Assistive Technology (AT), for What?

Amartya Sen’s seminal Tanner lecture: Equality of What? began a contestation on social justice and human wellbeing that saw new development paradigm emerge—the capability approach (CA)—which has been influential ever since. Following interviews with leading global assistive technology (AT) stakeholders, users, this paper takes inspiration from core question posits, AT for what? arguing should be understood as mechanism to achieve the things users’ value. Significantly, our research found no commonly agreed operational framework (disability) within which stakeholders were operating. Instead, actors loosely aligned through funding priorities CRPD. We suggest raises possibility (welcome needed) incoming diverge efficiently designed collective action, due perverse incentives enabled by unanchored interventions. The Global Report Assistive Technology (GReAT) helps, greatly! However, we find there are still vital gaps in coordination; advances, proliferates, longer can device-plus-service suffice. Rather, those us interested flourishing might explore locating access an disability justice, recognizes broader aims, linked people’s capabilities choose what they do be.