Lancioni Giulio E, Singh Nirbhay N, O'Reilly Mark F, Sigafoos Jeff, Alberti Gloria, Perilli Viviana, Chiariello Valeria, Grillo Giovanna, Turi Cosimo
Department of Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA.
Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2020 Jan;15(1):14-20. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2018.1508515. Epub 2018 Oct 11.
This study evaluated a tablet-based program to help eight participants with moderate intellectual disability, sensory and/or motor impairments, and lack of expressive or expressive and receptive verbal skills to select and access leisure activities and video calls independently. The program relied on the use of a tablet (i.e., Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 LTE) with 8-inch screen, Android 6.0 Operating System, front camera, proximity sensor and multimedia player. The tablet was fitted with a SIM card and two specific applications, that is, WhatsApp Messenger for making video calls and MacroDroid for automating the tablet's functioning in accordance with the program conditions. The tablet presented pictures concerning leisure activities and preferred partners for video calls. The participant could select any activity or partner by touching (or nearing his or her hand to) the tablet's proximity sensor. During the baseline (i.e., without the program), the participants failed to access leisure activities or video calls. During the post-intervention phase (i.e., with the program), they selected and accessed those activities and calls independently and spent between about 75% and 90% of the session time engaging with them. The tablet-based program can be highly beneficial for people like the participants of this study.Implications for rehabilitationA technology-aided program may enable persons with intellectual and other disabilities to independently access leisure activities and communication with distant partners.The program may involve the use of video calls to allow communication to participants with limited or no verbal skills.The program may be realized using a tablet (a) including Android 6.0 Operating System, proximity sensor, and multimedia player, and (b) fitted with a SIM card and applications such as WhatsApp Messenger and MacroDroid.The program may be easily adapted to the participants' characteristics in terms of activities available and partners to reach.
本研究评估了一个基于平板电脑的项目，以帮助八名中度智力残疾、有感官和/或运动障碍且缺乏表达性或表达性及接受性语言技能的参与者独立选择并参与休闲活动和进行视频通话。该项目依赖于使用一台屏幕为8英寸、运行安卓6.0操作系统、配备前置摄像头、接近传感器和多媒体播放器的平板电脑（即三星Galaxy Tab S2 LTE）。平板电脑装有一张SIM卡和两个特定应用程序，即用于视频通话的WhatsApp Messenger和用于根据项目条件自动执行平板电脑功能的MacroDroid。平板电脑展示了有关休闲活动和视频通话首选伙伴的图片。参与者可以通过触摸（或将手靠近）平板电脑的接近传感器来选择任何活动或伙伴。在基线阶段（即没有该项目时），参与者无法参与休闲活动或进行视频通话。在干预后阶段（即有该项目时），他们能够独立选择并参与这些活动和通话，且在大约75%至90%的会话时间里与之互动。基于平板电脑的项目对像本研究参与者这样的人可能非常有益。
对康复的启示
一个技术辅助项目可能使智力残疾及其他残疾人士能够独立参与休闲活动并与远方伙伴进行交流。
该项目可能涉及使用视频通话，以便与语言技能有限或没有语言技能的参与者进行交流。
该项目可以通过一台（a）包括安卓6.0操作系统、接近传感器和多媒体播放器，以及（b）装有SIM卡和WhatsApp Messenger及MacroDroid等应用程序的平板电脑来实现。
该项目可以很容易地根据参与者在可用活动和可联系伙伴方面的特点进行调整。
