Two men with multiple disabilities carry out an assembly work activity with the support of a technology system.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether two persons with multiple disabilities could learn a work activity (i.e., assembling trolley wheels) with the support of a technology system. METHOD: After an initial baseline, the study compared the effects of intervention sessions relying on the technology system (which called the participants to the different workstations and provided feedback and final stimulation) with the effects of intervention sessions carried out without technology. The two types of intervention sessions were conducted according to an alternating treatments design. Eventually, only intervention sessions relying on the technology system were used. RESULTS: Both participants managed to assemble wheels independently during intervention sessions relying on the technology system while they failed during sessions without the system. Their performance was strengthened during the final part of the study, in which only sessions with the system occurred. CONCLUSION: Technology may be critical in helping persons with multiple disabilities manage multi-step work activities.