Abstract
The present single-case studies assessed the effectiveness of technology-aided programs to help two persons with multiple
disabilities exercise adaptive response schemes independently. In Study I, exercise concerned head movements (i.e., head and
neck posture/muscle control) by a 12-year-old girl who tended to keep her head turned/bent to her left. In Study II, exercise
concerned touching one or two object cues on a computer monitor (i.e., a preliminary form of hand-eye coordination) by a 15-year-old
boy. The technology involved microswitches to detect the occurrence of the target responses and a computer/control system
to record their occurrences and activate preferred stimuli contingent on them. Results showed large increases in the responses
targeted for each of the two participants during the intervention phases of the studies. The importance of using technology-aided
programs as tools for enabling persons with profound and multiple disabilities to practice relevant responses independently
was discussed.
disabilities exercise adaptive response schemes independently. In Study I, exercise concerned head movements (i.e., head and
neck posture/muscle control) by a 12-year-old girl who tended to keep her head turned/bent to her left. In Study II, exercise
concerned touching one or two object cues on a computer monitor (i.e., a preliminary form of hand-eye coordination) by a 15-year-old
boy. The technology involved microswitches to detect the occurrence of the target responses and a computer/control system
to record their occurrences and activate preferred stimuli contingent on them. Results showed large increases in the responses
targeted for each of the two participants during the intervention phases of the studies. The importance of using technology-aided
programs as tools for enabling persons with profound and multiple disabilities to practice relevant responses independently
was discussed.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s10882-012-9279-z
- Authors
- Giulio E. Lancioni, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
- Mark O’Reilly, Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
- Nirbhay Singh, American Health and Wellness Institute, Verona, VA, USA
- Jeff Sigafoos, Wellington Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
- Doretta Oliva, Lega F. D’Oro Research Center, Osimo, Italy
- Francesca Campodonico, Lega F. D’Oro Research Center, Osimo, Italy
- Russell Lang, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA
- Journal Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities
- Online ISSN 1573-3580
- Print ISSN 1056-263X