Research and case study findings in the area of workplace accommodations including provisions for assistive technology: A literature review

Factors Associated With Recommendations for Assistive Technology Devices for Persons With Mobility Limitations Using Workplace Accommodation Services

“…The call for empirical evidence in clinical recommendations for workplace ATDs is critical for optimal service provision for individuals with disabilities (Butterfield & Ramseur, 2004; Schwanke & Smith, 2005). To date, this is the first study to connect work-related factors and impairment-related factors with specific types of workplace ATDs using CHAID analysis, which is a useful technique to evaluate the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation programs (Byrd, 1978) and provide the information on the improvement of vocational rehabilitation services (Chan, Cheing, Chan, Rosenthal, & Chronister, 2006; Chan, Wong, Rosenthal, Kundu, & Dutta, 2005).…”

“…In addition, WA services are cost-effective through a reduction of direct and indirect costs (Nevala, Pehkonen, Koskela, Ruusuvuori, & Anttila, 2015), with nearly 60% of participants reporting a positive net benefit (Schartz et al, 2006). Among WA services users, persons with mobility limitations are the largest population with demands for workplace assistive technology devices (ATDs), an increasingly important type of WA (Butterfield & Ramseur, 2004; Gray et al, 2001; Linden, 2011; Williams et al, 2006; Yeager et al, 2006). As a result, it is necessary to further investigate evidence-based recommendations for workplace ATDs among persons with mobility limitations.…”

“…After carefully identifying the specific impairment-related and work-related factors, along with other environmental factors, recommendations of specific ATDs for individuals with disabilities are made by WA service professionals (Langton & Ramseur, 2001; Schneider, 1999). Despite the possible interaction of these factors, previous research only focuses on the processes or consequences of choosing ATDs for persons with disabilities (Butterfield & Ramseur, 2004; Langton & Ramseur, 2001; Sabata et al, 2008; Schneider, 1999; Williams et al, 2006; Yeager et al, 2006). Limited empirical evidence exists regarding the interaction among factors and how this interaction contributes to the selection and approval of ATDs for people with disabilities.…”

Preparing Home Health Clients for Work Opportunities With Workplace Accommodation

“…Almost two thirds (21.3 million) of these individuals live with a condition that affects their ability to sustain employment (Waldrop & Stern, 2003). In addition, one of five people age 65 to 74 years are currently working, and the annual growth rate of persons ages 55 years and older in the U.S. labor force is expected to be nearly 4 times that of the overall labor force between 2000 and 2015 (Butterfield & Ramseur, 2004;Mueller, 1990). With the direct correlation between age and disability, this aging in the workplace will create a progressively older workforce with higher rates of work disability (Zwerling et al, 2003).…”

“…When we think about workplace accommodations, we are referring to any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done in that environment to enable an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities (ADA of 1990). As a result, workplace accommodations include not only assistive technologies (Loy & Duckworth, 2003) but also environmental access (Butterfield & Ramseur, 2004;Mueller, 1990), adaptive strategies for job tasks, and changes in organizational policies (Landstad, Ekholm, Broman, & Schuldt, 2000;McCray, 1992;McNeal, Somerville, & Wilson, 1999). The choice of accommodations for any client should be the intervention(s) that best fit the client's needs.…”