Stacy Clifford Simplican1, Carolyn Shivers2, June Chen3, Geraldine Leader4. 1. Women's and Gender Studies, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. 2. Human Development, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. 3. Special Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. 4. Department of Psychology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disabilities continue to underutilize technology, in part due to insufficient training. Because support staff professionals provide instructional support, how they perceive integrating new technologies is important for people with intellectual disabilities. METHOD: The authors conducted a sequential mixed-methods exploratory study (quan→QUAL) including quantitative data from online surveys completed by 46 staff members and qualitative data from five focus groups attended by 39 staff members. RESULTS: Quantitative results show strong support for diverse technologies. In contrast, qualitative results suggest that staff members' support of technology decreases when they perceive that technology may jeopardize service users' safety or independence. CONCLUSIONS: Although staff members identified increasing independence as the main reason to use new technologies with service users, they also worried that technologies used to increase the social inclusion of service users may pose undue risk and thus may limit their embrace of technology.
BACKGROUND:People with intellectual disabilities continue to underutilize technology, in part due to insufficient training. Because support staff professionals provide instructional support, how they perceive integrating new technologies is important for people with intellectual disabilities. METHOD: The authors conducted a sequential mixed-methods exploratory study (quan→QUAL) including quantitative data from online surveys completed by 46 staff members and qualitative data from five focus groups attended by 39 staff members. RESULTS: Quantitative results show strong support for diverse technologies. In contrast, qualitative results suggest that staff members' support of technology decreases when they perceive that technology may jeopardize service users' safety or independence. CONCLUSIONS: Although staff members identified increasing independence as the main reason to use new technologies with service users, they also worried that technologies used to increase the social inclusion of service users may pose undue risk and thus may limit their embrace of technology.