Instructional Technology for Promoting Writing, Work, and Leisure Skills

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of studies assessing the use of technology to enable individuals with severe/profound and multiple disabilities to learn to write, engage in occupational and vocational activities, and access leisure activities. The first part of this chapter analyzes studies that used technology solutions to enable writing by individuals who could not use standard implements such as pens and standard computer keyboards because of their multiple disabilities. The second part of this chapter analyzes studies that used technology to teach individuals to engage in occupational and vocational tasks. These studies used a variety of technology aids as instruction cues, including picture prompts, object or tactile prompts, self-operated audio prompts, self-instruction prompts, video modeling and video prompts, palmtop-based job aids, and electronic control devices. The third part of this chapter analyzes studies on leisure skills that used technology to provide individuals access to different classes of leisure activities, that is, technology that enabled them to access a variety of preferred stimulation and taught them to operate standard or adapted leisure modalities (e.g., radio, television, portable media player, and a computer for e-mail) and an electronic messaging system. The final part of this chapter summarizes the overall outcomes, discusses practical aspects of using technology, and briefly highlights areas for further research in each of these areas.