2.1 Disability Issues

Considering the new paradigm of disability developed in the new ICF model launched by WHO 2001, disablement is a "situation" that affects an individual in case a gap exists between individual capabilities and environmental factors and this gap restricts the quality of life and hinders full exploitation of individuals potential in society.  According to the World Health Organization (1980) should be understood as (in health):

• • "Impairment" means any loss or alteration of a structure or function of a psychological, physiological or anatomical. These losses or changes may be temporary or permanent, representing the manifestation of a disease state, reflecting, in principle, disruption to organic.

  • "Disability" restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity within the framework and limits considered normal for humans. It is characterized by excesses or deficiencies in behavior or performance of an activity that is common or normal, usually deriving from a disability.

  • "Handicap" is a social condition of the injury suffered by a given individual, resulting from an impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the performance of an activity considered normal for that individual, taking into account age, sex and the factors the same socio-cultural. It represents the social expression of a disability or incapacity, by reflecting the impact (cultural, social, economic and environmental) caused by them.

Assistive Technologies can bridge such gap as "environmental factors" that contribute to generate or overcome disablement. AT devices are, most of the time real "facilitators" towards activity and participation, either enhancing the functional level of the user, or reducing the demands from the environment.The new pardigm og disability developed in the new ICF model launched by WHO 2001

But we must also take in consideration that, sometimes AT can also be a barrier instead of a facilitator. The prescription of sophisticated equipment can be useless if the user is not well informed about its characteristics and how it works. At the same time, even very useful devices can quickly get obsolete and bring new barriers. A good follow-up service and continuous support is essential to the success of any AT program.

Disablement is a situation that mat afect an individual in case a gap exists between individual capabilities and environmental factors and this gap restricts the qualit of life and hinders full exploitation of individuals potential in society

Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations are changes that are made to compensate for missing skills or competences an individual, (if the use of a calculator). When the word is used for the accommodation of disability issues, this refers to how to modify a task or assignment so that an individual can do it despite the challenges it poses to their disability.

Adaptation

Adaptation means developing unique methods or devices designed specifically to help people with disabilities to perform daily tasks. An adaptation is something specially designed and is not normally used by "backward" people.

An accommodation, however, is simply a change in the routine, the method or the approximation that can be used by persons with or without shortcomings. Examples of adjustment include, for example, keyboards, particularly designed for computer operations, in the case of braille.