Consumerism and outreach to underrepresented populations

Abstract

One of the outgrowths of the independent living philosophy is the emphasis on consumer-responsive assistive technology services. Such services emphasize active consumer involvement in all stages of service delivery with consumer satisfaction as the ultimate goal. Related to this issue is the burgeoning concern over meeting the assistive technology needs of underrepresented populations. It has become clear that many people with disabilities who are also members of ethnic/cultural minority groups are not being well served by the current system. Culturally sensitive outreach and services are critically needed among these groups to enable them to benefit from assistive technology services.