title: Assistive technology access and service delivery in resource-limited environments: introduction to a special issue of Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology.
abstract: This special issue addresses access to and service delivery of assistive technology (AT) in resource-limited environments (RLEs). Access to AT is complicated not simply by limited funds to purchase AT, but by larger ecosystem weaknesses in RLEs related to legislation and policy, supply, distribution, human resources, consumer demand and accessible design. We present eight diverse articles that address various aspects of the AT ecosystem. These articles represent a wide range of AT, many different countries and different research methods. Our goal is to highlight a topic that has received scant research investigation and limited investment in international development efforts, and offer an insight into how different countries and programs are promoting access to AT. We encourage researchers, funders and non-profit organizations to invest additional effort and resources in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington , Seattle, WA , USA .
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harniss
authors.forename: Deepti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Samant Raja
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matter
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D014943:Global Health; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000191:economics* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Assistive technology; low-to-middle income countries; rehabilitation; resource-limited environments; service delivery