Role of assistive technology in psychological rehabilitation of persons with visual impairment

Pages: 354-357
Surender Kumar Dhalwal (Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons, with Visual Disabilities, Dehradun, Uttarakhand )
Shyam Lata Juyal (Department of Psychology, Kanya Gurukul Campus, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, Uttarakhand )

Due to technological revolutions in last two decades, the application of technology to the particular needs of persons with physical challenges, also known as assisted technologies (AT), has slowly gained momentum. This is developing as a field in its own right. Assistive technologies are used to enhance and facilitate the autonomy, safety and overall improved quality of life of individuals with visual impairment. This article reviews various psychological benefits of using AT among persons with visual impairment. The National Council on Disability reported that people with physical impairment reported significant gains in their quality of life after the use of AT. Previous research suggests that assistive technology can be a tool of Psychosocial Rehabilitation or social main streaming of persons with visual impairment as they assist carrying routine cognitive activities. Given the confounding effects of the information era, assistive technology use has boundless benefits for people who are visually impaired but desire to access mainstream society. In this backdrop, this study presents the results of a focused group interview conducted with 30 people with visual impairment in the age group of 18 to 40 years with regard to AT.