The Global Importance of ATscale

Annabel Gabriel

Introduction

Assistive Technology (AT) is essential technology for individuals with disabilities and includes devices such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, and communication devices. ATscale is a global partnership that intends to bridge the global AT inequity in different parts of the world by bringing about change through policy and AT market restructuring. Its impact is essential for continued change for individuals with disabilities [1]. 

Global AT Accessibility

Globally there are approximately 2.5 billion people who would be able to benefit from AT. This number is expected to rise to 3.5 billion by 2050 with aging populations and noncommunicable diseases. Currently there is a wide range of accessibility of assistive products in some areas such as low-income countries where only about 3% of the population have proper access to the AT they need, while in other places it is as high as 90%. This shows the current global inequity and range of access to AT [1].

ATscale is a global partnership between different governmental organizations to bridge the global AT gap. They aim to provide life-changing technology to people in low- and middle-income countries to help individuals receive the proper technology they need. ATscale aims to reframe AT as a need rather than something optional. Without initiatives such as ATscale, AT will remain expensive, inaccessible, available in only higher-income countries, and donor dependent [2].

AT and Global Equity

ATscale’s advocacy is especially important because it emphasizes the fact that AT is not mutually exclusive to disabilities. Access to AT affects many areas of growth. Some of the developmental successes that are affected through AT access include:

• Educational Access: Giving students personalized AT such as communication devices, listening, or seeing devices allows them to be active participants in educational environments [3]. 

• Workforce Participation: AT can support communication and participation in the workforce; by allowing individuals to act more independently, they are able to sustain themselves economically instead of being reliant on another person [4].

• Health Outcomes: AT access can aid communication and cognition, allowing independent participation in daily activities and improved problem solving skills. This is essential for improving enhanced cognition and independence [5].

• Poverty Reduction: AT access allows individuals with disabilities to participate in society in the workforce, education, and socially. This can lead to employment which can both improve quality of life and reduce poverty in these populations [6].

The reframing of AT accessibility to not only be for people with disabilities but affecting these different sectors allows for increased funding from other areas of government and makes AT usage crucial to national development. This makes it so AT access is inseparable from national development plans and increases its priority with its entanglement in sustainable development goals [7].

ATscale Market Intervention

One of ATscale’s biggest contributions is market intervention. ATscale aims to improve AT affordability through market shaping. They have a comprehensive AT market assessment for shaping the AT market with the people in mind. This aims to reduce costs of products, balance supply and demand, improve market information, and encourage manufacturers to design for affordability and durability [8].

This market reshaping is essential because AT products are expensive and unaffordable at their current prices. This makes it so individuals who need life-changing products are unable to receive them because of their costs. Additionally, AT products are often made with high-income countries in mind, not low-income. This means that many products are not scalable to low resource settings and even if they were affordable, would not be sustainable or conducive to their environment [1][9].

ATscale Global Advocacy

ATscale not only works with accessibility of AT products, but works in global advocacy for systemic change. ATscale encourages change in areas including:

• Policy development

• Workforce Training

• Health and Education Integration

This is essential because AT accessibility is not useful without the followup and long-term adaptability of products and services. AT devices require services such as assessment, fitting, training, and followup all which are inaccessible without advocacy for long-term change rather than dependency on the individual products [10].

AT Data Standardization

In the past, AT access has lacked consistent data, reliable data, and consistent followup and measurements. With the partnership of the World Health Organization (WHO), AT data is able to become standardized. This allows for consistent data measurement, allowing evidence and data driven decision making, which allows governments and donors to justify investments and prove the effectiveness of individual AT items and services [11][12].

In addition, ATscale centralizes the intents for national governments, private manufacturers, and other advocacy and nonprofit organizations, allowing coordination so all sectors are aligned in their mission and allowing for more educated decisions [13].

Disability Rights

ATscale emphasises AT as a right not a privilege. This is essential in enabling individuals to participate fully in society. Additionally, ATscale emphasizes the autonomy, independence, and dignity of individuals with disabilities. This is essential for restructuring disability policies with human-centered design and policy decisions. This is essential because it makes it so decisions are made with affected individuals rather than made for them [14].

ATscale Current Reach

ATscale is currently working in over 20 countries to aid in policy, systems, and access to AT. ATscale is structured to expand its global impact over the next couple of years to widen its impact. This will hopefully amplify voices of AT users and impact the systems that make AT inaccessible to certain users [15].

Conclusion

Overall, ATscale is an evolving partnership that aims to aid in AT policy, systems, and access allowing for individuals with disabilities to participate fully in society. This will not only affect individuals with disabilities, but will increase overall employment and decrease poverty rates. ATscale is an essential partnership that centralizes global AT intents and continues to bring about change worldwide for individuals with disabilities.

References

[1] WHO, “World Health Statistics,” www.who.int, May 19, 2024. https://www.who.int/data/gho/publications/world-health-statistics

‌[2] “ATscale Global Partnership,” ATscale. https://atscalepartnership.org/

‌[3] American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “Assistive Technology in Schools,” Asha.org, 2024. https://www.asha.org/practice/assistive-technology-in-schools/

‌[4] “New Report Examines How Assistive Technologies Can Enhance Work Participation for People With Disabilities,” 2017. https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/new-report-examines-how-assistive-technologies-can-enhance-work-participation-for-people-with-disabilities (accessed Feb. 16, 2026).

‌[5] A. Evmenova and C. Bodine, “Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits AT Innovations for Education, Employment, and Independent Living Editor-In-Chief Published by the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA).” Available: https://www.atia.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ATOB-V19_Final.pdf

‌[6] A. Cote, “Social protection and access to assistive technology in low- and middle-income countries,” Assistive Technology, vol. 33, no. sup1, pp. S102–S108, Dec. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2021.1994052.

‌[7] “Assistive Technology and Sustainable Development Goals,” Physiopedia. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Assistive_Technology_and_Sustainable_Development_Goals

‌[8] “Guide for assistive technology market assessment and shaping | ATscale,” Atscalepartnership.org, 2025. https://atscalepartnership.org/atscale-publications/guide-assistive-technology-market-assessment-and-shaping (accessed Feb. 16, 2026).

[9] B. Addis, J. Britton, and T. Davies, “Challenges and Barriers to the Use and Provision of Assistive Technology in Africa: A Systematic Review.” Available: https://www.resna.org/sites/default/files/conference/2021/InternationallyAppropriateTechnology/90_Addis/90_Addis.pdf

‌[10] “First Global Campaign For Access To Assistive Technology Is Launched At Davos - Health Policy Watch,” Jan. 17, 2024. https://healthpolicy-watch.news/campaign-to-urge-prioritising-assistive-technology-access/

‌[11] “The Role of Scale-Up in Strengthening Health Systems Successful scaling-up requires realistic expectations and strategies that simultaneously expand an innovation and build institutional capacity. -ExpandNet/World Health Organization. Nine Steps for Developing a Scaling-up Strategy.” Accessed: Feb. 16, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.fhi360.org/wp-content/uploads/drupal/documents/resource-scale-up-health-systems-strengthening.pdf

‌[12] “Assistive technology data portal,” www.who.int. https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/assistivetech

‌[13] “TDWI Expert Panel: Delivering Centralized Data, Analytics, and AI Governance,” AtScale, Jan. 20, 2026. https://www.atscale.com/resource/centralized-data-analytics-ai-governance/ (accessed Feb. 16, 2026).

‌[14] “Program Management, Coordination, and Support in implementation of Assistive Technology (AT) activities to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Welfare, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, Gov,” Ungm.org, 2025. https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/185861 (accessed Feb. 16, 2026).

‌[15] “How we work | ATscale,” Atscalepartnership.org, 2024. https://atscalepartnership.org/how-we-work (accessed Feb. 16, 2026).

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