A verbal-instruction system to help persons with multiple disabilities perform complex food- and drink-preparation tasks independently.

In a recent single-case study, we showed that a new verbal-instruction system, ensuring the automatic presentation of step instructions, was beneficial for promoting the task performance of a woman with multiple disabilities (including blindness). The present study was aimed at replicating and extending the aforementioned investigation with three adults with multiple disabilities. During Part I of the study, the new instruction system was compared with a system requiring the participants to seek instructions on their own.

Promoting mouth drying to reduce the effects of drooling in a woman with multiple disabilities: a new evaluation of microswitch-programme conditions.

Objective: Extending the use of microswitch-based programmes to (a) establish mouth-drying responses and reduce the effects of drooling, (b) assess the possibility of widening inter-response intervals and (c) determine whether different microswitch solutions would impact the accuracy/effectiveness of mouth drying.

Method: During the intervention phases of the study, the participant (woman) performed mouth-drying responses via a special napkin. Such napkin contained two pressure sensors/microswitches, a microprocessor and an MP3 serving to monitor responses and ensure stimulation contingent on them.

Adapting a computer-assisted program to help a post-coma man with extensive multiple disabilities choose stimulus events.

Objective: To adapt an existing computer-assisted program to help a post-coma man with extensive multiple disabilities choose between stimulus events.

Method: An adapted version of the program assessed in this study presented the man with 7-second samples of preferred and non-preferred stimuli, without questions, and allowed him to choose any of them through a vocalization response. The man's use of this response to choose a stimulus sample led the computer to present the matching stimulus for 20 seconds.

Persons with multiple disabilities use orientation technology to find room entrances during indoor traveling.

These two studies assessed adapted orientation technology for promoting correct direction and room identification during indoor traveling by persons with multiple (e.g., sensory, motor and intellectual/adaptive) disabilities.