Microswitch programs for persons with multiple disabilities: an overview of the responses adopted for microswitch activation |
| |
Authors: | Giulio E Lancioni Nirbhay N Singh Mark F O’Reilly Doretta Oliva |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Psychology, University of Bari, Via Quintino Sella 268, 70100 Bari, Italy;(2) ONE Research Institute, Chesterfield (VA), USA;(3) University of Texas at Austin, Austin (TX), USA;(4) Lega F. D’Oro Research Center, Osimo (AN), Italy |
| |
Abstract: | Background: To introduce a person with multiple disabilities to a microswitch-aided program, one has to select a plausible response(s),
that is, a response(s) that can be performed reliably and without excessive effort by the person and can successfully activate
the microswitch(es) available (producing preferred stimuli). This paper provides an overview of the responses adopted for
microswitch activation in research studies during the last 20 years. Method: Computerized and manual searches were carried out to identify the studies published between 1986 and 2005. Forty-eight research
studies were identified. They concerned the use of (1) a single (typical) response, (2) a single (non-typical) response, (3)
multiple (typical and non-typical) responses, and (4) multiple (vocal) responses. Results and discussion: The results showed that 151 of the 190 participants involved in the studies had a positive outcome (i.e., clear increases
in their responding, which suggested that they had learned the association between responding and consequent preferred stimuli).
Failures were largely concentrated in the first group of studies. The discussion focused on (a) the importance of selecting
plausible responses for increasing the chances of success, (b) the need of non-typical responses for persons with minimal
motor behavior, (c) implications of programs with multiple responses on engagement and choice, and (d) relevance of using
vocal utterances. Some suggestions for future research concerning these points were also examined. |
| |
Keywords: | Multiple disabilities Microswitch programs Typical responses Non-typical responses Vocal responses Self-determination |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|