Assistive Technology Abandonment
Although increasing numbers of individuals with disabilities access AT services and devices, research has uncovered an alarmingly high percentage, in some cases over 29%, of dissatisfaction resulting in AT abandonment (Riemer-Reiss & Wacker, 2000). AT abandonment is defined as the person’s reluctance to use a prescribed AT device. Riemer-Reiss and Wacker (2000) identified two types of AT abandonment: replacement which describes an individual abandoning one AT device for a different one and disenchantment which result from AT dissatisfaction. Abandonment due to replacement typically occurs because of a change in the user's condition or an improvement in technology. If the user's condition changes (improves or deteriorates) due to their disability, currently used AT devices may no longer meet his or her needs. In this case, a new evaluation is performed and new devices are recommended. Also, technology is constantly improving and as it does, older technology becomes obsolete. To continue functioning at the highest level, AT users often abandon the obsolete device in favor of the most recent version of the device. In both cases, the old devices are abandoned for improvement purposes.
The second type of abandonment is AT abandonment due to disenchantment. Many factors can lead to this type of abandonment of an AT device including frustration with the device, unwillingness to put in proper training time, cultural beliefs, lack of a proper support system, and embarrassment of using a device among other things. Unlike abandonment due to replacement, abandonment due to disenchantment is a concern because it means people who need and would benefit from AT are not using it. It also represents a misuse of resources, time, and money. The rest of this section will discuss reasons why people abandon AT and how AT providers can help prevent abandonment due to disenchantment.
