title: Enabling persons with multiple disabilities to choose among environmental stimuli and request stimulus repetitions through microswitch and computer technology.
abstract: This study assessed microswitch and computer technology to enable two participants with multiple disabilities, 32 and 19 years of age, to choose among environmental stimuli and request their repetition whenever they so desired. Within each session, 18 stimuli (12 preferred and 6 nonpreferred) were available. For each stimulus, a computer system provided a sample of 3 sec. duration. During the intervention, participants' vocal responding in relation to a stimulus sample activated a microswitch and a computer system turned on that stimulus for 15-30 sec. When participants did not vocally respond, the computer system paused briefly and then presented the next scheduled stimulus sample. When participants vocally responded at the end of a stimulus presentation, the stimulus was repeated. Intervention data showed that the participants learned to choose preferred stimuli and bypass nonpreferred ones as well as to request repetitions of the preferred stimuli. This performance was maintained at a 1-mo. postintervention check and transferred to sets of stimuli not used in the intervention. The implications of these results were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bari, Via Quintino Sella 268, 70100 Bari, Italy. g.lancioni@psico.uniba.it
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lancioni
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sigafoos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Severini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001245:Association Learning; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008838:Microcomputers; D009042:Motivation; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012931:Social Environment; D049250:Speech Recognition Software; D014163:Transfer, Psychology