A smartphone-regulated system for facilitating access to music and telephone calls and providing timely activity instructions to people with intellectual and multiple disabilities

Abstract

Background: People with intellectual and multiple disabilities often fail to achieve constructive occupation independent of external supervision. Technology-aided intervention systems might be used as a way to help them achieve such a goal. Method: A new technology-aided system was assessed with four participants with moderate to severe intellectual disability and blindness or blindness and motor impairment. The system (a) allowed the participants to access music events and telephone calls through simple responses, and (b) provided the participants with timely activity step instructions (i.e. instructions tied to their response performance). The system was based on the use of a smartphone linked to a proximity sensor and was introduced according to a non-concurrent multiple baseline across participants design. Results: During baseline, the participants were not able to independently access music and telephone calls or perform activities. During the intervention sessions, they managed all three forms of occupation independently (i.e. with the technology system), remaining constructively active throughout the sessions. Their mean occupation time per session was 18-28 min and their percentage of correct activity steps was higher than 95. Conclusions: The new technology-aided system might be useful for helping people with intellectual and other disabilities manage basic forms of constructive occupation.