Telecommunications, computers and other complementary communication means on behalf of the disabled

Abstract

It took the author eleven months (1-3-1979 to 31-1-1980) to carry out the first part of a study and coordinate a number of working sessions in which he examined the state of the arts and put forward a program for the application of telecommunications, computers and other complementary communication means to the welfare of the disabled. The five areas of study are described in the present article: blindness, deaf-blindness and visual impairment; disability in the family; home-boundness due to disability, chronic illness or advanced age; speech impairments due to non-auditory causes; mental illness and related disorders. The study was carried out as a part of the activities of the "Foundation for the Development of the Social Function of Communications" (Fundacion para el Desarrollo de la Funcion Social de las Comunicaciones) and tries to open up a new perspective in Spain on technological applications for the handicapped. The main feature of the study is the proposal of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technical Aids Centre for the Disabled which starting from the telecommunications area, intends to make available to the handicapped the possibilities offered by technology.