Improving the occupational skills of students with intellectual disability by applying video prompting combined with dance pads.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) are prone to inattention, are slow in learning and reaction, and have deficits in memory skills. Providing proper vocational education and training for individuals with intellectual disability is able to enhance their occupational skills. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study applied video prompting to provide instructional prompts to help participants accurately perform an assigned occupational activity. A control system installed with developed software was used to turn a standard dance pad into a sensor to detect the participants' standing position and to automatically trigger video prompting. RESULTS: The results show that the participants' correct performance of the target behaviour improved significantly after their exposure to the video prompting intervention, and this positive outcome remained consistent during the maintenance phase. CONCLUSION: Video prompting combined with dance pads was a feasible approach to improving the occupational skills of the three students with intellectual disability.

Assisting two children with multiple disabilities and minimal motor skills control environmental stimuli with thumb poke through a trackball.

BACKGROUND: Microswitches are the most commonly used input device for people with multiple disabilities to control environmental stimulation. However, little is known about adopting the commercial trackball with a revised trackball driver as a more feasible input device. AIMS: To assess whether two children with profound multiple disabilities and minimal motor skills would be able to control environmental stimulation using thumb poke ability through cordless trackballs installed with a newly developed mouse driver (i.e. a new mouse driver replacing a standard mouse driver, turning a trackball mouse into a precise thumb poke detector). METHOD: An ABAB design and a 2-month post-intervention check were adopted to perform the study. RESULTS: Data showed that the two children improved significantly in their target response (thumb poke) to activate the control system to produce environmental stimuli during the B (intervention) phases. This performance was maintained at the post-intervention check. CONCLUSIONS: The use of thumb poke in connection with a trackball allowed the children with multiple disabilities and minimal motor skills to increase their level of response and stimulation control.

Encouraging overweight students with intellectual disability to actively perform walking activity using an air mouse combined with preferred stimulation.

This study continues the research on using an air mouse as a physical activity detector. An air mouse is embedded with a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) gyro sensor, which can measure even the slightest movement in the air. The air mouse was strapped to one of each participant's calves to detect walking activity. This study was conducted to evaluate whether four students with intellectual disability who were overweight and disliked exercising could be motivated to engage in walking actively by linking the target response with preferred stimulation. Single-subject research with ABAB design was adopted in this study. The experimental data showed substantial increases in the participants' target responses (i.e. the performance of the activity of walking) during the intervention phases compared to the baseline phases. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting people with multiple disabilities to improve computer typing efficiency through a mouse wheel and on-screen keyboard software.

The main purpose of this study was to find out whether three students with multiple disabilities could increase their keyboard typing performance by poking the standard mouse scroll wheel with the newly developed Dynamic Typing Assistive Program (DTAP) and the built-in On-Screen Keyboard (OSK) computer software. The DTAP is a software solution that allows users to complete typing tasks with OSK software easily, quickly, and accurately by poking the mouse wheel. This study was performed according to a multiple baseline design across participants, and the experimental data showed that all of the participants significantly increased their typing efficiency in the intervention phase. Moreover, this improved performance was maintained during the maintenance phase. Practical and developmental implications of the findings were discussed.

Improving fine motor activities of people with disabilities by using the response-stimulation strategy with a standard keyboard.

The principle of this study was to use the finger-pressing position detection program (FPPDP) with a standard keyboard to improve the fine motor activities of disabled people through environmental stimulation. The FPPDP is a software solution which turns a standard keyboard into a finger-pressing position detector. By using this technique, this study tried to find out whether two students with developmental disabilities would be able to effectively perform fine motor activities through the triggering of environmental stimulation. This study was based on an ABAB design and the results showed that both participants demonstrated an obvious increase in terms of their willingness to perform target responses during the intervention phases. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting obese students with intellectual disabilities to actively perform the activity of walking in place using a dance pad to control their preferred environmental stimulation.

This study used a standard dance pad with a newly developed foot-pressing position detection program (FPPDP) software program. FPPDP is a new software program which was used to turn a standard dance pad into a foot-pressing position detector to evaluate whether two people with intellectual disabilities would be able to actively perform the activity of walking in place in order to control their preferred environmental stimulation. This study was performed according to a multiple baseline design across participants. The data showed that both participants were more willing to perform the activity of walking activity to activate the environmental stimulation during the intervention phases than in the baseline phase, and retained this effective performance in the maintenance phase. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to reduce the hyperactive behavior of arbitrary standing in class with a Nintendo Wii remote controller through an active reminder and preferred reward stimulation.

Recent studies in the field of special education have shown that in combination with software technology, high-tech commercial products can be applied as useful assistive technology devices to help people with disabilities. This study extended this concept to turn a Nintendo Wii Remote Controller into a high-performance limb action detector, in order to evaluate whether two students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) could reduce their hyperactive behavior through an active reminder and stimulation in the form of the participants' preferred rewards. This study focused on one particular hyperactive behavior common to both students: standing up arbitrarily during class. The active reminder was in the form of vibration feedback provided via the built-in function of the Wii Remote Controller, which was controlled and triggered by a control system to remind participants when they were engaging in standing behavior. This study was performed according to a multiple baseline design across participants. The results showed that both participants significantly improved their control over their hyperactive behavior during the intervention phase, and retained this effective performance in the maintenance phase. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Encouraging obese students with intellectual disabilities to engage in pedaling an exercise bike by using an air mouse combined with preferred environmental stimulation.

This study extended research into the application of high-tech products in the field of special education, using a standard air mouse with a newly developed pedal detection program (PDP) software. PDP is a new software program used to turn a standard air mouse into a pedal detector in order to evaluate whether two obese students with intellectual disabilities (ID) would be able to actively perform the activity of pedaling an exercise bike in order to control their preferred environmental stimulation. This study was performed according to an ABAB design. The data showed that both participants had more willingness to engage in the pedaling activity to activate the environmental stimulation in the intervention phases than in the baseline phase. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting people with disabilities in actively performing designated occupational activities with battery-free wireless mice to control environmental stimulation.

The latest researches use software technology (OLDP, object location detection programs) to turn a commercial high-technology product, i.e. a battery-free wireless mouse, into a high performance/precise object location detector to detect whether or not an object has been placed in the designated location. The preferred environmental stimulation is also incorporated to assist those patients in need of occupational activities in performing simple occupational activities to acquire their preferred environmental stimulation. The result of the experiment shows that both participants have been able to control their preferred environmental stimulation by actively performing occupational activities. This study is going to extend the aforementioned researches by using battery-free wireless mice to assist patients in performing more complicated occupational activities. The ABAB design has been adopted for experiments, and the result shows that during intervention phrases, the occupational activities of both participants are significantly improved.

Assisting people with disabilities improves their collaborative pointing efficiency through the use of the mouse scroll wheel.

This study provided that people with multiple disabilities can have a collaborative working chance in computer operations through an Enhanced Multiple Cursor Dynamic Pointing Assistive Program (EMCDPAP, a new kind of software that replaces the standard mouse driver, changes a mouse wheel into a thumb/finger poke detector, and manages mouse actions). The study used an ABAB design to evaluate whether four people (two pairs) with multiple disabilities, who have very limited voluntary muscle control and cannot use a standard mouse, would be able to improve their collaborative pointing performance using their finger poke ability with a mouse wheel through EMCDPAP software. The data showed that both pairs of participants improved their collaborative pointing efficiency through the use of the EMCDPAP software during the intervention phase. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting people with disabilities in actively performing physical activities by controlling the preferred environmental stimulation with a gyration air mouse.

The latest researchers have employed software technology to turn gyration air mice into a high performance limb detector to detect specific limb movement, and to further collaborate using the preferred environmental stimulation to help people with disabilities to suppress unwanted behaviors or habits and to reward good behaviors. This study extended the functionality of a gyration air mouse, and used the mouse as a precise physical activity detector integrated with the preferred environmental stimulation to assess if this integrated set can be used to help two disabled people who are overweight and lacking in exercise to actively perform physical activities. The study was conducted based on an A-B-A-B design. The results showed that both participants increased significantly the time duration required for them to maintain their physical activity status so that they could obtain their favorite environmental stimulation during the intervention phases. Both the practical and developmental implications of the findings are then discussed.

A finger-pressing position detector for assisting people with developmental disabilities to control their environmental stimulation through fine motor activities with a standard keyboard.

This study used a standard keyboard with a newly developed finger-pressing position detection program (FPPDP), i.e. a new software program, which turns a standard keyboard into a finger-pressing position detector, to evaluate whether two people with developmental disabilities would be able to actively perform fine motor activities to control their preferred environmental stimulation. An ABAB design was adopted in this study. The data showed that both participants' target responses (i.e. fine motor activities) significantly increased (i.e. they performed more fine motor activities to activate the environmental stimulation) during the intervention phases. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Using an Extended Dynamic Drag-and-Drop Assistive Program to assist people with multiple disabilities and minimal motor control to improve computer Drag-and-Drop ability through a mouse wheel.

Software technology is adopted by the current research to improve the Drag-and-Drop abilities of two people with multiple disabilities and minimal motor control. This goal was realized through a Dynamic Drag-and-Drop Assistive Program (DDnDAP) in which the complex dragging process is replaced by simply poking the mouse wheel and clicking. However, DDnDAP has one limitation--users cannot freely define their desired destinations because the program only allows for the dragging of targets to fixed destinations. This study evaluated whether two children with developmental disabilities and minimal motor control would be able to improve their DnD performance through an Extended Dynamic Drag-and-Drop Assistive Program (EDDnDAP), which improves on the aforementioned limitation of DDnDAP. A multiple probe design across participants was used in this study to assess the effects of using EDDnDAP in enhancing participants' DnD abilities. Participants typically received three 20-min EDDnDAP training sessions per week, for a period of about 6-7 weeks. Both participants significantly improved their DnD efficiency with the help of EDDnDAP, and both remained highly successful through the maintenance phase. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Enabling people with developmental disabilities to actively perform designated occupational activities according to simple instructions with a Nintendo Wii Remote Controller by controlling environmental stimulation.

The latest researches have adopted software technology, turning the Nintendo Wii Remote Controller into a high performance three-dimensional object orientation detector. This study extended Wii Remote Controller functionality to assess whether two people with developmental disabilities would be able to actively perform designated simple occupational activities according to simple instructions by controlling their favorite environmental stimulation using a Nintendo Wii Remote Controller. This study was conducted using ABAB designs. The data showed that both participants significantly increased their target response (performing a designated occupational activity) by activating the control system to produce their preferred environmental stimulation during the intervention phases.

Enabling people with developmental disabilities to actively follow simple instructions and perform designated occupational activities according to simple instructions with Battery-free wireless mice by controlling environmental stimulation.

This study extended Battery-free wireless mouse functionality to assess whether two people with developmental disabilities would be able to actively perform designated simple occupational activities according to simple instructions by controlling their favorite environmental stimulation using Battery-free wireless mice with a newly developed extended object location detection program (EOLDP). This study was performed according to an ABAB sequence in which A represented the baseline and B represented intervention phases. Data showed that both participants significantly increased their target responses (performing a designated occupational activity) by activating the control system to produce their preferred environmental stimulation during the intervention phases. Practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

A wireless object location detector enabling people with developmental disabilities to control environmental stimulation through simple occupational activities with Nintendo Wii Balance Boards.

The latest researches have adopted software technology, turning the Nintendo Wii Balance Board into a high performance standing location detector with a newly developed standing location detection program (SLDP). This study extended SLDP functionality to assess whether two people with developmental disabilities would be able to actively perform simple occupational activities by controlling their favorite environmental stimulation using Nintendo Wii Balance Boards and SLDP software. An ABAB design was adopted in this study to perform the tests. The test results showed that, during the intervention phases, both participants significantly increased their target response (i.e. simple occupational activity) to activate the control system to produce environmental stimulation. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting people with disabilities to actively improve their collaborative physical activities with Nintendo Wii Balance Boards by controlling environmental stimulation.

The latest researches have adopted software technology to modify the Nintendo Wii Balance Board functionality and used it to enable two people with developmental disabilities to actively perform physical activities. This study extended the latest research of the Wii Balance Board application to assess whether four people (two groups) with developmental disabilities would be able to actively improve their physical activities collaboration--walking to the designated location following simple instructions, by controlling their favorite environmental stimulation through using three Nintendo Wii Balance Boards. We employed an A-B-A-B design, with A represented the baseline and B represented intervention phases. Data showed that both groups of participants significantly increased their collaborative target response (collaboratively performing designated physical activities) by activating the control system to produce their preferred environmental stimulation during the intervention phases. Practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

A three-dimensional object orientation detector assisting people with developmental disabilities to control their environmental stimulation through simple occupational activities with a Nintendo Wii Remote Controller.

This study evaluated whether two people with developmental disabilities would be able to actively perform simple occupational activities to control their preferred environmental stimulation using a Nintendo Wii Remote Controller with a newly developed three-dimensional object orientation detection program (TDOODP, i.e. a new software program, which turns a Wii Remote Controller into a three-dimensional object orientation detector). An ABAB design, in which A represented the baseline and B represented intervention phases, was adopted in this study. The data shows that the performance of both participants has significantly increased (i.e. they perform more simple occupational activities to activate the control system to produce environmental stimulation) during the intervention phases. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting patients with disabilities to actively perform occupational activities using battery-free wireless mice to control environmental stimulation.

The latest studies have adopted software technology to turn the battery-free wireless mouse into a high performance object location detector using a newly developed object location detection program (OLDP). This study extended OLDP functionality to assess whether two patients recovering from cerebral vascular accidents would be able to actively perform occupational activities by controlling their favorite environmental stimulation using battery-free wireless mice and OLDP software. Using an ABAB design we found substantial increases in both participants' target responses (i.e. the performance of occupational activities) to activate the control system to produce environmental stimulation during intervention phrases. The practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.

Assisting people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by actively reducing limb hyperactive behavior with a gyration air mouse through a controlled environmental stimulation.

The latest researches have adopted software technology turning the gyration air mouse into a high performance limb movement detector, and have assessed whether two persons with multiple disabilities would be able to control an environmental stimulation using limb movement. This study extends gyration air mouse functionality by actively reducing limb hyperactive behavior to assess whether two persons with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) would be able to actively reduce their limb hyperactive behavior by controlling their favorite stimulation on/off using a gyration air mouse with a newly developed actively limb hyperactive behavior reducing program (ALHBRP). The study was performed according to an ABAB design, in which A represented the baseline and B represented intervention phases. Data showed that both participants significantly increased their time duration of maintaining a static limb posture (TDMSLP) to activate the control system in order to produce environmental stimulation during the intervention phases. Practical and developmental implications of the findings are discussed.