A technology-aided stimulus choice program for two adults with multiple disabilities: choice responses and mood.

Two adults with multiple disabilities could not speak or point. The team set up a laptop with two large colored squares on the screen. Each square showed a photo of a stimulus, such as music or a fan.

A microswitch sat under each hand. A hit on the left or right switch picked the matching stimulus and turned it on right away. Sessions lasted a few minutes and were repeated over several days.

Both adults quickly learned to hit the switch that matched the item they wanted. Staff saw more smiles, eye contact, and relaxed body posture during these choice sessions.

The study calls this a rise in "happiness indices." In plain words, the adults looked and acted happier when they controlled the stimuli themselves.

The idea started with Rosenberg (1986), who first used a computer microswitch to find preferred items in clients with severe disabilities. Lancioni et al. (2011) kept the same tech but added instant delivery and mood measures.

Austin et al. (2015) later extended the setup by pausing the music whenever the adult slumped forward. The pause acted like a gentle reminder to sit up. Both choice and posture improved, showing the tool can handle two goals at once.

Stasolla et al. (2015) ran a conceptual replication with girls who have Rett syndrome. They also saw more choices and fewer hand stereotypies, plus higher happiness. The same simple concept works across diagnoses and ages.

If you support adults who cannot speak, a laptop and two microswitches can replace guesswork. You will know what they prefer and see right away if they enjoy it. The gear costs little and sets up in minutes. Try it during break time, then use the chosen items as reinforcers for later tasks.