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This paper describes the development and preliminary evaluation of a novel participant‐led video (PLV) intervention to support people with disability (PWD) and cognitive and communication impairments to communicate their needs and preferences to their disability support workers. The PLV intervention was designed following a scoping literature review and workshop with PWD and close others. Subsequently, it was piloted with five primary participants with acquired brain injury and cognitive and communication impairments, five close other supporters and five facilitators. An independent mixed methods evaluation of the pilot was conducted with participants, close others and facilitators. All pilot evaluation participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the PLV intervention (mean ratings: primary participants 4.5/5.0; supporters 5.0/5.0; facilitators 4.8/5.0). When primary participants and their supporters were asked to rate how likely they were to recommend the PLV intervention, responses were extremely positive with the mean rating exceeding eight on a 10‐point scale. Qualitative analysis of interview data revealed the PLV to be a person‐centred experience for primary participants that was structured around sense of self and included having a voice and taking control in directing their lives, personal growth through participation and feeling validated through the experience. The production and use of PLV training resources has much potential to improve the delivery of support and maximise support outcomes by enabling people with cognitive and communication impairments to have choice and control, set their own goals and direct their supports. Further research is required with a larger sample size and longitudinal evaluation of participant outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to examine use of electronic assistive technology for social networking by people with disability living in shared supported accommodation (SSA), and compare participants' Electronic Social Networking (ESN) integration with Australian ESN normative data. Method: Telephone surveys and the ESN subscale of the Community Integration Questionnaire-Revised (CIQ-R) were administered with SSA managers. Surveys gathered demographic data, and data on Internet access, technology use and ESN integration, of 91 people with disability who were identified technology users and living in SSA. Participant ESN data were then matched with existing CIQ-R ESN normative data (N = 359). Relative risk of reduced ESN integration was calculated. Results: This study identified that, despite access to mainstream technologies, people with disability living in SSA experience low ESN integration, and use ESN for social contact less than other Australians. This group were 210% more likely to report reduced ESN integration than the matched normative sample when key demographic variables were held constant. Conclusions: Factors related to disability, including high care and support needs and greater time spent completing essential activities of daily living (such as personal care), may explain the low electronic social networking integration for people with disability living in SSA identified in this study. Further research that examines factors that influence ESN access and use following disability is necessary to inform practice to bridge the digital divide that exists between this group and other Australians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic assistive technologies (EATs) are fast becoming considered an essential component of everyday life. To date, there has been little research on the use of EAT by people living in shared supported accommodation (SSA), one of the major community-based housing options for people with disability (PwD) in Australia. This study aimed to (1) audit current EAT use by PwD living in SSA, (2) describe the impact of Internet access on EAT use, and (3) examine potential relationships between individual characteristics and EAT use. A customized survey administered with 32 house managers, representing 52 SSAs, gathered data on the EAT use of 254 people. Only 45.7% of residents used EAT, and devices available to the mainstream market were most frequently used. Access to home-based Internet was not a predictor of the number of devices in use. Disability type (congenital or acquired) was found to be significantly correlated with the number of devices in use, however, associations across a number of variables suggest complex mediational interactions. These findings provide an insight into the EAT use trends of PwD living in SSA, indicating that further work needs to be done to support the uptake and continued use of EAT by PwD Implications for Rehabilitation: Further work needs to be done to promote the uptake and use of electronic assistive technology (EAT) by people with disability (PwD). Personal characteristics and experiences need to be considered in the prescription of EAT to PwD, as these may explain variations in use between individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]