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The wide, wide spectrum of assistive technology
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 09:09 amAt my new favorite blog, FWD / Feminists with disabilities for a way forward, there's an intriguing participatory thread:
What assistive technology do we use as we move through our lives?
"Assistive technology" has traditionally meant "special devices," crafted by engineers and prescribed by doctors, priced to be purchased by agencies and serviced by nobody. This discussion demonstrates that women are tool users, and there's plenty of great utility to be found in simple, everyday, general-purpose stuff.
As with tech, so with our persons: we are not "special," we do not need to be the segregated subjects of purpose-schooled shrinks and doctors and schools and workplaces.
What assistive technology do we use as we move through our lives?
"Assistive technology" has traditionally meant "special devices," crafted by engineers and prescribed by doctors, priced to be purchased by agencies and serviced by nobody. This discussion demonstrates that women are tool users, and there's plenty of great utility to be found in simple, everyday, general-purpose stuff.
As with tech, so with our persons: we are not "special," we do not need to be the segregated subjects of purpose-schooled shrinks and doctors and schools and workplaces.