Bridge or barrier: technology, well-being, and blindness

CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations for practice include providing training to legally blind adults in screen reader use and braille use to support well-being via competence and autonomy. Training is also recommended for this population in the use of social media, email, and video calls to promote well-being through opportunities for relatedness. Further research is recommended to explore instructional methods that are not only efficient, but also meaningful for older adults in the position of losing their vision.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONProviding access to braille instruction and braille assistive technology equipment can promote legally blind adults' well-being by supporting their basic needs for both competence and autonomy.Providing training in screen reader use can promote legally blind adults' well-being by supporting their basic need for competence.Providing training in use of email, social media, video calls, and instant messaging can promote legally blind adults' well-being by supporting their basic need for relatedness.A consideration of technological mediation can allow practitioners to make recommendations that take into account not only efficient task completion, but issues related to meaning and social context.Instruction for adults losing their vision adventitiously needs to address not only efficient task performance, but also meaning and social context.PMID:34254571 | DOI:10.1080/17483107.2021.1937342

Source: Disability and Rehabilitation. Assistive Technology. - July 13, 2021 Category: Rehabilitation Authors: Belinda Rudinger Source Type: research