Perspective Chapter: Vocational Rehabilitation, Information, Communication Technology, and Assistive Technology Devices for Employment

Abstract

This paper aims to clarify the present and future of ICT and AT devices in the field of vocational rehabilitation in Japan through a literature review. The spread of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has led to a rise in the number of telework and remote employment support for persons with disabilities. Such practices are very likely to use ICT, such as email and web conferencing services, as well as associated AT devices. Accordingly, clarifying the current status and future of ICT and AT devices for vocational rehabilitation will be useful in improving the quality of employment support for people with disabilities. First, the devices introduced by disability type on the web page of a public rehabilitation organization in Japan, are summarized, in order to present an overall picture of the status of ICT and AT devices for employment. Secondly, a systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA flow diagram to identify trends in research on ICT and AT devices for employment of persons with disabilities. The database search and hand search resulted in the selection of 36 papers. The selected studies were classified into “type of disability” targeted and “employment support setting” based on the study objective and content.

1. Introduction

1.1 Current situation of ICT and AT devices

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications [1], in recent years, information and communication technology (ICT) has become a common entity in Japan, with over 90% of households owning a mobile device such as a cellphone or smartphone. As Apple [2] and Vector inc. [3] point out, these mobile devices include a variety of assistive functions and applications that can be utilized by people with disabilities, such as text-to-speech and speech-to-text, and the line between ICT and assistive technology (AT) devices is beginning to blur.

Additionally, the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020 has led to a rise in the number of companies practicing telework and employment support institutions for persons with disabilities offering remote support [4, 5]. Such telework and remote support practices are very likely to use ICT, such as email and web conferencing services, as well as associated AT devices. Accordingly, clarifying the current status and future of ICT and AT devices for vocational rehabilitation that are used in employment support and working life (hereinafter, ICT and AT devices for employment) will be useful in improving the quality of work and employment support for people with disabilities in the future.

1.2 Changing needs and expectations for ICT and AT devices

In Japan, changes in the needs of people with disabilities due to COVID-19 were discussed at the Labor Policy Council Group Discussion for Employment of Persons with disabilities in October 2020. With respect to a basic understanding of the current situation, they indicated a “growing need for online employment support and telework in response to technological innovations and the novel coronavirus.” Furthermore, they presented “consideration of future strategies, including training of those who already have a job and online training in accordance with diverse needs, in coordination with human resource development policy” as a course of action for the time being [6]. Further, in November 2020, it was noted that “the spread of a workstyle applying digital technologies such as telework and robotics also has the potential to increase opportunities that enable active participation by people with disabilities for whom employment has previously been difficult” [7]. In other words, there are great expectations for the effective application of new technologies regarding work and employment support for people with disabilities.

1.3 The objective of this paper

In light of these circumstances, this paper aims to clarify the present and future of ICT and AT devices in the field of vocational rehabilitation in Japan through a literature review.

The terms used in this paper are defined as follows: ICT is a generic term for the information and communication environment, including devices used for information and communication. Assistive technology (AT) devices are devices used to reduce the challenges and barriers resulting from the disability and are not limited to devices designed specifically for people with disabilities.

2. Approaches to ICT and AT devices for employment

2.1 ICT and AT devices and assistive technology

The ICT and AT devices discussed in this paper can broadly be defined as assistive technologies (AT). AT was first defined in this way in the United States Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988 [8]. In this law, AT is divided into assistive technology devices and assistive technology services, which are defined as follows: “the term ‘assistive technology device’ means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.” “The term ‘assistive technology service’ means any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in selecting, acquiring, or using an assistive technology device.” Such a term includes evaluation and examination; purchasing, leasing, or otherwise providing for acquisition; selecting, designing, customizing, or repairing; and training or technical assistance [9].

2.2 The International organization for standardization (ISO) and the international classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF)

The International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) ISO9999: Assistive Products for Persons with Disability—Classification and Terminology and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) (2002) [10] International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) offer exemplary, international definitions related to ICT and AT devices.

First, ISO9999, an international standard for assistive product classification, defines an assistive product as “any product (including devices, equipment, instruments, and software), especially produced or generally available, used by or for persons with disability for participation, to protect, support, train, measure or substitute for body functions/structures or activities, or to prevent impairments, activity limitations, or participation restrictions” [11]. The ISO9999 (2011 edition) establishes the following 12 major classifications: “medical devices,” “technical and training devices,” “artificial limbs,” personal care-related devices,” “mobility equipment,” “household devices,” “furnishings, fixtures, architectural accommodations,” “communication and information support devices,” “devices for handling objects,” “environment-enhancing equipment/work-related devices,” “employment/job training devices,” and “recreation devices” [12]. The ISO9999 includes a classification for employment-related devices, but in a broader sense, any other devices necessary for employment could also be considered employment-related devices.

Subsequently, in the ICF, an individual’s everyday functioning is described as an interaction of health, functioning (1. body and mental functions and body structure, 2. activities, 3. participation), and background factors (1. environmental factors, 2. individual factors). The components of the ICF have a hierarchical structure. “Products and technology” is a sub-classification of environmental factors and includes the further sub-classification of “products and technology for employment.” ICT and AT devices for employment would primarily fall into this sub-classification.

3. The status of ICT and AT devices for employment

In this section, the devices currently introduced by disability type on the AT devices for employment page of the National Institute of Vocational Rehabilitation website [13], a public rehabilitation organization in Japan, are summarized as shown in Table 1¹, in order to present an overall picture of the status of ICT and AT devices for employment. As of January 2021, the page featured devices for six types of disability. Note that devices for psychiatric disorders and higher brain dysfunction are not included.²

Type of disability
		Visual	Hearing	Upper limb	Lower limb	Intellectual	Developmental
Device	Main function
Screen Reading Software	Text-to-speech for PC screen, text, keyboard, etc.	〇
Screen Magnification Software	Magnification of images and text and text-to-speech	〇
Magnification reader	Stationary and portable versions are available	〇
Character Recognition	Speech-to-Speech of Printed Text and Braille	〇
Braille-related equipment	Creates Braille, displays Braille, and reads Braille aloud	〇
Signaling devices	Light, vibration, and sound notification of information	〇	〇
Speech Recognition	Transcribes speech of conversations and calls	〇	〇	〇
Hearing aid systems	Transmit, receive, and convert speech into audible sound		〇
Writing devices	Message boards, typing, and speech-to-speech, handwritten chat		〇
Telephone-related equipment	Volume amplification, pitch adjustment, and voice transcription		〇	〇
PC input-related equipment	Input and operation aids, mouse for feet, and mouth			〇
Environmental conditioning equipment	AT devices for upper limb disabilities, timers for intellectual, and developmental disabilities, partitions and headphones to block stimuli for developmental disabilities, and weighting devices for sensory support for developmental disabilities			〇		〇	〇
Others	AT devices for upper limb disabilities, timers for intellectual, and developmental disabilities, partitions and headphones to block stimuli for developmental disabilities, and weighting devices for sensory support for developmental disabilities; Input, work support, and recording for the visually impaired; immobilization and grip support for the upper limb impaired; and power wheelchairs and elevating desks for the lower limb impaired.	〇		〇	〇

Table 1.

Assistive technology devices for employment by disability type (National Institute of vocational rehabilitation).

Here, the primary feature of the disability and its necessary devices will be described. First, for visual impairment, devices related to text-to-speech, magnification of images and text, and input or display of braille have been introduced. Next, for hearing impairment, devices for non-audio notifications, speech-to-text, aiding communication, and adjusting volume and voice have been introduced. For upper limb disability, there is impaired function of the hands or fingers, and devices for speech-to-text without using hands, assisting input using means other than the hands, and aiding holding and gripping have been introduced. In lower limb disability, there is impaired function of the feet or legs, and wheelchairs and height-adjustable desk devices for use in the workplace have been introduced. In intellectual disability, there is impaired cognitive function (e.g., intellectual function), and a timer for self-management of work schedules and other tasks has been introduced. Regarding developmental disability, timers presenting time visually have been introduced for instances involving difficulty in understanding clocks, and devices reducing visual and auditory stimulation have been introduced for sensory hypersensitivity [13].

Some devices can be used in multiple disorders, including “signaling devices” with a notification function, which can be used in visual impairment and hearing impairment; “voice recognition” capable of speech-to-text used in visual impairment, hearing impairment, and upper limb disability; and “phone-related devices” capable of adjusting volume or voice, or speech-to-text, used in hearing impairment and upper limb disability. Among “environmental control devices,” weighted chain vests and blankets have been introduced as an aid for physical sensation in people with developmental disorders. However, Ekholm et al. [14] reported that these tools are also effective for people with psychiatric disorders. Thus, when it comes to ICT and AT devices for employment, it is essential to choose the appropriate device considering not only the type of disability but also the challenges that the support recipient needs assistance with.

4. Previous studies regarding ICT and AT devices for employment

4.1 Research trends

4.1.1 Research question and method

This section discusses a literature review conducted to identify trends in research on ICT and AT devices for employment. A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA flow diagram.³ Details of the protocol and a flow chart are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1.

Procedure of the present study.

4.1.1.1 Database search

4.1.1.1.1 CiNii (National institute of informatics)

Papers were searched using a mixture of terms related to employment, disability, ICT, and AT devices. Search terms were: (employment OR work OR occupation) AND (disability OR disabled) AND (ICT OR information and communication technology OR information device OR tablet device OR smartphone OR cellphone OR assistive technology device OR assistive technology). Note that these terms were searched in Japanese. The search resulted in the selection of 88 papers.

4.1.1.1.2 Organizational chart of studies on vocational rehabilitation (National institute of vocational rehabilitation)

This organizational chart arranges reports from the National Institute of Vocational Rehabilitation using frameworks such as “the relationship with ICF,” and can be used to search reports connected to relevant sub-items [15]. For example, in the present paper, relevant reports were selected from the ICF environmental factor sub-items of “understanding the status of use, needs, etc. of employment assistive technology devices,” “development of employment assistive technology devices,” and participation sub-item “research on understanding the status of diverse workstyles, etc. among people with disabilities.” The search resulted in the selection of 12 papers.

4.1.1.2 Hand search

Relevant papers were identified from the references of the papers selected in A and B above. The search resulted in the selection of four papers.

4.1.1.3 Exclusion criteria and number of papers/studies

First, duplicate papers were excluded. Academic conference abstracts and symposium lecture transcripts were also eliminated from the selected papers. For separate reports or articles that were clearly reporting the same research results, only the most recent study was counted. Subsequently, the selected papers were collected, and articles that did not correspond to the research question were eliminated based on the title, abstract, and main text.⁴ This resulted in the selection of 30 papers.

Studies were then extracted from the papers and counted. Each separate objective or method of survey, development, implementation, etc., was, respectively, counted as one study. Thus, a single paper or report sometimes yielded multiple studies. Ultimately, 30 papers containing 36 studies were extracted.

4.1.2 Study counts

The 36 selected studies were classified into the “type of disability” targeted, and “employment support setting (general, consultation/training, expanding range of work, employment, continued employment)” based on the study objective and content. For the classification of employment support settings, those studies that are not limited to specific support settings are classified as “general”, those related to pre-employment vocational counseling, learning, and training as “counseling and training”, those aiming to expand into new occupations or duties as “expanding range of work”, those related to the actual workplace as “employment”, and those related to continued employment for those who developed new disabilities during employment as “continued employment”. The results are shown in Table 2. Looking at the results for the number of studies by type of disability, we found that the most common type was physical disability, with 20 studies. Considering the employment support setting, the most common was employment with 12 studies. However, classifications of disability and employment support settings were made based on the study objective and content in order to understand research trends. In reality, ICT and AT devices could likely be applied to other disabilities and settings depending on the employment challenges and goals of support.

Employment support setting	General	Consultation/ training	Expanding; range of work	Employment	Continued employment	Total
Type of disability
All Disabilities	3	4	4	—	—	11
Physical disability	2; (Ortho/visual 1・Ortho 1)	2; (Ortho 2)	3; (Ortho 1・visual 2)	12; (Ortho 2・visual 10)	1; (Visual 1)	20
intellectual disability	—	2	—	—	—	2
Psychiatric disorder	—	—	1	—	—	1
Developmental disability	1	—	—	—	—	1
Higher brain dysfunction	2	—	—	—	—	2
Intractable disease	1	—	—	—	—	1
Multiple disability	—	—	—	2	—	2
Total	9	8	8	14	1	40

Table 2.

Research papers on ICT and AT devices in vocational rehabilitation.

*For physical disabilities, a breakdown of the specific disability types has been provided in parentheses if the information was available.

*Ortho = orthopedic impairment, visual = visual impairment.

4.1.3 Summary of research content

The content of the selected studies is shown in Table 3. Here, surveys, developments, implementations, and secondary analyses have been compiled by employment support setting and summarized.

Setting	Literature	Contents
General	All Disabilities
	Toyo University Research Center for Development of Welfare Society [16]	[Survey] Online questionnaire survey was conducted to 2400 work support centers for continuous employment type B regarding the actual conditions of ICT use and awareness. (361 centers responded, collection rate of 15.0%). Summarized the status of ICT maintenance, utilization by terminal and purpose, and awareness of ICT utilization
	Jonishi et al., [17]	[Secondary analysis] Secondary analysis of open-ended responses from survey data from Toyo University Research Center for Development of Welfare Society, (2019). Summarized the actual conditions and challenges of ICT utilization.
	Seino et al., [18]	[Secondary analysis] Secondary analysis of survey data from Toyo University Research Center for Development of Welfare Society (2019), including both selective and open-ended responses. Summarized the actual conditions and challenges of ICT utilization by disability type.
	Physical disability (Orthopedic impairment /visual impairment)
	Sasaki et al., [19]	[Survey] Questionnaire survey of centers regarding job requirements (4131 valid responses, 39.1% response rate). Group interviews with five persons with orthopedic impairment and six persons with visual impairment who use personal computers regarding their needs for the development of AT devices.
	Physical disability (Orthopedic impairment)
	Miyazaki et al., [20]	[Development] Development of customizable smartphone user interfaces.
	Developmental disability
	Takezawa et al., [21]	[Survey] Two persons with autism spectrum disorder were lent a Time Aid to assist with time management for trial use, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate environmental adjustments and other conditions that would be useful in employment support situations.
	Higher brain dysfunction
	Nakayama et al., [22]	[Development] Development of a cellphone application to assist persons with memory impairment, attention disorder, or executive dysfunction. Evaluation in a vocational training assignment. Functions developed were a work procedure display function, a schedule management function, and an alarm function. Conducted a histogram creation task for use in job training for five people with higher brain dysfunction and verified the effectiveness.
	National Institute of Vocational Rehabilitation, [23]	[Implementation] In order to impart knowledge of AT and create opportunities for its utilization, group work on the theme of AT utilization was conducted with five subjects with higher brain dysfunction. In the course of the group work, a questionnaire was conducted on the knowledge of AT and its utilization.
	Intractable disease
	Haruna, [24]	Theoretical discussion of life functions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mentioned the possibility of employment through the use of ICT and AT devices
Consultation/training	All Disabilities
	Togasaki, [25]	[Implementation] Implementation by the mailing list CWF-CONSUL to promote employment and case studies of consultations
	Tsuji et al., [26]	[Survey] Questionnaire survey of schools, students, and teachers of special-needs schools in Miyazaki Prefecture and adults with disabilities regarding the actual status of ICT utilization (184 responses, 49.3% collection rate). Summarized challenges in ICT utilization, job hunting, and other issues.
	Shimura et al., [27]	[Implementation] Implemented support using mobile terminals and applications was provided to three users of a multifunctional center that provides employment support, and the effects of ICT utilization were discussed.
	Takezawa et al., [28]	[Development] Development of ITC materials for learning the communication of assertiveness in the workplace. Online, quiz-style learning. Development with the participation of the people with developmental disabilities and the employees of the company to collect their opinions during the development process.
	Physical disability (Orthopedic impairment)
	Togasaki, [25] (Reprinted)	[Implementation] Simulated at-home training was conducted with three people with physical disabilities in order to clarify the environmental conditions necessary for at-home training
	Tsuji et al., [26]; (Reprinted)	[Development] Development of an e-learning educational support system for learning business software.
	Intellectual disability
	Osugi et al., [29]	[Development] [Implementation] Developed a cell phone web bulletin board for learning about vocational life and social independence on a network. Trials were conducted with five people with disabilities (graduates of special-needs schools) who are working and five students from the upper secondary school of special-needs schools.
	Koizumi et al., [30]	[Secondary analysis] Secondary analysis of survey data from Toyo University Research Center for Development of Welfare Society (2019). Summarized the use of tablet devices in work support centers for continuous employment type B that support people with intellectual disabilities.
Expanding; range of work	All Disabilities
	Takano, [31]	The actual conditions of 17 work from home support groups are summarized from the literature, and the problems of the support system for people with disabilities working from home are discussed.
	Takano, [32]	[Survey] Interviews were conducted with 13 work from home support groups, and the groups were categorized into three types: “business-oriented,” “party-established,” and “support-oriented.
	Yamaoka et al., [33]	[Survey] Questionnaire survey of 107 work support centers for persons with disabilities (support for transition to employment, support for continuous employment A and B, etc.) that conduct work using personal computers (50 centers responded, 46.7% response rate). Examined the possibility of work using ICT and working from home.
	Yamaoka et al., [34]	[Survey] Analyzed the results of Yamaoka et al.’s [33] questionnaire survey of work support centers for people with disabilities that conduct work using computers. Interview survey of six work support centers for persons with disabilities. Examined the possibility of work using ICT and work from home.
	Physical disability (Orthopedic impairment)
	Okada et al., [35]	[Development] Development of large and small special keyboards for people with upper limb disabilities.
	Physical disability (visual impairment)
	Igarashi et al., [36]	[Survey] Survey of character layout in schools for the visually impaired and classes with low vision in elementary schools for the development of magnification materials (number of respondents: 206 with horizontal writing).
	Okada et al., [37]	[Development] Prototype of Windows screen reading software. Trial evaluation by 51 people with visual impairments.
	Psychiatric disorder
	Yamaoka, [38]	[Survey] Interviews were conducted with two companies introducing work from home programs for persons with psychiatric disorders. Summarized the actual conditions of telework and ICT use for people with psychiatric disorders and the challenges they face.
Employment	Physical disability (Orthopedic impairment)
	Sakajiri et al., [39]	[Survey] Group interview survey of six people with lower limb disabilities about their wheelchair needs in work situations, questionnaire survey of 17 indoor wheelchair users, etc.
	Sakajiri et al., [39] (Reprinted)	[Development] Development of an office wheelchair for people with lower limb disabilities. Driving tests and evaluation
	Physical disability (visual impairment)
	Okada et al. [40]	Summarize ICT and assistive devices that can be used by the people with visual impairments in work situations.
	Okada et al. [41]	[Survey] Questionnaire survey of people with low vision on the use of magnifying devices for reading (115 cases collected from 109 people)
	Okada et al. [41](Reprinted)	[Development] Prototype of a compact and lightweight magnifying device for reading. Trial evaluation by three people with low vision
	Watanabe et al., [42]	[Survey] Questionnaire survey on the use of Windows PCs among the people with visual impairments (81 respondents)
	Watanabe et al., [43]	[Development] Development of a tactile mouse with a small tactile display
	Watanabe et al., [43] (Reprinted)	[Development] Development of a two-dimensional tactile display system。
	Okada, [44]	[Development] Development of a space-saving magnifying device for reading.
	Okada, [44] (Reprinted)	[Development] Development of a portable on-premises magnifying device for reading
	Okada [45]	[Survey] Questionnaire survey of 33 persons with low vision regarding their use of assistive devices and their needs for improvement, including interviews with 12 of them
	Multiple disability(hearing disability/visual impairment)
	Sakajiri et al., [46]	[Development] Development of finger Braille support systems for communication.
	Sakajiri et al., [46] (Reprinted)	[Development] Development of a tactile display system for kana display for people with hearing and visual impairment who have not mastered Braille
Continued; employment	Physical disability (visual impairment)
	Okada et al., [40]; (Reprinted)	Summarize training items and ICT/assistive devices used for vocational training for continued employment of people with intermediate visual impairment.

Table 3.

Content of studies on ICT and AT devices for employment support.

*At the start of each content description, the study method has been provided in brackets as “development,” “survey,” “implementation,” or “secondary analysis.” Unlabeled studies are either literature surveys or theoretical discussions.

4.1.3.1 General

Studies concerned with general employment support settings were as follows: Among studies targeting all disabilities, “surveys” included a survey of the actual conditions of ICT use at work support centers for continuous employment type B, which reported the conditions of ICT use in supporting and contacting clients as of 2018, before the impacts of COVID-19 [16]. The report found that ICT was used in direct support for “creation of support plans” (69.6%), “creation of support records” (64.0%), “work instruction, etc.” (40.2%), “communication” (25.4%), and “leisure” (32.8%). Further, 34.1% of facilities felt that “email should be used in contacting clients” and 19.0% felt that “Social Networking Service (SNS) such as Line should be used in contacting clients”; 32.0% and 16.6% were actually using “email” and “SNS such as Line,” respectively, to contact clients. These figures have likely changed drastically since then, considering the current need for online contact and consultation due to COVID-19. Next, there were two “secondary analyses” using the same survey data: a report on the challenges of utilizing assistive products [17] and a report on differences in the actual conditions and possibilities for the use of ICT and AT devices for different disability types [18]. Among studies targeting physical disabilities, “surveys” assessed the need for AT devices for physical disabilities and visual impairments [19], and “developments” included the development of an assistive input function for smartphones regarding physical disabilities [20]. Among studies targeting developmental disabilities, “surveys” included a survey report on the conditions of effective use of time aids supporting time management [21]. Regarding studies targeting higher brain dysfunction, “developments” included the development of a cellphone application supporting task performance [22], and “implementations” included a report on group work for AT use [23].

4.1.3.2 Consultation/training

Studies concerned with consultation/training settings were as follows: Among studies targeting all disabilities, “surveys” included a survey of the actual conditions of ICT use [26], “developments” included the development of teaching materials for learning workplace communication online [28], and “implementations” included consultation using a mailing list [25]) and support using an iPad and an application [27]. Among studies targeting physical disabilities, “developments” included the development of an e-learning system for physical disabilities [26], and “implementations” included a report on at-home training courses for physical disabilities [25]. Regarding studies targeting intellectual disabilities, “developments” and “implementations” included the development and implementation of a web bulletin board for learning support [29], and “secondary analyses” included the introduction of devices at welfare centers [30]. Of these studies, those concerning online consultation/training will be particularly helpful as tools aiding remote support. Moreover, given the likelihood that remote support needs will persist and grow going forward, further development and validation of the effectiveness of such systems and tools enabling remote consultation and learning for people with disabilities are expected in the future.

4.1.3.3 Expanding range of work

Studies concerned with expanding the range of work settings were as follows: Among studies targeting all disabilities, “surveys” included surveys of the actual conditions of work from home support groups [32] and of work support centers conducting operations using personal computers [33, 34]. Next, among studies targeting physical disabilities, “surveys” included a survey of character layouts for the development of teaching materials for visual impairments [36], and “developments” included the development of a keyboard for upper limb disabilities [35] and screen reading software for visual impairments [37]. Among studies targeting psychiatric disorders, “surveys” included a survey of the actual conditions of telework and ICT use [38].

4.1.3.4 Employment

Studies concerned with employment settings were as follows: Among studies targeting physical disabilities, “surveys” included surveys of the wheelchair needs in physical disabilities [39], the status of use of magnifying devices for reading regarding visual impairments [41], personal computer use [42], and the status of use and improvement needs for devices [45]; “developments” included the development of an office-use wheelchair for physical disabilities [39] a magnifying device for reading for visual impairments [41, 44], a tactile mouse and tactile display [43], and finger braille support and a tactile display for people with both hearing and visual impairments [46].

4.1.4 Summary of research trends

Looking at past studies by disability type, most were on the development of AT devices without communication functions for people with physical disabilities. Potential reasons for this include that, in the narrow sense, “AT devices” refer to assistive devices such as artificial limbs for people with physical disabilities, and that the functional impairments of physical disabilities tend to match the characteristics of devices that support or replace the function in terms of suitability. However, considering the current growing need for remote support and telework, the accumulation of more research on the use and application of ICT and AT devices for other types of disabilities can be expected in the future. One helpful example of this is SPIS (Supporting People to Improve Stability), a support system helping people with psychiatric disorders and developmental disabilities keep their jobs [47]. According to the SPIS Research Institute [47], SPIS is a daily report system that monitors mood, physical condition, work, and interactions with others used for work management and self-monitoring. This kind of system can also be considered an ICT and AT device. With the current decline in opportunities to meet face-to-face with others due to the transition to telework, tools that can be managed remotely, like SPIS, are likely to be particularly effective.

Although it was not addressed in this review, it is quite possible that ordinary device functions and general applications unrelated to disabilities are being used by people with disabilities for employment purposes. In other words, devices that were not developed specifically for people with disabilities or employment may be used for employment purposes. As these devices are not new, they get little research coverage, but gathering information and ideas for the use of such devices through implementation reports and sharing usage examples may be useful for providing support.

4.1.5 Expectations for development

This review included survey, development, implementation, and other study methods, but the most distinctive was development. Research on conventional support includes the development of teaching materials and programs, but the development of technology and products, including cutting-edge engineering techniques, are a unique feature of studies of ICT and AT devices. Specifically, the participation of future users in the development process, as taken by Takezawa et al. [28], and multidisciplinary collaborative research and development in which interpersonal support professionals from the fields of welfare and medicine collaborate with engineering researchers are likely to be effective.

5. Conclusion

This paper first presented a basic framework of approaches to ICT and AT devices for employment, clarified the status of such devices in Japan, and identified research trends. At present, a good amount of information on implementation and research on ICT and AT devices for employment has been collected. However, the following three issues are challenges to be addressed in the future: First, the scope of ICT and AT devices for employment is not clear. Second, there is a dearth of research on AT devices for non-physical disabilities. Third, many of the studies are reported as bulletins and implementation reports; there has been little validation through scientific research. The efforts described below may be effective in resolving these challenges. Regarding the first challenge, the findings on ICT and AT devices necessary for everyday and professional life (e.g., mobility), in settings other than those directly related to employment (e.g., training, work duties), should be comprehensively compiled. For the second challenge, as Shiruma et al. [27] suggest, findings from the field of special education in which the use of ICT and AT devices such as tablets is particularly advanced should be referenced. Moreover, ICT and AT devices for employment should be viewed more widely, including self-care and stress monitoring tools like the SPIS system for psychiatric disorders described above, not just tools compensating for functional disabilities. Concerning the third challenge, practical, scientific research with participation and implementation by people with disabilities should be promoted. The increase in telework and remote work accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a greater need to use ICT and AT devices to perform duties, manage work, and support and contact clients, thereby accelerating its use. The accumulation of further research and implementation initiatives is hoped to improve the effectiveness of ICT and AT device applications in the future.

Future prospects include the potential to facilitate employment and an expanded range of work for people with disabilities through both the effective use of existing technologies and products, and the development of new technologies and products. Furthermore, when developing new ICT and AT devices, it will likely be effective to promote collaboration with multidisciplinary professionals and participation by people with disabilities in research and development, as has been highlighted in recent years.

The following are two limitations of the present paper: First, since the paper dealt only with previous studies on employment of people with disabilities, it did not consider general devices unrelated to disabilities or settings outside of training and work. Second, the organization of devices focused on disability types and employment settings, and therefore did not compile devices from other perspectives, such as type of difficulty or disability severity. These are challenges for future research.

It is hoped that the response to COVID-19 will be used as an opportunity for those involved in employment support to take a fresh look at how ICT and AT devices should be used for employment, thereby contributing to the realization of better professional lives.

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to Towako Saito (Research Institute of National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities) for carefully proofreading the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript.

Note

This paper is a new version of the following non-refereed manuscript with significant additions and changes.

Seino K. Vocational rehabilitation, ICT, and assistive technology: current status and prospects of COVID-19 and assistive technology (In Japanese). Japanese journal of vocational rehabilitation. 2021;4, (2): 24–36.