Record assistive technology information

This article provides guidance for a local area coordinator, early childhood coordinator and all NDIA staff (planner, payment officer, internal review officer, complaints officer, participant service officer, access officer, quality officer, technical advisor, SDA officer, NCC officer, provider support) to understand:

what assistive technology is
when we fund assistive technology
record assistive technology information.

Recent updates

July 2023

Update to system steps and language to align with PACE release 1.13.

Before you start

You have:

read and understood Our Guidelines – Assistive technology
read and understood Our Guidelines - Disability-related health supports
read article, Record Equipment and Consumables information
read article, Complete personal and environmental circumstances
read article, Create Personal and Environmental Circumstances case
read article, Add disability-related health supports Appendix C – Guide to disability related Core supports
read Conversation Style Guide.

Understanding assistive technology

What is assistive technology?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines assistive technology (AT) as:

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any device or system that allows individuals to perform tasks they would otherwise be unable to do or increases the ease and safety with which tasks can be performed.

We classify AT into four levels. We consider low-cost AT as Basic (level 1) or Standard (level 2). A participant might purchase this with their Core – Consumables funding in their NDIS plan. Specialised (level 3) and Complex (level 4) AT are usually higher cost. These may also carry significant risk, or risk of injury if set-up or issued incorrectly. This level of AT support includes home and vehicle modifications. A participant might purchase this through capital funding in their NDIS plan.

When we fund assistive technology

Participants can have some assistive technology supports funded through the public healthcare system. These supports may not meet the reasonable and necessary criteria of the NDIS. We will only include funding for AT if the participant gives us evidence of why they need the supports. We can use the answers to the Equipment and Consumables questions in the Personal and Environmental Circumstances (PEC) case to identify a participant’s AT needs.