NDIS Assistive Technology Trials: Key Points

  • AT trials are how the NDIS gathers evidence that a specific item is appropriate before funding its purchase. For higher-cost items, a trial is typically required.
  • Trials are coordinated by a qualified AT assessor, most commonly an occupational therapist. The assessor selects the trial item, observes use, and documents outcomes.
  • Trial length should match item complexity. A power wheelchair trial in a clinic is not sufficient evidence for a complex mobility aid. The trial needs to reflect how the participant will actually use the item.
  • A well-documented unsuccessful trial is not a failure. It is evidence that directs funding toward a solution that actually works.
  • Items under $1,500 do not require a trial. Trials are most critical for items over $15,000 or where functional fit is uncertain.

Why Trials Exist in the NDIS AT System

Assistive technology funding is one of the areas where the NDIS spends the most and where errors are most costly. An unsuitable power wheelchair, communication device, or home modification can cost tens of thousands of dollars and still fail to meet the participant’s needs.

Trials exist to prevent this. The principle is straightforward: before the NDIS funds the purchase of a significant item, there should be real-world evidence that the item works for that specific participant in their specific environment.

This benefits everyone. The participant gets equipment that actually helps them. The NDIS avoids funding expensive items that end up unused. The assessor has confidence in their recommendation. The trial process is not bureaucratic friction. It is what responsible AT funding looks like.

How the AT Funding Tiers Work

The NDIS uses a tiered approach to AT funding that determines how much evidence and process is required before a purchase is approved.

Low-cost AT (under $1,500)

Items under the low-cost threshold can be purchased directly from Core or Capital Supports budget without a formal quote or assessor report. These items are considered low enough risk and low enough cost that formal trials and evidence documentation are not required.

Examples relevant to this tier include non-slip mats, adapted utensils, large-print keyboards, and basic communication aids.

Mid-range AT ($1,500 to $15,000)

Items in this range require a quote and a written justification from a qualified assessor. The assessor must demonstrate why the item is appropriate and that it is the most suitable and cost-effective option for the participant’s needs.

A brief trial during an assessment session may be sufficient for simpler items in this range.

High-cost AT (over $15,000)

Items above $15,000 require a comprehensive AT assessment report and, in most cases, a formal trial. The trial must be conducted in conditions that reflect the participant’s real-world use of the item. The assessor report must document the trial outcomes and explain why the recommended item is appropriate based on trial evidence.

Items in this tier commonly include power wheelchairs, vehicle modifications, complex communication devices, and high-specification prosthetics.

Who Conducts AT Trials

The AT assessor role

A qualified AT assessor is the central figure in any formal AT trial. AT assessors are typically occupational therapists, though other allied health professionals can take on this role for specific AT categories within their scope of practice.

The assessor’s responsibilities in a trial include:

  • Identifying the functional need and the categories of AT that could address it.
  • Selecting candidate items for trial based on the participant’s needs, goals, and environment.
  • Arranging access to trial items through providers, AT libraries, or loan schemes.
  • Conducting or observing the trial and documenting what is measured and why.
  • Writing the AT assessment report that becomes the primary evidence document for the funding application.

Not every occupational therapist has AT assessment experience. When seeking an AT assessor, ask specifically about their experience with the category of AT relevant to your situation.

AT providers and showrooms

Many AT providers operate showrooms or trial centres where participants can try equipment before recommending it for funding. These are not substitutes for a proper AT assessment, but they are a useful complement. A participant who has tried several wheelchair options in a showroom arrives at a formal trial with more informed preferences, which helps the assessor identify the right solution more efficiently.

AT libraries and loan programs

In some states, AT libraries and loan programs allow participants to borrow items for home trials. Organisations such as the Independent Living Centre (now part of local AT support services in various states) and some disability services operate loan programs. State government disability programs sometimes provide loan items specifically to support NDIS trial processes.

What a Good Trial Looks Like

Setting

A trial should take place in settings that reflect how the participant will actually use the item. A power wheelchair trial conducted only in a clinic corridor does not generate meaningful evidence about whether the chair will work in the participant’s home, on their route to the local shops, or on the surfaces they actually travel on.

Good trial settings for home-use items include the participant’s home. Good trial settings for community-use items include the community environments the participant visits regularly.

Duration

Trial duration should reflect the learning curve and variability of use:

  • Simple items may be trialled adequately in a single assessment session.
  • Items with a learning curve, such as communication devices or complex mobility aids, require longer trials so the assessor can observe performance after initial adjustment.
  • Items that are used in variable conditions (different surfaces, different lighting, different fatigue levels) should be trialled long enough to capture that variability.

If a trial ends before the participant has had a genuine opportunity to use the item in their typical environment, the evidence it generates is limited.

What is documented

The assessor documents:

  • The specific item trialled, including model, features, and configuration.
  • The settings and conditions of the trial.
  • What tasks the participant performed during the trial.
  • How the participant’s performance and experience compared to their current situation.
  • Any limitations or problems observed.
  • Whether the item met the participant’s functional needs across the trial conditions.
  • What alternatives were considered and why they were not trialled or recommended.

This documentation becomes the AT assessment report submitted with the funding request.

Building the Evidence File

The AT assessment report is the primary evidence document, but it is not the only useful evidence. A strong evidence file for a complex AT request may include:

Functional assessment

A functional assessment from the AT assessor documents the participant’s current functional capacity, the tasks they cannot perform safely or independently, and how their disability creates the functional gap that AT is intended to address.

This is the “why” evidence. It establishes the need before the trial establishes the solution.

Trial report

The trial report is the core evidence document for the specific item being requested. It should be item-specific and trial-specific, not a generic description of the participant’s disability.

Video or photographic evidence

For complex items, video evidence of the participant using the trial item can be powerful supporting documentation. A participant who uses a power chair more safely and independently than they did without it, captured on video during a trial, provides evidence that written description cannot fully convey.

Check with the participant and their support people before recording. Consent and privacy considerations apply.

Supporting clinician input

For items at the intersection of AT and health, input from treating clinicians can strengthen the evidence. A spinal specialist’s letter supporting the need for a particular postural support device, combined with the AT assessor’s trial report, is stronger evidence than either document alone.

Common Trial Mistakes to Avoid

Trialling only one option

If the assessor only trials a single item and recommends it, the evidence base is weaker than if they trialled two or three options and documented why the recommended item was superior. Comparing options demonstrates that the recommended item is the most appropriate, not just the first one that worked.

Trialling in clinical conditions only

A communication device that works well in a quiet therapy room may be inadequate in a noisy community setting. A wheelchair that navigates a smooth clinic floor easily may struggle on the surfaces in the participant’s home. Trial conditions must reflect real use.

Insufficient trial duration for complex items

A one-hour trial of a complex powered wheelchair or AAC device does not generate enough evidence. These items require time for the participant to learn, for the assessor to observe performance across variable conditions, and for problems to emerge that would not appear in a brief session.

Weak documentation

A trial report that says “the participant tried the item and found it helpful” is not strong evidence. The report should describe what was observed, how the item changed the participant’s capacity, what measurements or observations were used, and why this specific item was selected over alternatives.

What Happens After a Successful Trial

Once the trial is complete and the assessor has prepared their report:

  1. The AT assessment report is submitted to the NDIS or plan manager along with the quote for the recommended item.
  2. The NDIS reviews the evidence and determines whether the item meets the reasonable and necessary criteria.
  3. If approved, the item is purchased from the participant’s Capital Supports budget.
  4. For complex items, the purchase may include training in how to use the item effectively. Training is a separate budget line from the item purchase.
  5. For ongoing items that require maintenance or periodic replacement (such as powered wheelchairs), maintenance provisions may be included in the plan.

What Happens After an Unsuccessful Trial

An unsuccessful trial, properly documented, is valuable. It tells the assessor and the participant:

  • What the item could not do that the participant needs.
  • What features or specifications the successful item will need.
  • Which alternatives to trial next.

A series of well-documented unsuccessful trials leading to an eventual successful trial creates a strong evidence base. It shows the NDIS that the final recommendation was arrived at methodically, not arbitrarily.

Getting AT Trials into Your Plan

If your current NDIS plan does not include funding for AT assessment and trials, raise this at your next plan review. The conversation to have with your planner or LAC is:

  • I have an identified functional need that I believe AT could address.
  • I need an AT assessment to identify the most appropriate solution.
  • For higher-cost items, a trial will be part of that assessment process.
  • I am requesting funding for AT assessment and trial as part of my Capacity Building supports.

A support coordinator experienced in AT can help you prepare for this conversation and ensure the right evidence is in place when you go into your plan review.

Key External Resources

Carevo connects NDIS participants with providers experienced in assistive technology assessment and coordination. Find a provider who can help you navigate the AT trial process and build the evidence you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the NDIS fund AT trials? Yes. Trial funding is typically included in Capacity Building supports and is part of the evidence-gathering process for higher-cost items.

Who conducts AT trials? A qualified AT assessor, most commonly an occupational therapist with AT experience, coordinates and documents the trial.

How long should a trial last? Long enough to generate meaningful evidence. Simple items may be trialled in a single session. Complex items such as power wheelchairs or AAC devices require days to weeks of real-world use.

What if the trial shows the item does not work? A well-documented unsuccessful trial is valuable evidence that directs the search toward a more appropriate solution. It is not a failure.

Do low-cost items under $1,500 need a trial? No. Low-cost items can be purchased directly without a formal trial or quote.

What evidence does the NDIS need for high-cost AT? A comprehensive AT assessment report documenting the functional need, trial outcomes, alternatives considered, and a specific recommendation. Video evidence and supporting clinician input can strengthen the file.