Equipment and Assistive Technology Initiaitve

Evaluation of the Equipment and Assistive Technology Initiative (EATI).

Principal Investigator: Lyn Jongbloed, Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC.

Co-investigator: Tim Stainton Professor and Director, Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship, School of Social Work, UBC.

Co-investigator: Donna Drynan, Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, UBC.

Research Assistant: Patricia Johnson, MSW, PhD Student, School of Social Work, UBC.

In partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Social Development, the  BC Personal Supports Network is responsible for delivering the EATI which provides a source of funding for assessment, trialing, acquisition and/or training with equipment and assistive devices for people with disabilities who have employment or voluntarism goals. This project will seek to evaluate the broad impact of the program on users in terms of employment, employment readiness and other impacts.

Funded as part of a Social Sciences & Humanities Council Research grant obtained in March, 2009 ($1 million for 5 years). Mary Ann McColl (Queens University) is the principal investigator of this Disability Policy Alliance, which includes researchers, disability advocators, and policy makers.