The Public Vocational Rehabilitation Program:
The
Economic Impact of Meeting the Assistive Technology Needs of
Individuals with Disabilities
Assistive technology is a fundamental tool to overcome functional limitations and other barriers to employment experienced by many individuals with disabilities. Using assistive technology, individuals with disabilities, including individuals with the most significant disabilities, are able to participate in evaluations and assessments, explore vocational options, and use the resultant information to make informed choices about employment goals.
In the last decade, the use of assistive technology has
increased dramatically. There are many reasons for the
increase in demand for assistive technology. First,
students in special education often rely on assistive technology
to participate in education programming. As these youth
transition to adult services, they will need similar technology
to assist them in their pursuit of higher education and
employment. Second, America’s reliance on an
information-based economy has made the use of computers
ubiquitous in the workplace. Individuals with disabilities
often require additional software or customized assistive
technology that enables them to make use of the computer systems
that are widely needed to perform in the workplace. Third,
assistive technology advances have presented new opportunities
for individuals with disabilities, opportunities that would not
be possible without that technology. While the cost of
technology that can be universally used by large segments of the
populations has fallen, specialized products that are used by
relatively small segments of the population such as individuals
with disabilities remain costly. For example, portable
speech synthesizers cost thousands of dollars and have a limited
market, yet are vital for individuals with such disabilities as
cerebral palsy.
In many instances, the Public Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Program is viewed as the primary source of funding for assistive
technology for adults who are seeking to enter or re-enter the
workforce. Some State VR agencies report that the number
of individuals receiving assistive technology devices and
services through VR has doubled in the last five years.
While the demand for assistive technology products and services
has been increasing, funding for the Public VR Program has seen
no significant increases.
At the same time that advances in technology have reduced
costs, today’s products become obsolete quickly. Many
products need to be updated regularly to make them faster,
smaller, lighter and more powerful. Other costs are
incurred when assistive technology needs to be maintained and
repaired. In addition, when assistive technology is being
made available to individuals with disabilities, State VR
agencies often incur additional costs associated with training
individuals to use the products.
Despite reductions in the cost of some forms of assistive technology, the demand has increased so sharply that the overall cost to State VR agencies has risen each year. As we move into the new Millennium, new products will be developed that can assist individuals with disabilities in overcoming functional limitations that create barriers to employment. As a result, the demand for assistive technology products will continue to increase. Without a substantial increase in funding, State VR agencies will not be able to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities who could potentially benefit from assistive technology in terms of employment and economic self-sufficiency, and many people will remain unable to participate in the workplace, and thus continue to rely on the receipt of Social Security benefits or other forms of public assistance.
