed to help the consumer achieve their employment goal; Action: The consumer engages in employment-related services which further clarifies needs, barriers, and next steps in conjunction with the service professional’s continued guidance and support (i.e., understanding) toward achieving their established employment goal; Termination: Case closure is framed as a positive end to productive service delivery. It is foreshadowed throughout service delivery to prepare consumers for the eventual end of programmatic involvement and transition to the next steps in the disability-employment service process (Colling & Davis, 2005).
Through the services we provide, we facilitate community inclusion (Dutta, Shiro-Geist, & Kundu, 2009) with the overarching goal of consumer
The Employment Process
Not yet Ready to Engage in Work
Wants to Work
Prepares for Work Pre-Employment
The Disability-Employment Service Delivery Process
Person-Centered Focus
The Assistive Technology Service Delivery Process
Referral, Application, Intake
Assessment & Programmatic Eligibility
Attending
Referral, Intake & Initial Assessment
Employment Plan Development
Assistive Technology Plan Development
Employment Plan Initiation
Post-Employment
Employment & Follow-Up
Understanding
Recommendations & Report
Technology Procurement & Development
Job Improvement
Keeps the Job
Job Placement
Exploration
Systematic Assessment
Finds a Job
Looks for Work
Action
Implementation & Training
FIGURE P2.1 A comparison of the employment, assistive technology service delivery, and disability-employment processes.
FollowAlong & Case Termination
Case Closure
PostEmployment
Termination
Follow-Up & Re-Referral
The Assistive Technology Service Delivery Process
empowerment. We seek not only to develop consumer self-reliance but also the development of effective behavior. To this end, service delivery provides structure, consistency, role modeling, and the mediation of task meaning with and for consumers as appropriate (Sampson, Reardon, Peterson, & Lenz, 2004; Feuerstein, Feuerstein, & Falik, 2010). Consumer’s learn through engagement in service delivery processes how to more independently engage in these same activities—meaningful disability-employment activities—in the future. In Fig. P2.1, we offer a side-by-side comparison of processes; however, it is important to note that a consumer may begin the disability-employment process already having found (or attempting to maintain) employment. Assistive technology services may begin at any point within DESD (e.g., to allow the consumer the ability to access services or following case closure in postemployment to address job retention concerns).
THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICE DELIVERY PROCESS The six chapters which comprise Part 2 of this text offer an overview of the ATSD process over five chapters. Chapter 6, Overview of the Service Delivery Process offers a general overview of the ATSD process from a global perspective. Chapter 7, Referral, Intake, and Assessment considers the elements of service entry: referral, intake, and assessment. Chapter 8, Plan Development, Recommendation, and Report addresses the mid-process components of plan development, recommendations, and report. Chapter 10, Technology Procurement and Development provides a perspective on technology procurement and development and Chapter 11, Implementation and Training focuses on the implementation and training of assistive technologies. Chapter 12, Follow-Up, Follow Along, Service Completion, and Outcomes considers service exit in the follow-up, follow-along, and service completion stages of the service delivery process. A chapter on problem-solving (Chapter 9: Problem Solving) precedes technology procurement and development since this is a critical aspect in arriving at a person-centered (i.e., technology user-centered) solution—which should reduce the incidence of technology abandonment (discussed in Chapter 15: On Technology Abandonment or Discontinuance). The end of the ATSD process— follow-up, follow along, and service completion—is followed by a discussion of assistive technology outcomes (Chapter 12: Follow-Up, Follow Along, Service Completion, and Outcomes) which are important in determining and reporting program effectiveness, consumer satisfaction, and that assistive technologies being implemented are efficacious in meeting consumer needs.
87
88
PART 2 The assistive technology service delivery process
REFERENCES Colling, K., & Davis, A. (2005). The counseling function in vocational rehabilitation. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 36(1), 6 11. Dutta, A., Shiro-Geist, C., & Kundu, M. (2009). Coordination of postsecondary transition services for students with disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 75(1), 10 17. Feuerstein, R., Feuerstein, R. S., & Falik, L. H. (2010). Beyond smarter: Mediated learning and the brain’s capacity for change. New York, NY: Teacher’s College Press. Langton, A. J., Hughes, J. L., Flynn, C. C., Gaster, L. S., & Augustine, V. (1994). Tech points: Integrating rehabilitation technology into vocational rehabilitation services training manual. West Columbia, SC: South Carolina State Vocational Rehabilitation Department, Center for Rehabilitation Technology. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed. gov/fulltext/ED405688.pdf. Sampson, J. P., Reardon, R. C., Peterson, G. W., & Lenz, J. G. (2004). Career counseling and services: A cognitive information processing approach. Belmont, CA: Brooks/ Cole.
The assistive technology service delivery process
2
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE CONTEXT OF EMPLOYMENT In the disability-employment service delivery (DESD) process, consumers move through stages much like those in the assistive technology service delivery (ATSD) process. In Part 2 of this text, we frame the ATSD process in much the same way disability-employment services are delivered (Langton, Hughes, Flynn, Gaster, & Augustine, 1994)—providing a readily accessible framework to professionals in both fields. Fig. P2.1 illustrates the employment analog in relation to the ATSD and DESD processes. Colling and Davis in their article The counseling function in vocational rehabilitation provide elements helpful in delineating the person-centered focus of these processes. The elements are not mutually exclusive: •
•
•
•
•
Attending: Information gathering focused on the nature of a consumer’s needs in relation to employment goal striving, building a working alliance, and setting expectations for moving forward toward gainful employment; Exploration: Information gathering continues, the consumer’s Great 8 are considered (Chapter 1: Accommodation System: Self), and employment goals are considered with preliminary consideration of goals and necessary services toward goal achievement. Understanding: Goals and progress measures are developed, services, and potential barriers are determined, and an action plan is developed which is designed to help the consumer achieve their employment goal; Action: The consumer engages in employment-related services which further clarifies needs, barriers, and next steps in conjunction with the service professional’s continued guidance and support (i.e., understanding) toward achieving their established employment goal; Termination: Case closure is framed as a positive end to productive service delivery. It is foreshadowed throughout service delivery to prepare consumers for the eventual end of programmatic involvement and transition to the next steps in the disability-employment service process (Colling & Davis, 2005).
Through the services we provide, we facilitate community inclusion (Dutta, Shiro-Geist, & Kundu, 2009) with the overarching goal of consumer
The Employment Process
Not yet Ready to Engage in Work
Wants to Work
Prepares for Work Pre-Employment
The Disability-Employment Service Delivery Process
Person-Centered Focus
The Assistive Technology Service Delivery Process
Referral, Application, Intake
Assessment & Programmatic Eligibility
Attending
Referral, Intake & Initial Assessment
Employment Plan Development
Assistive Technology Plan Development
Employment Plan Initiation
Post-Employment
Employment & Follow-Up
Understanding
Recommendations & Report
Technology Procurement & Development
Job Improvement
Keeps the Job
Job Placement
Exploration
Systematic Assessment
Finds a Job
Looks for Work
Action
Implementation & Training
FIGURE P2.1 A comparison of the employment, assistive technology service delivery, and disability-employment processes.
FollowAlong & Case Termination
Case Closure
PostEmployment
Termination
Follow-Up & Re-Referral
The Assistive Technology Service Delivery Process
empowerment. We seek not only to develop consumer self-reliance but also the development of effective behavior. To this end, service delivery provides structure, consistency, role modeling, and the mediation of task meaning with and for consumers as appropriate (Sampson, Reardon, Peterson, & Lenz, 2004; Feuerstein, Feuerstein, & Falik, 2010). Consumer’s learn through engagement in service delivery processes how to more independently engage in these same activities—meaningful disability-employment activities—in the future. In Fig. P2.1, we offer a side-by-side comparison of processes; however, it is important to note that a consumer may begin the disability-employment process already having found (or attempting to maintain) employment. Assistive technology services may begin at any point within DESD (e.g., to allow the consumer the ability to access services or following case closure in postemployment to address job retention concerns).
THE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY SERVICE DELIVERY PROCESS The six chapters which comprise Part 2 of this text offer an overview of the ATSD process over five chapters. Chapter 6, Overview of the Service Delivery Process offers a general overview of the ATSD process from a global perspective. Chapter 7, Referral, Intake, and Assessment considers the elements of service entry: referral, intake, and assessment. Chapter 8, Plan Development, Recommendation, and Report addresses the mid-process components of plan development, recommendations, and report. Chapter 10, Technology Procurement and Development provides a perspective on technology procurement and development and Chapter 11, Implementation and Training focuses on the implementation and training of assistive technologies. Chapter 12, Follow-Up, Follow Along, Service Completion, and Outcomes considers service exit in the follow-up, follow-along, and service completion stages of the service delivery process. A chapter on problem-solving (Chapter 9: Problem Solving) precedes technology procurement and development since this is a critical aspect in arriving at a person-centered (i.e., technology user-centered) solution—which should reduce the incidence of technology abandonment (discussed in Chapter 15: On Technology Abandonment or Discontinuance). The end of the ATSD process— follow-up, follow along, and service completion—is followed by a discussion of assistive technology outcomes (Chapter 12: Follow-Up, Follow Along, Service Completion, and Outcomes) which are important in determining and reporting program effectiveness, consumer satisfaction, and that assistive technologies being implemented are efficacious in meeting consumer needs.
87
88
PART 2 The assistive technology service delivery process
REFERENCES Colling, K., & Davis, A. (2005). The counseling function in vocational rehabilitation. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 36(1), 6 11. Dutta, A., Shiro-Geist, C., & Kundu, M. (2009). Coordination of postsecondary transition services for students with disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 75(1), 10 17. Feuerstein, R., Feuerstein, R. S., & Falik, L. H. (2010). Beyond smarter: Mediated learning and the brain’s capacity for change. New York, NY: Teacher’s College Press. Langton, A. J., Hughes, J. L., Flynn, C. C., Gaster, L. S., & Augustine, V. (1994). Tech points: Integrating rehabilitation technology into vocational rehabilitation services training manual. West Columbia, SC: South Carolina State Vocational Rehabilitation Department, Center for Rehabilitation Technology. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed. gov/fulltext/ED405688.pdf. Sampson, J. P., Reardon, R. C., Peterson, G. W., & Lenz, J. G. (2004). Career counseling and services: A cognitive information processing approach. Belmont, CA: Brooks/ Cole.