COUNSELLING PARENTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ON AVAILABILITY, USES AND BENEFITS OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The development and proliferation of assistive technology in the recent has brought significant revolution into the world of people with disabilities. Thus, this paper examined counselling parents of persons with disabilities on the availability, uses and benefits of assistive technology. After a lucid background introduction, the paper gave an indepth elucidaton of the concept of counselling and assistive technology. It delved further to highlight the various assistive technology available for people with disabilities before stressing the uses and benefits of assistive technology for these set of people.  It also discussed the need for counselling parents of persons with disability on availability and uses of assistive technology. Towards the end, the paper made some suggestions which include the need for government to subsidise the cost of purchasing assistive technology in order to make the technology more accessible for people with disabilities, while more technicians should be trained on proper maintenance especially of high tech devices. It also posited that people with disabilities should be encouraged to accept and use assistive technology not minding the stigma attached, if any.