Technology for Life (TFL) allows children to achieve their potential through the use of assistive technology. It allows children with a disability the opportunity to engage more fully in their community.

What is Technology for Life?

Technology for Life is an innovative project that provides the opportunity for children with cerebral palsy to trial different technology options, which will support a child’s inclusion, and participation in the school, community and family life.

Today’s technology provides opportunities for children with cerebral palsy to achieve greater potential than ever before.

Experience with technology at an early age and throughout life can have a lasting impact on how children with cerebral palsy are able to communicate and access education.

The task of individualising technology and support set-ups for children with a disability is a time consuming, costly and challenging undertaking. Once a piece of technology has been identified as suitable, it then needs to be trialled with the individual child. The trial of equipment may mean sending for a piece of equipment or software located interstate (which is sent at the parents expense) for a short-term trial. In some cases this process can be repeated several times before the right device is selected.

Once the device is purchased a process of teaching the child, family and school how to use it is commenced. Devices made specifically for children with a disability are usually three times more expensive then the readily available ‘mainstream’ equivalent.

Remarkably the children we work with rarely give up during this extensive long-winded process.

Ethan is a eight year old boy with cerebral palsy. He has difficulty using his hands. He is unable to use a regular keyboard and mouse. It took 6-12 months for Ethan and the Cerebral Palsy League of Queensland to find an appropriate specialised keyboard and mouse. During this time, Ethan trialled four different mouse keyboard combinations.