Assistive Technology for People with Severe/Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

This chapter provides an overview of studies that focused on intervention programs and technological resources aimed at enhancing the performance/achievement of persons with severe and profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. The general goals of the studies were to promote adaptive behavior and environmental stimulation control (and occasionally also reduce problem posture/behavior), communication, preliminary ambulation skills, indoor orientation and travel, and task engagement. The studies were divided in four groups (with possible subgroups) based on the technological resources they assessed. The main technological resources employed were: microswitches, speech-generating devices (SGDs), spatial orientation systems, and activity instruction systems. The final part of the chapter provides general considerations about the studies reviewed and their implications for daily programs and also suggests several issues for new research in the area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)