10X

overview

Welcome to ‘Introduction to Assistive Technology’. Assistive Technology encompasses products and services that enable People with Disabilities to be equal participants in the mainstream world. Access to quality and affordable Assistive Technolgy is achievable through raising awareness, addressing financial constraints, exploring alternative delivery models, reframing policies and building an efficient workforce.

Introduction to the course

Assistive Technology encompasses products and services that enable People with Disabilities to be equal participants in the mainstream world. Access to quality and affordable Assistive Technolgy is achievable through raising awareness, addressing financial constraints, exploring alternative delivery models, reframing policies and building an efficient workforce.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed for technical and non-technical audiences including students in engineering, arts or any other stream who is either

  1. Fascinated towards designing products and technologies, and/or
  2. Specifically interested in assistive devices and keen on building a knowledge base on them.
What they will learn?

At the end of the course, you will learn:

  • What is Assistive Technology and understand the relation between Assistive Technology and the community of users: People with Disabilities.
  • Product development process and the underlying key components.
  • A brief overview of the existing AT start-up ecosystem in India and IITMRP’s vision for the future of AT in India
How to navigate the course?
  • First go to the respective module course content and watch the video attached to the right.
  • Enter the course and complete it.
  • After completing it, come back to the course content page and read the content and watch the video. Click on View content “Go” and do the same process respectively.

Course Content

We have Justin Jesudas, Head of Operations/Centre Manager, R2D2, IITM, who will be introducing the course to you. Justin heads the operations and outreach activities of R2D2, apart from guiding the team on user perspectives, prototype refining and device commercialization. With 11 years of lived experience as a tetraplegic (paralyzed neck downwards), working in the assistive technologies space was a natural calling for Justin.  

Once you’ve signed up, Check your email for course content download links

1.1. Understanding Disability
1.2. Disability Etiquette
1.3. Models of Disabilities.
1.4. Invisible Disabilities.
1.5. Independence v/s Interdependence.
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Classification and design perspectives of Assistive Technology

2.1. Design-thinking for user-centric product development
2.2 Commercialization and scaling up

3.1. Challenges and opportunities.
3.2. Enablers of an efficient AT ecosystem
3.3. Road towards making India a leader in Assistive Technology

Conclusion

People with Disabilities are people first. It cannot be assumed that people with similar disabilities have similar challenges and experiences. As all of us, each Person with Disability is unique in their own ways.

We believe that the courses will enable better understanding of Disability through the lens of Assistive Technology.

Additional References & Links

The Global Report on Assistive Technology – WHO and UNICEF have prepared the global report on assistive technology which provides the need for and access to assistive products and provides a series of recommendations to expand availability and access, raise awareness of the need, and implement inclusion policies to improve the lives of millions of people.
Improving access to Assistive Technology– WHO focuses on improving the access to assistive technology by coming up with a Global Cooperation on Assistive Technology (GATE) as a step towards realizing the Sustainable Development Goals, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and implementing the resolution WHA71.8 on assistive technology.