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Type

Report

Themes

Assistive & Accessible Technology
Repair of Assistive Products in the UK: Wheelchairs. Outcomes of a 1-day workshop exploring this topic from user, community and provision system perspectives

Ben M. Oldfrey a, Vikranth H. Nagaraja b, Arhym Hoonchamlong a, Laurence P.J. Kenney

Our recent one-day workshop brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to examine the challenges and opportunities in wheelchair repair services. By engaging multiple perspectives, we gained valuable insights into how improved repair processes can enhance service delivery, empower users, and support sustainability efforts.

Key discussions focused on the urgent need to address data gaps in repair practices, promote user involvement, and shift towards systems that prioritise repair and maintenance. Innovative ideas, such as creating digital profiles for wheelchairs and using AI to predict breakdowns, were explored as ways to streamline repair services and improve user autonomy.

Going forward, collaboration between manufacturers, healthcare providers, and users will be essential to building a more sustainable, user-centred approach to wheelchair repairs.

Read the full report to learn more about the ideas and strategies shared during the workshop.

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Repair of Assistive Products in the UK: Wheelchairs. Outcomes of a 1-day workshop exploring this topic from user, community and provision system perspectives

Type

Report

Themes

Assistive & Accessible Technology
Repair of Assistive Products in the UK: Prosthetics & Orthotics. Outcomes of a 1-day workshop exploring this topic from user, community and provision system perspectives

Ben M. Oldfrey a, Vikranth H. Nagaraja b, Arhym Hoonchamlong a, Laurence P.J. Kenney

Our recent one-day workshop brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to explore the critical role of repair in the assistive technology sector. Through a range of perspectives, we uncovered valuable insights into how repair can drive sustainability, improve service delivery, and empower users.

Key discussions centered on the urgent need for a systemic shift toward more repairable and modular designs alongside regulatory changes and innovative frameworks that support efficient repair services. We also highlighted the importance of better data on repair practices and the need for transparency and user engagement.

As we look ahead, the conversation must include all stakeholders, particularly the users themselves. This collaborative approach will be vital to building a more sustainable and repairable future for assistive technology.

Read the full report to learn more about the insights and strategies shared during the workshop.

Download

Repair of Assistive Products in the UK: Prosthetics & Orthotics. Outcomes of a 1-day workshop exploring this topic from user, community and provision system perspectives

Type

Report

Themes

Assistive & Accessible Technology
Assistive Technology Changes Lives: an assessment of AT need and capacity in England

This report was prepared by Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub for the Disability Unit in the Cabinet Office His Majesty’s Government (HMG). The report presents findings from a Country Capacity Assessment (CCA) of AT access in England. Findings illustrate a complex state of AT in England. While delivery systems tend to provide quality products that have a strong, positive impact on people’s lives, processes are often slow and stressful for users and providers alike. Startlingly, there is also an AT access gap of 31% of disabled people not having the assistive products they need to flourish, thrive, or even participate in daily life.

The Cabinet Office; 2023

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Abstract

Assistive Technology Changes Lives: an assessment of AT need and capacity in England

The aim of this research was to undertake a Country Capacity Assessment (CCA) to inform a more integrated approach to Assistive Technology (AT) provision in England. The results aim to support policymakers in identifying actions to strengthen service delivery to better meet disabled people’s needs, improving outcomes for AT users and reducing inefficiencies in the current approach.

The research was undertaken from November 2022 to March 2023 and led by the Global Disability Innovation (GDI) Hub, which is the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Collaborating Centre on AT access, using WHO tools in the Assistive Technology Assessment (ATA) suite.

Cite

Assistive Technology Changes Lives: an assessment of AT need and capacity in England

Suggested Citation: Austin, V, Patel, D, Danemayer, J, Mattick, K, Landre, A, Smitova, M, Bandukda, M, Healy, A, Chockalingam, N, Bell D, and Holloway, C; Assistive Technology Changes Lives: an assessment of AT need and capacity in England; Cabinet Office, HMG; 2023

Assistive Technology Changes Lives: an assessment of AT need and capacity in England

Type

Landscape review

Themes

Culture and Participation
Inclusive Educational Technology
ICT Landscape review - The use of ICT in improving the educational participation & outcomes

Maria Kett, Victoria Austin, Giulia Barbareschi, Nusrat Jahan, Paul Lynch, Catherine Holloway, Joel Burman, Felipe Ramos-Barajas, Lea Simpson

Information and communication technology (ICT) tools can have a catalytic effect in advancing both educational access and learning outcomes for children with disabilities. Despite tremendous potential, a gap exists between technology advancements and their large-scale application in educating children with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. This landscape review of ICTs for disability-inclusive education by the Inclusive Education Initiative seeks to understand the current status and trends in the practice of educational technology (EdTech) and the use of ICT in improving the educational participation and outcomes of children with disabilities. The review explores what factors enable or restrict this improvement within the wider EdTech ecosystem.

GDI Hub partnered with the World Bank to design and conduct the research, and author the ICT Landscape review: The use of ICT in improving the educational participation and outcomes of children with disabilities. This report is a global knowledge product from the Inclusive Education Initiative (IEI)—a multi-donor trust fund on disability-inclusive education managed by the World Bank, with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

World Bank; 2021

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Abstract

ICT Landscape review - The use of ICT in improving the educational participation & outcomes

Information and communication technology (ICT) tools can have a catalytic effect in advancing both educational access and learning outcomes for children with disabilities. Despite tremendous potential, a gap exists between technology advancements and their large-scale application in educating children with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. This landscape review of ICTs for disability-inclusive education by the Inclusive Education Initiative seeks to understand the current status and trends in the practice of educational technology (EdTech) and the use of ICT in improving the educational participation and outcomes of children with disabilities. The review explores what factors enable or restrict this improvement within the wider EdTech ecosystem.

GDI Hub partnered with the World Bank to design and conduct the research, and author the ICT Landscape review: The use of ICT in improving the educational participation and outcomes of children with disabilities.

This report is a global knowledge product from the Inclusive Education Initiative (IEI)—a multi-donor trust fund on disability-inclusive education managed by the World Bank, with support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Cite

ICT Landscape review - The use of ICT in improving the educational participation & outcomes

World Bank. 2021. A Landscape Review of ICT for Disability-Inclusive Education. © World Bank.

ICT Landscape review - The use of ICT in improving the educational participation & outcomes