As in any OT assessment, the context is important to consider. It is especially important relative to AT, which can involve high cost and sometimes large and obtrusive equipment.

The types of tasks themselves will have a bearing on the configuration of technology used. For example, if a student has difficulties with writing due to attention and working memory deficits, scanning their work into the computer so they can insert their answers is critical. If their spelling is significantly affected as well, a common situation, they will likely need word prediction software to complete their answers correctly. Yet, if the primary form of the academic work is worksheets, text boxes are required – but not all word prediction software programs will cooperate with those text boxes, so you need to know the demands of the tasks in context as well as how the different devices interact with one another. Similarly, if you were working with an adult with very limited physical mobility who would like to be able to stay alone in their home for several hours at a time, the environmental controls chosen for them will need to have the capability to perform the specific needs they have (for example, activate television, operate room blinds, phone connection for emergency help, etc.) and be functional in the space and layout of the home.

In helping select the best technology fit, consider the following:

Physical Setting

• where will the activity typically take place? Is it to be used in the home, workplace, school, or in the community at large?
• are there any implicit rules in that setting? These might include:
  • noise issues (noisy computer games, voice activated systems or screen readers may not be welcomed)
  • rules around computer use
  • lighting (flourescent lights, outside lighting that make reading screens difficult

Social Context

• social norms and expectations in the setting
• age of the client and peers, and importance of fitting in. How "weird" will the client look? How cool?
• self expectations - if others will be around, will there be social comparisons re: performance?
• comparison with others - if in a residential or school setting, clients and families will observe the technologies used by others. Often families want what they perceive as the "best" and "latest", even if it isn't the item likely to produce the best outcomes for their loved one.

Portability

• is it important that the AT be able to be used in more than one setting?
• physical portability may demand attention to transport modes, functionality in different settings, and security during transport. Will a child be responsible for carrying a communication device on the bus? How will a person using a power chair or scooter get from work to home? Could a laptop be stolen or lost on the subway?

Institutional Context

• what funding is available in the system or systems where the client lives, works, or plays?
• are there rules around whether technology can "leave the building"?
• does the AT have to be used for a certain purpose?
• are there rules about technology use, as mentioned earlier - i.e. access to the internet, use of systems that could be distracting to others, etc.?