Generalized use of a handheld prompting system.

Four teens with moderate ID learned to use a handheld computer. The device showed photos and short text for each step of a job task.

Tasks were real work jobs like folding towels or boxing jewelry. Staff first taught the teens to tap the device for the next step. Then the teens worked alone with only the device as a prompt.

All four teens mastered their first task in 5 to 10 sessions. When given a new, harder task, they still used the device and hit a large share correct steps.

Nine weeks later, they still did the tasks perfectly with no extra teaching.

Price et al. (2018) later showed the same idea works for bus travel. Young adults with IDD used Google Maps on a phone to ride the bus alone. Both studies put prompts in a pocket device and fade staff help.

Pellegrino et al. (2020) moved the prompting online. Adults with IDD learned daily living skills through a video coach. The handheld idea still works, but now it can travel through Zoom.

Schaal et al. (1990) did the job first with a payphone. Teens learned to use a mall phone with four-level prompting. The 2007 study swaps the phone for a computer, but the logic is the same: portable prompts build real-world skills.

You can turn any phone or tablet into a job coach. Load photos of each step, hand it to the learner, and let the device do the prompting. Start with simple tasks, then swap in harder ones—the teens kept the skill without retraining. Try it next session: take pictures of the dish-washing steps and let the learner swipe through them while they work.