Hope and Technology: Other-Oriented Hope Related to Eye Gaze Technology for Children with Severe Disabilities

Abstract

Introducing advanced assistive technology such as eye gaze controlled computers can improve a person’s quality of life and awaken hope for a child’s future inclusion and opportunities in society. This article explores the meanings of parents’ and teachers’ other-oriented hope related to eye gaze technology for children with severe disabilities. A secondary analysis of six parents’ and five teachers’ interview transcripts was conducted in accordance with a phenomenological-hermeneutic research method. The eye gaze controlled computer creates new imaginations of a brighter future for the child, but also becomes a source for motivation and action in the present. The other-oriented hope occurs not just in the future; it is already there in the present and opens up new alternatives and possibilities to overcome the difficulties the child is encountering today. Both the present situation and the hope for the future influence each other, and both affect the motivation for using the technology. This emphasises the importance of clinicians giving people opportunities to express how they see the future and how technology could realise this hope.

ICTs in Inclusive Education for Sensory and Physical Disabilities

“…Gaze-based computers can play an important role in communication and participation in everyday life and society. Introducing this technology at home and school can enable the child to communicate, express their wishes, receive school support, and participate more in social activities [39]. Writing skills require specific cognitive skills as well as certain physical skills.…”

Quality of Life: The Interplay between Human Behaviour, Technology and the Environment

“…In a special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on "Quality of Life: The Interplay between Human Behaviour, Technology and the Environment", a total of eighteen papers [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] were recently published on different topics that are related to this subject matter.…”

“…Three papers [17][18][19] were published on special care environments and their design, and how the design influences the users of such environments. Finally, four papers [20][21][22][23] were published on the design and implementation of assistive technologies, which lead to a better fit between the technology and the end-users.…”

“…The last set of four papers [20][21][22][23] deals with the design and implementation of assistive devices and prosthetics and orthoses. First of all, Holtkamp et al [20] present a paper regarding non-satisfaction with assistive devices.…”

“…The third paper by Rytterström et al [22] explored the meanings of parents' and teachers' other-oriented hope related to eye gaze technology for children with severe disabilities. The eye gaze-controlled computer creates new imaginations of a brighter future for the child, but it also becomes a source for motivation and action in the present.…”