Assistive Technology & The Disability Identity

Lecture Notes

>> KATHRYN WYETH: Okay, I'd like to give you a little background but about the assistive technology and the disability identity. I asked my wonderful coworkers, who will be introducing themselves shortly, to do this presentation because I was concerned that I often hear from professionals or people with disabilities that they are concerned about having assistive technology that no one will know that they're using it, that they will know then that they have a disability. I don't think that AT -- it's necessarily always possible to have the very best AT to meet your needs and have it be inconspicuous. And I'm concerned that by only showing people inconspicuous AT we're really doing them a disservice by not meeting their needs on many levels, and I hope that once you've heard the presentation today you'll understand some of why I think that.

So without further ado, I am going to pass the microphone to your presenters today.