title: Teaching skills to use a computer mouse in preschoolers with developmental disabilities: shaping moving a mouse and eye-hand coordination.
abstract: We taught seven preschoolers with developmental disabilities to point-and-click with a computer mouse. The computer-based training program consisted of three parts, based on a task analysis of the behavioral prerequisites to point-and-click. Training 1 was designed to shape moving the mouse. Training 2 was designed to build eye-hand coordination by teaching the children to move the on-screen cursor onto specific items on the screen. Training 3 was designed to teach pressing and releasing the mouse button. An instructor provided prompts and blocking to facilitate skill acquisition. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. The results showed that all participants learned to point-and-click after exposure to the training program.
authors.affiliation: Headsprout, 127 Broadway Ave. E, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98102, USA. hiro.shimizu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Soyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Christopher S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: McDonough
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D016287:Computer Peripherals; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*