Assistive Technology
The Assistive Technology consultation service is designed to assist NDIS participants to find the right equipment to meet their needs.
Assistive Technology Explained
Assistive technology is equipment or devices that help you do things you can’t do because of your disability.
Assistive technology may also help you do something more easily or safely.
All NDIS supports must meet the reasonable and necessary criteria.
We can’t fund AT items that are more appropriately funded by other government services.
For more detailed information on how we define and fund AT, or how to add AT into your plan, please refer to our Guideline - Assistive Technology.
Understanding AT product risk
AT ranges from simple products to complex systems. It is always a good idea to get advice from an AT advisor to determine the right AT solution for your needs.
If the AT you are considering is high-risk AT (see below), then the NDIS requires you to get the right AT advice before acquiring that AT.
We use 2 product risk categories (“low” and “high”) to assess the complexity of your AT needs.
Low-risk AT Products are:
Unlikely to cause harm in day-to-day life.
Available for trial and/or can be purchased in retail stores.
Easy to set it up and use it safely without professional advice.
High-risk AT products may be one or all of the following:
Complex, such as a power wheelchair.
Known to have caused harm.
Used for restrictive practice.
Require professional advice, setup or training for safe use.
Refer to the Assistive technology product risk table for a detailed explanation of different risk levels of AT that will help show the minimum level of advice and support when choosing the AT you need.
Low, mid and high cost AT
We recommend you get advice from an AT assessor to make sure you get AT that's right for you.
It’s best to buy some items. For other items, it might be better to rent or borrow them. This is true if your needs are likely to change.
The Assistive technology – Guide for minor trial and rental funding (DOCX 61KB) has more information about how the NDIS works out the funding to include in your plan for minor trial or short-term rental of AT. Some providers will also offer ’trial to buy’ arrangements.
The NDIA has different processes for low, mid and high-cost AT. You can learn more about the categories and which part of your budget the funding sits in the How do we consider the cost of the assistive technology section of the guideline:
Low-cost AT: under $1500 per item (OT Letter required)
Mid-cost AT: between $1500 and $15000 per item (AT Advice Summary required)
High-cost AT: over $15000 per item (AT report required)
The Assistive Technology – Guide for low cost support funding (DOCX 71KB) will help you understand how much funding you may need to buy low-cost AT.
Mid cost AT: you don't need to provide us quotes for AT items under $15,000, but we still need some evidence (including a cost estimate) to make sure you get the right AT.
Only AT items valued over $15,000 will need a quote, although we include one for all items.
More information can be found in Our Guideline - Assistive Technology.