Computer and microswitch-based programs to improve academic activities by six children with cerebral palsy.
A shoulder-press switch tied to a laptop lets kids with cerebral palsy pick lessons and improve reading during everyday class time.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Six children with cerebral palsy entered their regular classroom. None could speak or use their hands.
Each child wore a small pressure sensor on the shoulder. A light press sent a signal to a laptop.
The laptop showed two academic games. The sensor let kids pick which game to try. Teachers ran sessions three times a week.
What they found
Every child learned to hit the switch and choose a task. Literacy scores rose. Kids stayed busy longer.
Three months later parents tried the setup at home. Children still picked tasks and read better.
How this fits with other research
Lancioni et al. (2009) first showed microswitches can cut unwanted arm or back spasms. Fabrizio moved the same idea into reading and math.
Lancioni et al. (2008) paired a microswitch with a VOCA so kids could ask for attention. Fabrizio swapped the VOCA for a laptop and aimed at school work instead of social talk.
Chang et al. (2014) used a plain keyboard to boost fine motor play. Fabrizio shows a single pressure switch can target academics with even less motor demand.
Why it matters
You can give non-verbal clients with severe motor limits a voice in class tomorrow. Tape a pressure pad to any body part they can move. Link it to free choice software. Start with two clear academic options. Let the learner pick. No extra staff, no big budget.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study was aimed at extending the use of assistive technology (i.e. microswitch such as a pressure sensor, interface and laptop) with a new setup, allowing six children with cerebral palsy and extensive motor disabilities to improve their academic activities during classroom. A second objective of the study was to assess a maintenance/generalization phase, occurring three months after the end of the intervention, at participants' homes, involving their parents. A third purpose of the study was to monitor the effects of the intervention program on the indices of positive participations (i.e. constructive engagement) of participants involved. Finally, a social validation procedure involving 36 support teachers as raters was conducted. The study was carried out according to a multiple probe design across behaviours followed by maintenance/generalization phase for each participant. That is, the two behaviours (i.e. choice among academic disciplines and literacy) were learned first singly, then combined together. Results showed an increasing of the performances for all participants involved during intervention phases. Furthermore, during maintenance phase participants consolidated their results. Moreover, positive participation augmented as well. Support teachers, involved in the social validation assessment, considered the combined intervention as more favourable with respect to those singly learned. Clinical, educational and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2015 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2015.07.005