Assisted ambulation and activities for persons with profound multiple disabilities: assessing different ambulation levels.

Two participants with profound multiple disabilities were exposed to two occupational situations, which included 1-min. and 3-min. robot-assisted ambulation prior to each activity, respectively. Analysis showed participants' mean percentages of engagement time (session time they spent ambulating or manipulating objects) were well above 90 in both situations. The amount of deviant behavior was somewhat higher in the latter occupational situation for one participant. Implications of the findings were discussed.

Supporting independent indoor travel of people with blindness and intellectual disability with reduced frequencies of auditory cues.

This study evaluated the feasibility of supporting independent indoor travel using reduced frequencies of auditory cues with two persons having total blindness and profound intellectual disability. For these persons, who had acquired satisfactory travel performance with cues occurring every 8 sec., the cue frequencies were reduced to one-half or one-third of the original level. Analysis showed that both participants could manage accurate travel under the new cue conditions, even though their travel time (efficiency) seemed negatively affected. Implications of the findings were discussed.

A corrective-feedback system for helping a person with multiple disabilities during indoor travel.

An unobtrusive system, which provided corrective feedback (vibratory stimulation) for an incorrect direction, was used to help a woman with deafness and profound intellectual and visual disabilities during her indoor travel. The data showed that the woman used the system very effectively and reached destinations for performing activities independently. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Mobility versus sedentariness in task arrangements for people with multiple disabilities: an assessment of preferences.

This study was an attempt to assess preferences between a task arrangement involving mobility and a task arrangement involving sedentariness with three adults with multiple disabilities. Periods in which participants were exposed to both task arrangements were followed by periods in which they were allowed to choose between them. One participant had a strong preference for the task arrangement involving mobility from the beginning of the assessment. The other two participants developed a strong preference for the same task arrangement and showed higher levels of on-task behavior and/or of positive mood expressions within that arrangement. Aspects of the assessment as well as the use of assessment in daily contexts were discussed.

Task variation versus task repetition for people with profound developmental disabilities: an assessment of preferences.

An assessment of preferences between task variation and task repetition with four adults with profound developmental disabilities was implemented. After participants were exposed to both task variation and task repetition conditions, they were allowed to choose between them. Results showed that all participants had strong preferences; three preferred task variation and one task repetition. Aspects of the assessment and use of assessment data for planning daily work conditions were discussed.

Two women with multiple disabilities sharing an acoustic orientation system and traveling together to indoor destinations.

This study assessed whether two women with total blindness and profound intellectual disability could share an acoustic orientation system and travel together simultaneously to common indoor destinations to perform occupational and vocational activities. The orientation system provided acoustic cues which indicated the direction to the destinations. Analysis of data indicated that the women were successful in sharing the system and could reach the destinations independently.