DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO :
DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO :
HOW ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IS SUPPORTING LEISURE ACTIVITIES
By : Holly Gormley-Guttu M . Ed ., OTR / L
The Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) ( 2024 ) has coined the term “ Disability Inclusion ” as “ Including people with disabilities in everyday activities and encouraging them to have roles similar to their peers who do not have a disability …”( Disability Inclusion section para . 1 ). Data released from the CDC ( 2024 ) indicated that more than 28 % of adults and 8.56 % of children and youth between the ages of three and 17 years have a disability . Opportunities for inclusion in daily living activities such as play , recreation , and leisure are impacted , sometimes due to environmental barriers , challenges with access , and outdated public perceptions of people with disabilities . The CDC ( 2024 ) noted that factors that support engagement can be the “... availability of assistive technology and devices ” as well as “ family and community support and engagement .”
Public laws and agencies , such as the American with Disabilities Act ( ADA ), The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 ( IDEIA ),
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 : sections 504 and 508 , U . S . Access Board , and the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials ( AEM ) have eased some of these barriers and challenges . The Access Board provides specific information for accessing many leisure activities , such as pool access , play areas , golf courses , and exercise facilities , to name a few environments . The
AEM promotes the availability of educational and instructional materials as well as technology for learners of any age . There are also accessibility features in Windows ( Ease of Access ) and iOS ( Accessibility ) that support visual , auditory , motor and communication access for navigating documents , web pages and more . Therefore , the inclusion of assistive technology ( AT ) has further increased opportunities for participation in activities that are desired and important to people with disabilities . The intent of this article is to share some examples of how AT can be integrated into leisure activities .
What Identifies as a Leisure Activity
There is a central theme in identifying and defining play , recreation , and leisure . These are intrinsically motivating and freely chosen , nonobligatory activities that involve exploration and participation , while balancing other occupations in a person ’ s life . Leisure activities can also be a stepping stone to career choices . One example is longtime gamer , Zach Wigal , founder of Gamers Outreach This non-profit company brings gaming equipment and activities to children in hospitals . Other examples are students in Transition Programs and injured workers in retraining programs . Identifying a person ’ s interests and preferences can open opportunities for work experiences and potentially paid employment . Heister et al . ( 2023 ) noted in their article ,“ Participation in Everyday Leisure and Its Influencing Factors for People with Intellectual
3 Illinois Occupational Therapy Association | 2024 ISSUE 3 / 4