Assistive technologies for the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, education and jobs

Project description

Photo: KIT - Patrick Langer

A key aim of the European Union is the development of an inclusive, reflective and innovative society. This aim also includes people with disabilities. If conceptualized and used in the right way, Assistive Technologies (ATs) can be a key enabler of the participation of people with disabilities in society in general and in education and employment in particular.

The aim of this project is to anticipate how ATs might or might not increase the inclusion of people with disabilities all over Europe by 2050. Emerging technical developments – which might also play themselves out depending on how they are governed and used – are e.g., brain to text, sign language to speech, brain computer interfaces, social robots or self-driving cars.

Whether in the areas of education, employment, health or general living assistance, the importance of the development of ATs for people with disabilities will continue to grow. The definition and meaning of what an assistive technology is, is still very much contested in the academic but also political debate. Therefore, a sound foresight analysis of the state of the art as well as future trends of ATs is needed to evaluate societal and political options that would properly address the needs of people with disabilities, enable a positive perception of people with disabilities, and thus support the inclusion of people with disabilities in Europe’s society.

ATs for the inclusion of disabled people in society, education and jobs will be investigated for three different types of disabilities (subject areas):

  • Deaf and hard of hearing
  • Blind and visually impaired
  • People with autism

In terms of methodology, the approach follows the Scientific Foresight method that STOA tailored to serve the European Parliament. Next to a literature review, qualitative and quantitative empirical research will also be performed by means of interviews and an on-line survey. The focus will be on the needs and perceptions of assistive technologies, by disabled and non-disabled people. As a result, four narrative scenarios will be created, discussed at the European Parliament, and visualized as a short video.

Invitation to present the outcomes of the study at the EMPL Committee meeting

March 21st 2018 10:45 – 11:30 am, at the European Parliament in Brussels

The meeting video can be seen here.

Workshop “Assistive technologies for the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, education and jobs”

January 31st 2017, 10-16 h
Workshop

Tanja Bratan, ETAG, ISI Fraunhofer; Neha Dave, Med Tech Europe; Leonhard Hennen, KIT, ETAG; Linda Nierling, KIT, ETAG; Johann Čas, ETAG, OeAW; Maria Joao Maia, KIT, ETAG; Chapal Khasnabis, WHO; Antti Raike, Aalto University; Aurélie Baranger, Autism Europe; Peter Cudd, University of Sheffield; Philipp Boucher, STOA; Lieve van Woensel, STOA. Photo: Maria João Maia

Agenda (PDF)

Project outcome

News of the European Parliament with video recording of the meeting of 15.12.2016

All publications can also be found at the European Parliament website.

The general results of the project were resumed in the video “Assistive Technologies”.

A brief overview of the results can also be found in the following interview.

Publications


2022
Book Chapters
Bratan, T.; Nierling, L.; Maia, M. J.
Technische und menschliche Unterstützung von Menschen mit Behinderungen – Anforderungen an eine gelingende Inklusion
2022. Luthe, Ernst-Wilhelm; Müller, Sandra Verena; Schiering, Ina (Hg.): Assistive Technologien im Sozial- und Gesundheitssektor, 669–686, Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden. doi:10.1007/978-3-658-34027-8_27
2021
Book Chapters
Nierling, L.; Maia, M. J.; Bratan, T.
Technological or social drivers for a transformation towards an inclusive society? The role of Assistive Technologies for people with disabilities
2021. Gesellschaftliche Transformationen. Hrsg.: R. Lindner, 381–394, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft. doi:10.5771/9783748901556-381
2018
Presentations
Cas, J.; Nierling, L.
Assistive Technologien für die Inklusion von Menschen mit Behinderungen in Gesellschaft, Bildung und Arbeitsmarkt
2018. DVfR-Kongress ’Wege zur Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben’ (2018), Berlin, Germany, November 6–7, 2018 
Maia, M. J.
Assistive technologies for people with disabilities - challenges and opportunities with a focus on autism
2018. 15. Abensberger Fachtagung - Die Zukunft ist ... JETZT! Berufliche Teilhabe an einer Lebenswelt 4.0 (2018), Abendsberg, Austria, March 6, 2018 
Maia, M. J.; Nierling, L.; Hennen, L.
Assistive technologies for the inclusion of people with disabilities: challenges nd opportunities for employment
2018. Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Committee Meeting, Bruxelles, B, March 21, 2018 
Nierling, L.
Assistive Technologien für Menschen mit Behinderung: eine europäische Perspektive auf aktuelle Bedarfe und Herausforderungen
2018. Verbandstag des Landesverbandes Lebenshilfe Baden-Württemberg (2018), Bisingen, Germany, October 20, 2018 
Nierling, L.; Krings, B. J.
Eng-age-d or dis-abled? Assistive technologies in a cross-sectoral approach
2018. Cultural Perspectives on Ageing, International Symposium of the Volkswagenstiftung (2018), Hanover, Germany, November 28–30, 2018 
Nierling, L.; Maia, M.
Assistive Technologien für die Inklusion von Menschen mit Behinderungen in Gesellschaft, Bildung und Arbeitsmarkt. Ergebnisse eines Forschungsprojektes
2018. Forum Digitalisierung und Teilhabeforschung des Aktionsbündnisses Teilhabeforschung auf den Inklusionstagen des BMAS (2018), Berlin, Germany, November 19–20, 2018 
Nierling, L.; Maia, M.; Bratan, T.
Technische oder soziale Transformationsstrategien zu einer inklusiven Gesellschaft? Die Rolle von Assistiven Technologien für Menschen mit Behinderungen
2018. 8. Internationale Konferenz des Netzwerks Technikfolgenabschätzung (NTA 2018), Karlsruhe, Germany, November 7–8, 2018 
Other
Nierling, L.; Maia, M. J.; Hennen, L.; Wolbring, G.; Bratan, T.; Kukk, P.; Cas, J.; Capari, L.; Krieger-Lamina, J.
Assistive technologies for people with disabilities. Part III: Perspectives, needs and opportunities
2018. European Union (EU). doi:10.2861/11162
Nierling, L.; Maia, M. J.; Hennen, L.; Wolbring, G.; Bratan, T.; Kukk, P.; Cas, J.; Capari, L.; Krieger-Lamina, J.
Assistive technologies for people with disabilities. Part II: Current and emerging technologies
2018. European Union (EU). doi:10.2861/567013
Nierling, L.; Maia, M. J.; Hennen, L.; Wolbring, G.; Bratan, T.; Kukk, P.; Cas, J.; Capari, L.; Krieger-Lamina, J.
Assistive technologies for people with disabilities. Part I: Regulatory, health and demographic aspects
2018. European Union (EU). doi:10.2861/364554
2017
Presentations
Nierling, L.; Bratan, T.; Cas, J.; Hennen, L.; Maia, M.; Mordini, E.; Wolbring, G.
Assistive technologies - state of the art, regulation, perception and needs
2017. 360⁰-Envsioning Meeting, STOA, Bruxelles, B, January 31, 2017 
Nierling, L.; Maia, M.; Cas, J.; Capari, L.
Assessing assistive technologies for people with disabilities - user needs and implications for politics and public
2017. 3rd European Technology Assessment Conference, Cork, IRL, May 17-19, 2017 
2016
Presentations
Maia, M. J.; Nierling, L.
Inclusion, exclusion or integration? Assistive technologies for people with disabilities between technological visions, political frameworks and user’s perceptions
2016. The Co-Production of Emerging Bodies, Politics and Technologies : 8th Annual S.Net Meeting, Bergen, N, October 12-14, 2016 
Maia, M. J.; Nierling, L.
Assistive technologies for the inclusion of people with disabilities: perceptions, needs and social-ethical challenges
2016. EASPD International Conference 2018 - Technology and Digitalisation in Social Care. The Impact on Education Employment and Independent Living (2018), Barcelona, Spain, October 4–5, 2018 
Nierling, L.; Mordini, E.; Maia, M. J. F.; Bratan, T.; Cas, J.; Capari, L.; Wolbring, G.; Hennen, L.
Assistive technologies for the inclusion of people with disabilities in society, education and jobs
2016. STOA Panel Meeting, European Parliament, Strasbourg, Frankreich, 15.12.2016 
Nierling, L.; Maia, M. J. F.
Technik und Behinderung - politische, technische und individuelle Herausforderungen von Assistiven Technologien
2016. Verletzlich in der digitalen Welt? Behinderung und Normalität - Friedrichshainer Gespräch des Wissenschaftlichen Beirats des IMEW, Berlin, 09. Dezember 2016 
Velloso, G. T.; Maia, M. J.
The ELSI approach on the implications of neurotechnologies - the case of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs)
2016. The Co-Production of Emerging Bodies, Politics and Technologies : 8th Annual S.Net Meeting, Bergen, N, October 12-14, 2016 

Contact

Dr. Linda Nierling
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS)
P.O. Box 3640
76021 Karlsruhe
Germany

Tel.: +49 721 608-22509
E-mail