Yaeda J, Rubin S E
Rehabilitation Institute, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 62901.
Int J Rehabil Res. 1992;15(4):277-87. doi: 10.1097/00004356-199212000-00001.
The purpose of this study was to identify empirically the roles of assistive technology service providers in the United States. Via factor analysis, the following six job roles were identified: (a) Device Selection and Maintenance Activities, (b) Environmental Modification Activities, (c) Dissemination of Information on Assistive Technology Activities, (d) Evaluation of Suitability of Assistive Device Activities, (e) Administration Activities, and (f) Product Development Activities. The identified roles can provide a potential guide for the development of education or training curricula for assistive technology service providers. Those job role categories can be considered to be required areas of knowledge in a curriculum for assistive technology specialists. The identified roles can also be utilized to help define the profession of assistive technology. That definition could help guide the development of eligibility criterion and examination content for a credentialing programme for qualified assistive technology service providers in the future. A clear description of the job of assistive technology service providers can help administrators create needed positions within service delivery organizations such as state department of rehabilitation services and a rehabilitation hospital. The results could be valuable to the administrators responsible for setting job role criteria for assistive technology service providers. Such criteria are necessary for making effective hiring and employee evaluation decisions. In addition, the results can provide other professionals who utilize assistive technology services with an accurate picture of the services available from assistive technology service providers. When professionals on a rehabilitation team know what to expect of each other, clients are better served. Thus a better understanding of the roles of assistive technology service providers can contribute to better utilization of their services by a multidisciplinary team. This would in turn increase the chances of assistive technology services being offered to clients. Replication of the present study is encouraged to verify the obtained results. A future study should also focus on examining the roles of assistive technology service providers by directly observing their daily work activities. The task inventory used in the present study (ATTI) might be utilized to help guide such observations.
本研究的目的是通过实证确定美国辅助技术服务提供商的角色。通过因子分析，确定了以下六个工作角色：(a) 设备选择与维护活动；(b) 环境改造活动；(c) 辅助技术活动信息传播；(d) 辅助设备适用性评估活动；(e) 管理活动；(f) 产品开发活动。所确定的角色可为辅助技术服务提供商的教育或培训课程开发提供潜在指导。这些工作角色类别可被视为辅助技术专家课程中所需的知识领域。所确定的角色还可用于帮助界定辅助技术专业。该定义有助于指导未来合格辅助技术服务提供商认证计划的资格标准和考试内容的制定。对辅助技术服务提供商工作的清晰描述有助于管理人员在服务提供组织（如州康复服务部门和康复医院）内设立所需职位。研究结果对于负责制定辅助技术服务提供商工作角色标准的管理人员可能很有价值。此类标准对于做出有效的招聘和员工评估决策至关重要。此外，研究结果可为使用辅助技术服务的其他专业人员提供辅助技术服务提供商所提供服务的准确情况。当康复团队中的专业人员了解彼此的期望时，就能更好地为客户服务。因此，更好地理解辅助技术服务提供商的角色有助于多学科团队更好地利用他们的服务。这反过来又会增加向客户提供辅助技术服务的机会。鼓励重复本研究以验证所得结果。未来的研究还应侧重于通过直接观察辅助技术服务提供商的日常工作活动来考察其角色。本研究中使用的任务清单（ATTI）可用于帮助指导此类观察。
