Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for severely communicationally impaired people h... more Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for severely communicationally impaired people has developed with input from clinicians, users and their families, manufacturers, and researchers. A number of users of AAC are now internationally known figures. The increasing power and decreasing size and cost of computer-based technology continually offer new possibilities for improving AAC systems. It is important that such systems take
Despite the building evidence on violence against children globally, almost nothing is known abou... more Despite the building evidence on violence against children globally, almost nothing is known about the violence children with disabilities in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience. The prevalence of violence against children with disabilities can be expected to be higher in LMICs where there are greater stigmas associated with having a child with a disability, less resources for families who have children with disabilities, and wider acceptance of the use of corporal punishment to discipline children. This study explores violence experienced by children with disabilities based on data collected from four countries in West Africa- Guinea, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Togo. A qualitative study design guided data generation with a total of 419 children, community members, and disability stakeholders. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Stakeholders shared their observations of or experiences of violence against children with disabilities in their community in ...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10400435 1990 10132166, Oct 22, 2010
This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabi... more This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabilities who require an augmentative communication system. The tray system offers advantages over existing systems by providing a convenient anterior/posterior tilt feature, a means for stowing the tray when not in use, and a method of accommodating communication systems and powered wheelchair controls. Caregivers of seven subjects fitted with the prototype system assessed its performance through the completion of questionnaires provided at the end of 6-week field trials. The technical performance of the systems was also monitored. The prototype system was favorably received by six participants. Several recommendations are made to further increase consumer acceptance of the final tray design.
Proceedings of the 1st international convention on Rehabilitation engineering & assistive technology in conjunction with 1st Tan Tock Seng Hospital Neurorehabilitation Meeting - i-CREATe '07, 2007
Implementing assistive technology (AT) service delivery system is a complex task that goes well b... more Implementing assistive technology (AT) service delivery system is a complex task that goes well beyond finding and/or developing the appropriate technologies. It requires a concerted effort incorporating policies in nations and sub-sectors of that nation which may involve interaction with Ministries as including: Education, Public Health, Social Welfare, and Labor. It requires development of a delivery system which is compatible
International fieldwork placements (IFPs) have become very popular among healthcare students incl... more International fieldwork placements (IFPs) have become very popular among healthcare students including those in occupational therapy programmes. There are many potential benefits that can accrue to the students; however, there are critiques of international placements especially for students going to underserviced areas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study/model programme description that critically reflects on six partnerships in three underserviced countries that provide IFPs to students from one Canadian university. The personal opinions of each partner were collected verbally, by email and by a qualitative review of the past 10 years of partnership interaction. Some of the benefits reported by partners include the development of an increased number of sustainable long-term quality placements, orientation materials, student supports and the involvement of university faculty in research and capacity building projects in partner countries. A number of challenges were identified including the need for an expanded formal agreement, more bilateral feedback and examination of supervision models. This paper examines a limited number of partnerships with only one Canadian partner. Direct input of students is not utilized, although feedback given to co-authors by students is reflected. More research is needed on perspectives of partners in IFPs, impact of IFPs on clinical practice in student's home countries, impact of IFPS on underserviced areas and effective strategies for debriefing.
... The Form and Use of Written Communication Produced by Physically Disabled Individuals Using M... more ... The Form and Use of Written Communication Produced by Physically Disabled Individuals Using Microcomputers Alison Kelford Smith, Susan Thurston, Janice Light, Penny Parnes, and Bernard O'Keefe Augmentative Communication Service, Hugh MacMillan ... 'K.) ...
This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabi... more This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabilities who require an augmentative communication system. The tray system offers advantages over existing systems by providing a convenient anterior/posterior tilt feature, a means for stowing the tray when not in use, and a method of accommodating communication systems and powered wheelchair controls. Caregivers of seven subjects fitted with the prototype system assessed its performance through the completion of questionnaires provided at the end of 6-week field trials. The technical performance of the systems was also monitored. The prototype system was favorably received by six participants. Several recommendations are made to further increase consumer acceptance of the final tray design.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for severely communicationally impaired people h... more Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for severely communicationally impaired people has developed with input from clinicians, users and their families, manufacturers, and researchers. A number of users of AAC are now internationally known figures. The increasing power and decreasing size and cost of computer-based technology continually offer new possibilities for improving AAC systems. It is important that such systems take
Despite the building evidence on violence against children globally, almost nothing is known abou... more Despite the building evidence on violence against children globally, almost nothing is known about the violence children with disabilities in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) experience. The prevalence of violence against children with disabilities can be expected to be higher in LMICs where there are greater stigmas associated with having a child with a disability, less resources for families who have children with disabilities, and wider acceptance of the use of corporal punishment to discipline children. This study explores violence experienced by children with disabilities based on data collected from four countries in West Africa- Guinea, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Togo. A qualitative study design guided data generation with a total of 419 children, community members, and disability stakeholders. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Stakeholders shared their observations of or experiences of violence against children with disabilities in their community in ...
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 10400435 1990 10132166, Oct 22, 2010
This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabi... more This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabilities who require an augmentative communication system. The tray system offers advantages over existing systems by providing a convenient anterior/posterior tilt feature, a means for stowing the tray when not in use, and a method of accommodating communication systems and powered wheelchair controls. Caregivers of seven subjects fitted with the prototype system assessed its performance through the completion of questionnaires provided at the end of 6-week field trials. The technical performance of the systems was also monitored. The prototype system was favorably received by six participants. Several recommendations are made to further increase consumer acceptance of the final tray design.
Proceedings of the 1st international convention on Rehabilitation engineering & assistive technology in conjunction with 1st Tan Tock Seng Hospital Neurorehabilitation Meeting - i-CREATe '07, 2007
Implementing assistive technology (AT) service delivery system is a complex task that goes well b... more Implementing assistive technology (AT) service delivery system is a complex task that goes well beyond finding and/or developing the appropriate technologies. It requires a concerted effort incorporating policies in nations and sub-sectors of that nation which may involve interaction with Ministries as including: Education, Public Health, Social Welfare, and Labor. It requires development of a delivery system which is compatible
International fieldwork placements (IFPs) have become very popular among healthcare students incl... more International fieldwork placements (IFPs) have become very popular among healthcare students including those in occupational therapy programmes. There are many potential benefits that can accrue to the students; however, there are critiques of international placements especially for students going to underserviced areas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a case study/model programme description that critically reflects on six partnerships in three underserviced countries that provide IFPs to students from one Canadian university. The personal opinions of each partner were collected verbally, by email and by a qualitative review of the past 10 years of partnership interaction. Some of the benefits reported by partners include the development of an increased number of sustainable long-term quality placements, orientation materials, student supports and the involvement of university faculty in research and capacity building projects in partner countries. A number of challenges were identified including the need for an expanded formal agreement, more bilateral feedback and examination of supervision models. This paper examines a limited number of partnerships with only one Canadian partner. Direct input of students is not utilized, although feedback given to co-authors by students is reflected. More research is needed on perspectives of partners in IFPs, impact of IFPs on clinical practice in student's home countries, impact of IFPS on underserviced areas and effective strategies for debriefing.
... The Form and Use of Written Communication Produced by Physically Disabled Individuals Using M... more ... The Form and Use of Written Communication Produced by Physically Disabled Individuals Using Microcomputers Alison Kelford Smith, Susan Thurston, Janice Light, Penny Parnes, and Bernard O'Keefe Augmentative Communication Service, Hugh MacMillan ... 'K.) ...
This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabi... more This paper describes the development of a wheelchair tray system for persons with physical disabilities who require an augmentative communication system. The tray system offers advantages over existing systems by providing a convenient anterior/posterior tilt feature, a means for stowing the tray when not in use, and a method of accommodating communication systems and powered wheelchair controls. Caregivers of seven subjects fitted with the prototype system assessed its performance through the completion of questionnaires provided at the end of 6-week field trials. The technical performance of the systems was also monitored. The prototype system was favorably received by six participants. Several recommendations are made to further increase consumer acceptance of the final tray design.
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Papers by Penny Parnes