title: Enabling two persons with multiple disabilities to access environmental stimuli and ask for social contact through microswitches and a VOCA.
abstract: This study assessed the combination of two microswitches with a voice output communication aid (VOCA) with two persons (an adolescent and a young adult) with multiple disabilities. The microswitches allowed the participants to obtain direct access to preferred environmental stimuli; the VOCA enabled them to ask for caregiver's attention. Initially, the participants were taught to use each of the two microswitches individually and then together. Next, they were taught to use the VOCA and, eventually, this was available together with the microswitches. Results showed that the participants learned to operate the microswitches and the VOCA and used all three of them consistently when they were simultaneously available. Implications of these findings and the potential role of a VOCA combined with conventional microswitches were discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. g.lancioni@psico.uniba.it
authors.forename: Giulio E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lancioni
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: Nirbhay N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sigafoos
authors.forename: Doretta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Severini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003142:Communication; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000628:therapy*; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009146:Music; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D012919:Social Behavior; D014732:Vibration