A Support Worker Perspective on Use of New Technologies by People with Intellectual Disabilities
Saminda Sundeepa Balasuriya, Laurianne Sitbon, Margot Brereton · 2022 · ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing · doi:10.1145/3523058
Summary
This qualitative study examines how support workers and managers at Australian disability community day centres perceive and facilitate technology use by people with intellectual disabilities. The researchers interviewed 15 support workers and 5 managers across four centres that provide access to tablets, VR headsets, 3D printers, social robots (Cozmo), gaming consoles, and interactive boards. The study reveals that technology adoption is shaped by multiple interacting factors: organizational motivations (competitive differentiation, attracting younger customers), support worker characteristics (personal tech interest, confidence, competencies), perceived value to service users, ease of use, and training availability. Technologies are used for diverse purposes—VR for practicing life skills like driving or using an ATM, 3D printers for arts and crafts, tablets for video calls with family, and robots for social engagement and collaboration. A key contribution is documenting the dual role support workers play: they serve as proxies advocating for the people they support, but they are also active co-users of the technology. Previous co-design research has included support workers primarily as proxies; this paper argues their needs and experiences as users must also be considered for sustainable technology adoption.
Key findings
Technology use is heavily influenced by individual support workers' interests and competencies. Tech-savvy staff voluntarily incorporate devices into their programs, while others avoid technology they feel unconfident using. When a skilled support worker leaves, programs often collapse—the "champion" model creates fragile adoption. Training emerged as a critical barrier. Support workers receive minimal formal training despite being expected to facilitate technology use. They prefer hands-on training and video tutorials over written manuals, often resorting to self-learning via YouTube. Some staff learned alongside the people they support ("co-learning"), and instances were reported where people with intellectual disability actually taught staff how to use devices. "Fun" is essential for technology adoption. Staff emphasized that activities must immediately engage and provide enjoyment—if technology has a "dull section at the start," people lose interest. Multimodal technologies offering tangible, visual, and auditory interaction (like the Cozmo robot or Canvas communication board) were most popular because they accommodate different abilities and preferences. Tensions exist between stakeholder goals: families may want skill development while individuals prefer entertainment; staff may resist technology that adds to their workload; organizations push technology for marketing while centres lack adequate infrastructure or training.
Relevance
This research provides crucial insights for anyone designing or deploying assistive technology in disability service settings. The findings challenge the assumption that simply providing technology leads to adoption—without support worker buy-in, training, and perceived value, devices sit unused. For co-design practitioners, the paper recommends treating support workers as both proxies AND co-users. If designers only capture their perspective as advocates for people with intellectual disability, the resulting technology may not align with what support workers are willing or able to facilitate in practice. Organizations implementing technology should consider: training that matches staff learning preferences (video-based, hands-on, peer-to-peer); building redundancy so programs don't depend on single "champions"; ensuring infrastructure (reliable WiFi, adequate devices); and balancing individual and group activities since support workers typically manage multiple people simultaneously. The emphasis on fun, multimodal interaction, and technologies that "add value immediately" should inform accessibility technology design for this population.
Tags: intellectual disability · support workers · technology adoption · disability services · co-design · qualitative research · caregivers