ABSTRACT
There is an interest within the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate evacuation planning for persons with disabilities (Sutherland, 2006). This chapter provides both a theoretical model and applied recommendations to improve emergency evacuation. It examines the relationship between Human System Integration (HSI) principles and their relevance to the field of Assistive Technology (AT). HSI, which has its foundation in systems engineering and management, aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of systems to maximize human performance (DHS, 2011; Booher, 2003). The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) provides a widely accepted definition of assistive technology: “any product, instrument, equipment, or technology adapted or specially designed for improving the functioning of a person with a disability” (WHO, 2001).
