OCC4121 - Adaptive and assistive technology - 2018

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Organisational Unit

Department of Occupational Therapy

Chief examiner(s)

TBA

Coordinator(s)

TBA

Not offered in 2018

Prerequisites

Completion of first year of an undergraduate programme.

Synopsis

Assistive technology promotes greater independence for people with disabilities by enabling them to perform tasks that they otherwise would have great difficulty or not be able to accomplish. This unit will involve problem solving and clinical reasoning to help the students to develop into competent assistive technology professionals and providers. The course will consist of information relating to social and political aspects of people with disability and technology. The areas of Seating and Positioning, Mobility, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Daily Living Technologies and Assistive Technology Access will be studied in detail. Students will choose one area for their first assignment, and will attend 2 separate clinics each of 4 hours duration to observe clinical practice.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Describe a range of clinical conditions for which various assistive technologies are applicable;
  2. Evaluate barriers and enhancers created by using assistive and adaptive technologies for disabled people;
  3. Integrate the social and political aspects of disability with reference to assistive and adaptive technologies;
  4. Develop and describe appropriate assistive technology provision for clients with specific conditions, supported with sound clinical reasoning;
  5. Demonstrate skill at assessing, applying for funding and prescribing a range of Assistive Technology Devices for clients in everyday practice;
  6. Critically discuss the implementation of the principles of adaptive and assistive technology in the areas of: Seating and Positioning, Mobility, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Daily Living Technologies and Assistive Technology Access;
  7. Display specialist information in one of the areas of Seating and Positioning, Mobility, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Daily Living Technologies and Assistive Technology Access;
  8. Demonstrate professional competence in searching and summarising (verbally and in writing) the scientific literature on a specific topic related to assistive technology.

Assessment

  • Attendance at 100% unless a medical certificate is provided.
  • Presentation at a seminar (20 minutes)
  • 1 x 1,000 words and 1 x 3,000 words essays
  • Written content examination (1 hour)+

Workload requirements

40 hours attendance in lectures/practica (block mode), 4 hours clinic attendance (over 2 separate occasions), 16 hours seminar attendance.

See also Unit timetable information

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study