Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
perspective. Applied with other instruments, it has been found to be a useful tool for ATAs
(Bernd et al. 2009). The GAS was introduced to evaluate mental health services; today it is
used in pediatrics, rehabilitation, and mental health. It measures the change in response
to individual goal-setting. The IPPA is a generic instrument to measure the effectiveness
of any AT provision. In sum, the COPM, GAS, and IPPA are sensitive to measure change;
a combination of these instruments, along with the ICF Checklist, offers service provid-
ers additional evidence-based solutions for outcome measure in AT as an alternative or
complement to the MPT (Karlsson 2010).
The only AT model that is based on specific evidence and was developed to match the
ICF and its checklist as found in literature is the MPT model (Scherer and Craddock 2002;
Bernd et al. 2009), specifically the measure, Assistive Technology Device Predisposition
Assessment (ATD PA), in which each item has been mapped to the ICF. The MPT fills a gap
that considers the interactions among device characteristics, its user, and the environment.
In addition to the COPM, GAS, and IPPA, the literature suggests the use of the Quebec
User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology 2.0 (QUEST) and the Psycho-
social Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) when evaluating contextual factors such
as device features and the enhancement of user's well-being, but none of these have each
of their items mapped to the ICF.
3.2.2 The Matching Person and Technology Model
The MPT model is a “user-driven” and collaborative model because it is based on technol-
ogy selection achieved by a partnership of the person with a disability and a professional
or team of professionals to create a dialogue and make manifest different perspectives of
the person's needs and appropriate supports. For the first time the person with a disabil-
ity is explicitly involved in AT selection. The traditional one-way process from provider
to consumer (medical model) is replaced with an approach acknowledging that the pro-
vider is a key element of the environmental influences on AT selection and realization of
benefit (social model). Key influences on the selection of the most appropriate AT for any
given person is distributed among the following interdependent and interactive elements
to achieve a match that is as appropriate as possible (see Figure 3.1):
• Milieu/environment, or the characteristics of the architectural, built, physical,
social, cultural, and attitudinal contexts in which the AT is used;
• Characteristics relating to temperament, personality, and preferences of the user;
and salient features of the AT itself.
Furthermore, the MPT model contributes to the promotion of GOOD professional prac-
tice by emphasizing:
• Get the relevant information;
• Organize that information;
• Operationalize and implement the steps in the matching process of the person
and the desired AT; and
• Document, review, and update the impact of the AT.
The MPT process and measures assess the individual predisposition to the use of
AT (or other forms of technology) and attempts to assess the extent to which the AT
