Glossary

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AT Service Delivery(also: Assistive Technology Service Delivery)

The systems, processes, and organizational structures through which assistive technology devices and services reach end users. Effective AT service delivery encompasses needs assessment, device selection, fitting, training, follow-up, and ongoing support. Models range from…

Abandonment of Assistive Technology(also: Assistive Technology Abandonment, AT Abandonment, Assistive Technology Discontinuance)

Abandonment of assistive technology is the well-documented phenomenon in which a substantial proportion of assistive devices acquired by disabled users — commonly reported in the literature at roughly one-third or higher — end up unused or discarded within a few years of…

Active Support

A person-centred model of support that enables people with intellectual disabilities, including those with severe and profound disabilities, to participate meaningfully in everyday activities and relationships. Active support involves providing graded levels of assistance — from…

Assistive Technology Delivery(also: AT Service Delivery, Assistive Technology Provision)

The process of identifying, selecting, providing, and supporting assistive technology for individuals with disabilities. Effective AT delivery involves assessing a person's needs and abilities, matching them with appropriate technology, providing training and instructional…

Assistive Technology Lending Library(also: AT Lending Library, AT Library)

A service, often operated by state agencies or nonprofits, that allows individuals with disabilities to borrow assistive technology devices for trial periods before purchasing them or as a long-term resource. Lending libraries reduce the financial risk of trying new AT and help…

Circle of Friends(also: Circle of Support, Circles of Support)

Circle of Friends (or Circle of Support) is a facilitated social-inclusion intervention in which a person with a disability is surrounded by a small, intentional group of peers, family members, and supporters who commit to sustained involvement in their social life. The model…

Community Advocate(also: Peer Advocate, AT Champion)

An individual, often a person with a disability or caregiver, who voluntarily promotes awareness of assistive technology programs and resources within their community. Community advocates play a crucial role in expanding the reach of AT services by sharing information through…

Community-Based Rehabilitation(also: CBR)

Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) is a strategy for enhancing the quality of life of people with disabilities by improving service delivery, providing equitable opportunities, and promoting their rights and social inclusion within their own communities. CBR programs operate…

Disability Services(also: Disability Service Office, DSO, Disability Resource Center)

Disability services refers to the office or department within an educational institution or organization responsible for coordinating accommodations and support for people with disabilities. In higher education, these offices verify disability documentation, issue accommodation…

Disability Support Organisation(also: DSO, Disability Service Provider, Disability Service Organisation)

An organisation that provides support services, programs, and resources to people with disabilities, often across multiple sites or locations. DSOs play a critical role in facilitating access to community activities, employment, education, and creative programs for their…

Family-based Care(also: Family Caregiving Model, Home-based Care)

Family-based care is the model in which a relative — most often a parent, spouse, adult child, or sibling — is the primary caregiver for a disabled, chronically ill, or ageing family member, typically in the home rather than in an institutional setting. In the context of…

Formal Caregiver(also: Professional Caregiver, Paid Caregiver)

A formal caregiver is a paid, trained professional who provides care — personal, medical, or social — to a disabled, ill, or ageing person, typically through a healthcare organisation, home-care agency, residential facility, or public community-care service. Formal caregivers…

Implementation Science

The study of methods and strategies that promote the systematic uptake of research findings and evidence-based practices into routine clinical, educational, or service settings. Implementation science addresses the well-documented research-to-practice gap: even rigorously…

Individualized Education Program(also: IEP, Individualized Education Plan)

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legally binding document in the United States that outlines the specialized instruction, services, accommodations, and goals for a student with a disability who qualifies under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).…

Job Coaching(also: Employment Coaching, Workplace Coaching)

Individualized, on-site or remote support provided to workers with disabilities to help them learn job tasks, develop workplace skills, navigate social interactions, and maintain employment. Job coaches may provide direct training, model tasks, facilitate communication with…

NDIS(also: National Disability Insurance Scheme)

Australia's national scheme for funding disability support services, established in 2013. The NDIS provides individualized funding packages to eligible Australians with permanent and significant disabilities, allowing them to choose and pay for support services that help them…

Occupational Therapist(also: OT, Occupational Therapy)

An occupational therapist is a licensed healthcare professional who helps people participate in the 'occupations' of daily life — self-care, work, school, leisure, and community roles — through therapeutic activity, environmental modification, and assistive technology. In…

Peer Note-Taking Program(also: PNTP, Peer Note-Taker Program, Note-Taking Assistance Program)

A disability support service offered by higher education institutions in which peer students (peer note-takers or PNTs) assist students with disabilities (SWDs) by transcribing lecture notes during class or sharing their own notes afterward. PNTPs are widely adopted as academic…

Person-Centred Planning(also: Person-Centered Planning, PCP)

A combination of approaches designed to empower people with disabilities to make their own choices and decisions about the support they receive. In accessibility contexts, person-centred planning shifts control from service providers to the individual, recognizing that people…

Personal Care Assistant(also: PCA, Personal Care Attendant, Personal Support Worker)

A person who provides hands-on assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) to people with disabilities or older adults who need support with tasks such as bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, eating, and transferring. PCAs may be formally employed through agencies or…

Rehabilitation(also: Rehab, Therapeutic Rehabilitation)

A set of interventions designed to restore or optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions. Rehabilitation may address physical, cognitive, sensory, or communication abilities through exercises, therapies, assistive devices, and environmental…

Support worker(also: Disability support worker, Direct support professional, DSP)

A person employed to provide direct assistance and support to people with disabilities in their daily lives. Support workers help with activities of daily living, skill development, community participation, health monitoring, and personal care. In disability community centres…

Supported Employment(also: SE)

An approach to helping people with significant disabilities find and maintain competitive employment in integrated work settings, with ongoing support as needed. Unlike sheltered workshops or segregated employment, supported employment places individuals in regular workplaces…

Transition Period(also: School-to-Adult Transition, Transition Services)

In disability services, the transition period refers to the years during which a young person with a disability moves from school-based supports into adult life. In the United States, school systems are legally required to provide full-time services to students with disabilities…

Trauma-Informed Care(also: TIC, Trauma-Informed Approach)

A framework originating in social work practice that asks organisations and service providers to recognise the widespread impact of trauma on the people they serve and to integrate that understanding into their policies, procedures, and interactions. Rather than directly…

Vocational Rehabilitation(also: VR, Employment Rehabilitation)

Services and programs designed to help people with disabilities prepare for, obtain, maintain, or return to employment. Vocational rehabilitation may include assessment, counseling, training, job placement, assistive technology provision, workplace modification, and ongoing…

Vocational Training(also: Vocational Education, Job Training, Occupational Training)

Vocational training is education focused on developing practical skills and knowledge required for specific occupations or trades. In accessibility contexts, vocational training for people with disabilities is a critical pathway to economic independence and social inclusion, yet…

Wheelchair Assessment(also: Wheelchair Evaluation, Seating Assessment)

A structured clinical process conducted by trained rehabilitation professionals to determine the most appropriate wheelchair and seating system for an individual. The assessment typically involves multiple stages: a background interview covering medical history, lifestyle, and…

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