Table 3 Considerations for service provider organisations implementing synchronous digital technologies in disability services

Intervention characteristics

 • Involve people with disabilities and families as equal partners in the process of developing and delivering online services

 • Give people with disabilities and families the choice to access all services remotely using technology

 • Assess the compatibility of current services with online delivery to identify those suited to online delivery

 • Consider developing new online services and supports in a group format that aim to improve knowledge, self-efficacy, advocacy and promote peer-support and connectivity

 • Plan for ongoing investment in hardware and software across three phases of acquisition, maintenance and improvement

Outer setting

 • Regularly monitor the enablers to engagement among people with disabilities and their families, which may include adequate time and space, access to support and devices, access to assistive technology, interest, and confidence

 • Share learning from developing and implementing online services for people with disabilities within and between organisations nationally and internationally

 • Develop meaningful methods of sharing learning within and between service provider organisations to best meet their needs, which might include guidelines, case studies or instructional videos

 • Identify an organisation with responsibility for strengthening existing networks of disability service providers who provide online services, nationally and internationally, to facilitate shared learning

Inner setting

 • Give service providers dedicated time for planning and collaborative learning, within and between organisations, so that they feel safe and supported to create and trial new online services

 • Give service providers dedicated time to develop online services, deliver online services and support online service delivery, distinct to time spent on face-to-face service delivery

 • Provide training and information to people with disabilities in accessible forms that meet their diverse needs to enable them to participate in online services as they choose

 • Provide training and information to people who support people with disabilities to enable them to assist people with disabilities to engage in online services as they choose

 • Co-design training to support delivery of and access to online services with people with disabilities and families

 • Resource technical support roles as a distinct and vital role in providing ongoing and individual technical support to people with disabilities, people who support them, and service providers at the point of access

 • Support all service providers to access training in basic digital literacy skills

Characteristics of individuals

 • Provide flexible training approaches to enhance service providers’ technical and online facilitation skills, which are adapted to service providers’ stage of change

 • Regularly review the readiness of people with disabilities and families to engage with online services, acknowledging their choice to engage may change over time

Process

 • Define and resource a “champion” role at all levels of the organisation, to promote sustainability of online services, and support both people with disabilities and service providers to fulfil this role

 • Use systematic and inclusive strategies to engage people with disabilities and their families in online services

 • Develop and update the content of online services based on the needs of people with disabilities and their families

 • Regularly evaluate and actively use data on the number and profile of, and needs of service users engaged in online services, to inform delivery of online services

 • Use standardised methods to evaluate the impact of online services