title: A technology-aided program to support leisure engagement and communication by a man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess a technology-aided programme for promoting leisure engagement and communication in a man with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The programme involved a laptop computer equipped with a Clicker 5 software package, an optic microswitch and an interface device. The participant could choose between two leisure options (i.e. songs and videos), could write requests and general messages through a virtual keyboard and a microswitch and could have the written text read out to caregivers and staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of the programme increased the mean frequency of words written to about 15 per 20-minute session during the second intervention phase. Those words were used by the participant for formulating a mean of over two requests/messages per session. The participant also listened to songs and watched videos.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A simple technology-aided programme may allow ALS patients to manage leisure engagement and communication.
authors.affiliation: University of Bari, Italy. g.lancioni@psico.uniba.it
authors.forename: Giulio E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Lancioni
authors.forename: Nirbhay N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferlisi
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Blotta
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spica
authors.forename: Doretta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oliva
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017028:Caregivers; D003142:Communication; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008838:Microcomputers; D008875:Middle Aged; D014584:User-Computer Interface