This study evaluated whether two people with multiple disabilities and minimal motor behavior would be able to improve their Drag-and-Drop (DnD) performance using their finger/thumb poke ability with a mouse scroll wheel through a Dynamic Drag-and-Drop Assistive Program (DDnDAP). A multiple probe design across participants was used in this study…

This study evaluated whether two people with multiple disabilities who could not easily use a computer through a standard input device (i.e., mouse or trackball) would be able to improve their pointing performance using thumb poke with a standard trackball through a Dynamic Trackball-Pointing Assistive Program (DTPAP) and a newly developed…

This study evaluated whether two people with multiple disabilities would be able to improve their pointing performance through an Automatic Target Acquisition Program (ATAP) and a newly developed mouse driver (i.e. a new mouse driver replaces standard mouse driver, and is able to monitor mouse movement and intercept click action). Initially, both…

A multicomponent training package (live training, video modeling, role playing, and feedback) was used to train teachers to conduct assessment and to instruct students with profound multiple disabilities. Phase 1 of the study involved training seven teachers to conduct assessment in three areas: (a) preference assessment (i.e., identification of…

In supporting individuals with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD), professionals have expressed the need for a person-centered planning method especially targeted for the highly complex and specialized support needs of these clients. The current study has evaluated the effectiveness of an Individual Support Program especially…

Research into integrating technology such as iPads into the curriculum for students with disabilities is still new. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the use of a basic math skill application on an iPad to increase basic math fluency. As part of a classwide academic intervention, the study was conducted with 10 students with…

We evaluated an upgraded version of a microswitch-cluster program used for promoting adaptive foot and head responses and reducing finger mouthing with a boy with multiple disabilities. The boy had been exposed to an early version of the program, which ensured that positive stimulation followed only adaptive responses occurring free from finger…

A program relying on microswitch clusters (i.e., combinations of microswitches) and preferred stimuli was recently developed to foster adaptive responses and head control in persons with multiple disabilities. In the last version of this program, preferred stimuli (a) are scheduled for adaptive responses occurring in combination with head control…

A basic need for a child is to belong to a group (Maslow, 1970). Groups help children: to develop relationships and to foster individual mental health (Johnson and Johnson, 1989); and disabled and non-disabled children, when given assistance, can develop relationships with each other (Sideris, 1998). But there are very few opportunities in Cyprus…

The effects of microswitch-based programs on indices of happiness were evaluated with 9 students who had profound multiple disabilities. Each student received an ABAB sequence in which A represented baseline phases and B, intervention phases. During the latter phases, microswitches were used to enable the students to control preferred…

Evaluation of a shared-work program found that job coach assistance to three workers with severe multiple disabilities could be reduced by assigning each worker only those job tasks able to be performed with minimal assistance while ensuring that entire tasks were still completed by combining steps performed by all three workers. (Contains…

Music therapists regard music therapy as a valuable intervention for students with moderate to severe intellectual disability or multiple disabilities, but many special educators would regard it as a controversial practice, unsupported by empirical research. This paper reviews the goals and strategies used by music therapists working with students…

A life career education program for 35 elementary multiply handicapped retarded students resulted in positive changes in areas of academics, communication, interest, self-concept, self-help, and task performance. (CL)

The report examines accomplishments of project UPSTART, an intervention approach for young severely multihandicapped infants and their families. The project's outreach provided assistance at six sites, three of which were new. Outreach accomplishments are evaluated according to six objectives, including stimulation of program development,…

Three studies on B. Le Gay Brereton's approach with severely motorically or multiply disabled preschool children are reported. The program focuses on play and suggests that development should be repeated from the point at which it went wrong. Results included small but statistical changes in cognitive skills. (CL)