Client Technical Services
- Client Technical Services Assessment Service
- Training Courses in Assistive Technology
- Inclusive Learning through Technology
- ILT online courses
- Education for Employment (E4) Project
- Keeping Pace with Technology (KP) Project
- Reuse Technology (RT) Center
- Anseo project
- Publications
- CTS contact details
Client Technical Services
The Client Technical Services department in the Central Remedial Clinic provides a quality assessment service to people with physical disabilities in the area of Assistive Technology (AT). AT consists of broad range of devices, technical aids and strategies, which can help solve problems faced by people with disabilities in every day life education, employment or social.
Areas of concern for people who contact the service include issues in accessing the educational curriculum or in communication, problems with reading or writing or moving about independently and difficulties in controlling the environment either at home or in school or at work. Solutions can be found through
- Alternative Communication devices
- Alternative means of Computer access
- Environmental Control Systems such as opening doors using remote control devices, personal alarms systems etc.
- alternative access to technology through for example, the use of switches.
- Specialised software or voice recognition systems.
CTS strives to offer people alternatives and options to facilitate their personal independence in everyday living. Today there is a wide range of technology devices that have become smarter, smaller, lighter and more affordable and it is often simply a lack of understanding of how our environment can be adapted and modified that is the greatest barrier for people with disabilities in our society.
A multidisciplinary team of assistive technology advisors brings experience from a variety of backgrounds including, engineering, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, ICT and education. The team operates both a centre based and national outreach service. Nationally, their work is complemented by a network of regionally based Technical Liaison Officers who are available to offer support and follow up to people in their local environments. As far as possible, the team work in partnership with local agencies to provide person centred responses.
People are welcome to contact the service for an appointment for an assessment. We accept self-referrals but do ask, if client agrees, to involve their primary care team in the assessment.
Client Technical Service Projects
We have been able to expand the services extensively through a number of strategic projects at National, European and International Level. Currently, the Inclusive Learning through Technology (ILT) project has introduced mainstream technology and assistive technology to two special schools and two mainstream schools and we are hoping to expand these important links in the future. www.inclusive.ie.
The ILT group have also offered online courses in all aspects of the methods and the technology involved in the project, details can be found at http://www.inclusive.ie.
The aim of the E4 Project (Education for Employment)is to provide participants with the potential to increase their employability through attending facilitative educational programmes in the area of ICT and AT that have direct links to employment. Our project partners are Killester College of Further Education, National Learning Network, Centre for Independent Living, Blandardstown, DIT Kevin St and Institute of Technology Blanchardstown www.E4project.ie.
The Keeping Pace with (Assistive) Technology in collaboration with international consortium of AT Centres, Universities, Training Organisations and Organisations of people with Disabilities, is developing guidelines which will direct and support training provision in the AT field. www.at4inclusion.com. An Overview of Assistive Technology services in Ireland can be found in "An Opportunity for Change: Assistive Technology, a national and European perspective" at http://www.atireland.ie/opportunity/index.php.
The Reuse Technology (RT) Center is a partnership comprising of the Central Remedial Clinic, the Centre for Independent Living, Blandardstown, with Dell Computers and Institute of Technology Blanchardstown. The RT Centre facilitates the donation of 2nd hand reusable technology to be donated to appropriate organisations for people who otherwise could not afford the technology www.atireland.ie/rtcenter.
Client Technical Services are the technical support service providers for the Anseo video conferencing project run by the Centre for Independent Living (CIL). The aim of the project is to provide people with significant physical and sensory disabilities with video-networking equipment, to talk to other users of the service or experts, to participate in Boards and Committee meetings, and support the development of e-learning. www.anseoproject.ie.
Training in Assistive Technology Courses
The Diploma in Assistive Technology is a new, exciting, two year part time programme providing a comprehensive overview of Assistive Technology. The Diploma replaces the Certificate in Assistive Technology and the Diploma in Assistive Computer Applications previously delivered by the Adult Education Department at University College Dublin. It will extend over two years providing students with a thorough awareness of Assistive Technology Services in Ireland and a knowledge of the range of AT devices currently available. The course is delivered by the Central Remedial Clinic in partnership with the Adult Education Department in UCD. Following successful completion of this course, students will be awarded a Diploma in Assistive Technology by the National University of Ireland at UCD. www.atireland.ie.
Publications
"An Opportunity for Change: Assistive Technology, a national and European perspective" at http://www.atireland.ie/opportunity/index.phpDownload "Guide to Environmental Control systems" in pdf format [8.4MB].
Right-click to download "Guide to Environmental Control systems" in Macromedia Flash format [0.6MB].
Contact Details
Client Technical Services Department
Central Remedial clinic
Vernon Avenue,
Clontarf
Dublin 3
Phone: (01) 8542360 Fax: (01) 8335496
aodonnell@crc.ie or dlynch@crc.ie