When matching person and technology, you become an
investigator, a detective. You find out what the
different alternatives are within the constraints.
---From Living in the State of Stuck: How Technology
Impacts the Lives of People with Disabilities
The Institute for Matching Person & Technology was formed to better
match users of technologies with the most appropriate devices for their
use. The Institute works to enhance the situation of technology users through
research, assessment, training and consultation.
Do you know persons who avoid the use of technologies? Persons who
have abandoned them? Do you want to prevent or minimize this in the future?
Do you worry that you haven't considered all the important factors affecting
a person's optimal technology use?
Do you wonder if technology use will really result in an improved situation?
Technologies are meant to make our lives easier and better. Unfortunately,
it doesn’t always work out this way. It is important that individuals feel
comfortable with technologies and know how to use them to their benefit.
While a user must adapt to the unique features and demands of a technology,
a technology must be adjusted or adapted to accommodate the individual
needs and preferences of the user. This is true regardless of the type
of technology:
Assistive Technologies – products for persons with physical disabilities
designed to enhance independence and functioning (examples are wheelchairs,
adapted utensils, communication devices).
Educational Technologies - used to help students learn in classroom
settings or at a distance (examples are multimedia delivery systems, self-instructional
software programs).
Workplace Technologies - designed to enhance job performance and
productivity through multi-tasking, networking, telecommuting, and so on
(examples are electronic scheduling devices, telecommunications software).
and General, Everyday, Technologies to make our daily activities
easier, more efficient and pleasurable (examples include automatic (bank)
teller machines, VCR’s).
The Matching Person and Technology (MPT) assessment process is one
means for providing a more personal approach to matching person and technology.
You can learn more about it (and view samples of several assessment forms)
by going to "MPT Assessment Process and Instruments." Hit the BACK
button for an index to other sections of this web site.