Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Only one in ten people with disabilities who need assistive technologies to complete day to day tasks currently have access to those technologies. Assistive technologies are devices, services, and systems which allow people with disabilities to maintain or enhance their independence. To reach the anticipated needs of 2 billion individuals by the year 2050, a global coordinated effort is needed. Most importantly, national governments have the responsibility to address the needs of their citizens by providing these devices at an affordable cost with the right services in place to ensure safe and effective use. Currently, very few governments have policies which support timely, effective, and affordable distribution of assistive technologies. Over the next two years, we will develop and test a framework that can be used by national governments to assess their current policies, or craft new ones which meet the specific needs of their citizens, in their countries. Critically, this framework will provide guidance on the criteria necessary to craft effective policy, while maintaining flexibility necessary to accommodate local customs and cultures. We will do this in partnership with the World Health Organization's Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology, by incorporating current research, and the opinions of experts from around the world. Ultimately, this project will provide a structure for countries to provide safe and effective access to assistive technologies and promote independence and inclusion for all individuals with disabilities.