Acquired Disability

A disability that develops after birth, typically due to illness, injury, or aging, as opposed to congenital disabilities present from birth. Common causes include stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, progressive diseases (such as multiple sclerosis or macular degeneration), and age-related conditions. People with acquired disabilities often have prior experience with technologies and activities they can no longer use or perform in the same way, which influences their rehabilitation goals and technology preferences. They may grieve lost abilities while adapting to new ways of accomplishing tasks, and accessible technology design must account for both learning new interaction methods and leveraging existing skills and knowledge.