Evidence and Research

Evidence about the value and impact of aids and equipment in relation to safety, mobility and numerous other issues is essential to promoting change. The AEAA was successful in securing funding for a major research study focused on the capacity of aids and equipment to enable people with a disability to live their lives as independently as possible. The final report from the two and a half year project was launched in October 2010 at the Melbourne Town Hall by Dr Helen Szoke, the Victorian Equal Opportunities and Human Rights Commissioner.

The 'Equipping Inclusion' studies has been undertaken by senior research and academic staff at Deakin University and has used mixed methods including survey, interviews, expert panels and economic analyses to explore the differences Assistive Technology makes to life for Victorians living with disabilities. It is a landmark study as it is the first of its kind in Australia and provides the only economic research of this area ever conducted in this country.