Expanding your interests: Assistive technology

In the above video, Gerard Goggin and Wayne Hawkins discuss the ways in which assistive technology and technology in general have been used as tools by disabled people in working towards good lives.

Gerard and Wayne emphasise the creative and diverse ways in which disabled people take up and adapt technologies to make them tools of agency. Gerard uses the example of the 3D printing of prosthetics, in which people are customising their prosthetics at home. Similarly Wayne says that he cannot imagine having adapted to acquiring his impairment without technology.

Talking points

• What unusual ways do you use technology to work towards a good life?
• In the video, Wayne talks about disabled people using the computer game Second Life as a way of living in ways that they would not be able to in their day-to-day lives. What do you think about this idea? Is this a form of support? Why or why not?
• We began to discuss some technological support tools last week, when we were discussing access. Now that you have nearly completed this week, what do you think are some of the important links between access and support, particularly in the area of technology?