A Selective Overview of Microswitch-Based Programs for Promoting Adaptive Behaviors of Children with Developmental Disabilities

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Stasolla ◽  
Adele Boccasini ◽  
Viviana Perilli ◽  
Alessandro O. Caffò ◽  
Rita Damiani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Adaptive Behaviors ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
Children With Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Educational Psychological

Assistive technology (AT) refers to any device, equipment and/or piece enabling children with developmental disabilities with self-determination and independence towards the outside world. Within this framework, microswitches represent electronic devices ensuring children with severe to profound developmental and/or multiple disabilities (i.e. a combination of intellectual, sensorial and motor impairments) to the independent access to preferred stimuli. This paper provides a selective overview of some illustrative examples available in the last fifteen years (i.e. 2000-2015) of the empirical evidences published on this topic. Overall, 35 studies were reviewed. Results were widely positive, although some failures occurred. Educational, psychological and rehabilitative implications of the findings were discussed.

A Selective Overview of Microswitch-Based Programs for Promoting Adaptive Behaviors of Children With Developmental Disabilities

2017 ◽  
pp. 183-201
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Stasolla ◽  
Adele Boccasini ◽  
Viviana Perilli ◽  
Alessandro O. Caffò ◽  
Rita Damiani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Electronic Devices ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Adaptive Behaviors ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
Children With Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Educational Psychological

Assistive technology (AT) refers to any device, equipment and/or piece enabling children with developmental disabilities with self-determination and independence towards the outside world. Within this framework, microswitches represent electronic devices ensuring children with severe to profound developmental and/or multiple disabilities (i.e. a combination of intellectual, sensorial and motor impairments) to the independent access to preferred stimuli. This paper provides a selective overview of some illustrative examples available in the last fifteen years (i.e. 2000-2015) of the empirical evidences published on this topic. Overall, 35 studies were reviewed. Results were widely positive, although some failures occurred. Educational, psychological and rehabilitative implications of the findings were discussed.

Assistive Technology for Supporting Communication, Occupation, and Leisure by Children With Severe to Profound Developmental Disabilities

2019 ◽  
pp. 237-249
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Stasolla ◽  
Viviana Perilli ◽  
Adele Boccasini
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Assistive Technology ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Adaptive Responses ◽  
Motor Impairments ◽  
General Picture ◽  
Indices Of Happiness ◽  
Literacy Process ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral Interventions

This chapter provides a literature overview (i.e., range period 2000-2015) concerning the use assistive technology (AT) for children with severe to profound developmental disabilities. Specifically, the chapter presents a general picture concerning the use of electronic tools such as microswitches enabling individuals with multiple disabilities to access independently to preferred stimuli. The chapter focused on the opportunities of choice, literacy process, communication of their own needs, promoting adaptive responses and reducing challenge behaviors, fostering ambulation and/or locomotion fluency, cognitive-behavioral interventions for people estimated within the normal range of intellectual functioning who present pervasive motor impairments. Moreover, the effects of such programs on indices of happiness as outcome measure of participants involved are outlined as well as social validation assessments. Results and implications of the findings are discussed.

scholarly journals Teaching Children with Developmental Disabilities to Operate Portable Media Players for Leisure and Learning Purposes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Debora Morita Kagohara
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Asperger Syndrome ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
Ipod Touch ◽  
Additional Advantage ◽  
Severe Intellectual Disability ◽  
Children With Developmental Disabilities

<p>Social, communication, academic, and leisure skills are important for healthy development and a productive life. Individuals with developmental disabilities, however, have impairments that may affect their ability to acquire these skills or may not have had the opportunity to learn them. Compared to peers, these individuals may require additional or modified instruction to acquire new skills. A number of teaching techniques have been examined in the special education literature but as new technology, such as portable devices, become available, further research is needed to examine the effectiveness of interventions employing this new technology.  The studies in this thesis examined the use of portable multimedia devices like the iPod Touch® and iPad® in combination with video modelling to teach leisure, academic and social skills to individuals with developmental disabilities. In the first two studies, students with severe intellectual disability were shown a video modelling instruction on an iPod Touch teaching them to operate the same iPod to watch video clips and listen to music. In the third study, a video modelling instruction was presented on an iPad to teach two students with Asperger syndrome how to use the spell-check function on a computer word processor. In the final study, a Social StoryTM presentation and a video modelling segment were presented on an iPad to demonstrate to two students with Asperger syndrome how to greet adults at school.  An important aspect of these studies is that they afforded some degree of self-determination to the students by giving them a chance to have an input in the learning process (e.g. whether they would like to participate, how they prefer to learn, their favourite stimuli). Self-determination has been linked to a better quality of life and more positive academic, leisure, and independent living outcomes. Interventions promoting self-determination for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism are, therefore, paramount. The data from all studies suggest video modelling and portable devices can be successfully used to teach a range of skills to children with developmental disabilities. The devices were not only effective as teaching tools but also provided the participants with opportunities for leisure activities. The use of portable technology allowed for efficient intervention delivery and may have had the additional advantage of being motivating to the participants. The studies also illustrate how the same procedures can be successfully used to teach children with lower and higher cognitive abilities.</p>

Microswitch-Based Programs (MBP) to Promote Communication, Occupation, and Leisure Skills for Children with Multiple Disabilities

2015 ◽  
pp. 195-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Stasolla ◽  
Viviana Perilli
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
General Picture ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
The Third ◽  
Literature Overview ◽  
The Future ◽  
Children With Developmental Disabilities

This chapter provides a literature overview concerning microswitch-based programs (MBP) to promote communication, occupation and leisure skills for children with multiple disabilities. The first aim of the chapter is to present an overview of the empirical studies about the use of MBP, published in the last decade (i.e. period from 2004 to 2014) to emphasize the most recent strategies for children with developmental disabilities, providing a general picture of the different options available. The second goal is to underline strengths and weaknesses of the various studies included in the overview. Finally, the third purpose is to outline issues and questions to be addressed in the future and discuss their implications for research and practice.

scholarly journals Teaching Children with Developmental Disabilities to Operate Portable Media Players for Leisure and Learning Purposes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Debora Morita Kagohara
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Asperger Syndrome ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
Ipod Touch ◽  
Additional Advantage ◽  
Severe Intellectual Disability ◽  
Children With Developmental Disabilities

<p>Social, communication, academic, and leisure skills are important for healthy development and a productive life. Individuals with developmental disabilities, however, have impairments that may affect their ability to acquire these skills or may not have had the opportunity to learn them. Compared to peers, these individuals may require additional or modified instruction to acquire new skills. A number of teaching techniques have been examined in the special education literature but as new technology, such as portable devices, become available, further research is needed to examine the effectiveness of interventions employing this new technology.  The studies in this thesis examined the use of portable multimedia devices like the iPod Touch® and iPad® in combination with video modelling to teach leisure, academic and social skills to individuals with developmental disabilities. In the first two studies, students with severe intellectual disability were shown a video modelling instruction on an iPod Touch teaching them to operate the same iPod to watch video clips and listen to music. In the third study, a video modelling instruction was presented on an iPad to teach two students with Asperger syndrome how to use the spell-check function on a computer word processor. In the final study, a Social StoryTM presentation and a video modelling segment were presented on an iPad to demonstrate to two students with Asperger syndrome how to greet adults at school.  An important aspect of these studies is that they afforded some degree of self-determination to the students by giving them a chance to have an input in the learning process (e.g. whether they would like to participate, how they prefer to learn, their favourite stimuli). Self-determination has been linked to a better quality of life and more positive academic, leisure, and independent living outcomes. Interventions promoting self-determination for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism are, therefore, paramount. The data from all studies suggest video modelling and portable devices can be successfully used to teach a range of skills to children with developmental disabilities. The devices were not only effective as teaching tools but also provided the participants with opportunities for leisure activities. The use of portable technology allowed for efficient intervention delivery and may have had the additional advantage of being motivating to the participants. The studies also illustrate how the same procedures can be successfully used to teach children with lower and higher cognitive abilities.</p>

Microswitch-Based Programs (MBP) to Promote Communication, Occupation, and Leisure Skills for Children With Multiple Disabilities

2017 ◽  
pp. 202-223
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Stasolla ◽  
Viviana Perilli
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
General Picture ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
The Third ◽  
Literature Overview ◽  
The Future ◽  
Children With Developmental Disabilities

This chapter provides a literature overview concerning microswitch-based programs (MBP) to promote communication, occupation and leisure skills for children with multiple disabilities. The first aim of the chapter is to present an overview of the empirical studies about the use of MBP, published in the last decade (i.e. period from 2004 to 2014) to emphasize the most recent strategies for children with developmental disabilities, providing a general picture of the different options available. The second goal is to underline strengths and weaknesses of the various studies included in the overview. Finally, the third purpose is to outline issues and questions to be addressed in the future and discuss their implications for research and practice.

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