etadd_46(4) - Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities
etadd_46(4) - Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities
etadd_46(4) - Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities
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Educati<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> Training in <strong>Autism</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong>, 2011, <str<strong>on</strong>g>46</str<strong>on</strong>g>(4), 479-498<br />
© <str<strong>on</strong>g>Divisi<strong>on</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>Autism</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Developmental</strong> <strong>Disabilities</strong><br />
Review of Twenty-First Century Portable Electr<strong>on</strong>ic Devices<br />
for Pers<strong>on</strong>s with Moderate Intellectual <strong>Disabilities</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Autism</strong> Spectrum Disorders<br />
Linda C. Mechling<br />
University of North Carolina Wilmingt<strong>on</strong><br />
Abstract: Use of portable electr<strong>on</strong>ic devices by pers<strong>on</strong>s with moderate intellectual disabilities <strong>and</strong> autism spectrum<br />
disorders is gaining increased research attenti<strong>on</strong>. The purpose of this review was to synthesize twenty-first century<br />
literature (2000-2010) focusing <strong>on</strong> these technologies. Twenty-<strong>on</strong>e studies were identified which evaluated use<br />
of: (a) media players with audio playback; (b) cellular/smartph<strong>on</strong>es; (c) h<strong>and</strong>held computers <strong>and</strong> h<strong>and</strong>held<br />
video players across various skills <strong>and</strong> settings to assist pers<strong>on</strong>s with disabilities. Guidelines <strong>and</strong> recommendati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
for instructi<strong>on</strong> <strong>and</strong> future research are provided.<br />
Pers<strong>on</strong>s with moderate intellectual disabilities<br />
(ID) <strong>and</strong> those with a diagnosis of autism<br />
spectrum disorder (ASD) have been shown to<br />
have the ability to self-manage their own behaviors<br />
<strong>and</strong> to independently complete functi<strong>on</strong>al,<br />
daily tasks when provided with the<br />
proper tools <strong>and</strong> technologies (Mechling,<br />
2007; Wehmeyer, Palmer, Smith, Davies, &<br />
Stock, 2008). With the use of assistive technologies<br />
or mainstream technologies, <strong>on</strong>e of the<br />
goals is to increase independence while decreasing<br />
reliance <strong>on</strong> other pers<strong>on</strong>s for assistance.<br />
Today’s portable electr<strong>on</strong>ic technologies,<br />
including h<strong>and</strong>held computers, cellular<br />
(cell) ph<strong>on</strong>es, e-books or electr<strong>on</strong>ic readers,<br />
global positi<strong>on</strong>ing systems (GPS) <strong>and</strong> pers<strong>on</strong>al<br />
media or MP3 players, appear to hold<br />
potential for assisting pers<strong>on</strong>s with moderate<br />
ID <strong>and</strong> those with a diagnosis of ASD. These<br />
portable technologies may be adapted or specially<br />
designed for pers<strong>on</strong>s with disabilities<br />
(i.e., Community Integrati<strong>on</strong> Suite by<br />
Ablelink Technologies; Cyrano Communicator<br />
TM by Kiba Technologies, LLC) or generic,<br />
mainstream technologies such as cell<br />
ph<strong>on</strong>es <strong>and</strong> the iPod by Apple, Inc. that are<br />
Corresp<strong>on</strong>dence c<strong>on</strong>cerning this article should<br />
be addressed to Linda Mechling, University of<br />
North Carolina Wilmingt<strong>on</strong>, Department of Educati<strong>on</strong><br />
of Young Children <strong>and</strong> Special Educati<strong>on</strong>, 601<br />
S. College Road, Wilmingt<strong>on</strong>, NC 28404-5940.<br />
mass produced (Carey, Friedman, & Bryen,<br />
2005). Their portability <strong>and</strong> capacity for storing<br />
large amounts of data formulate a tool for<br />
providing multiple uses for pers<strong>on</strong>s with moderate<br />
ID <strong>and</strong> ASD including: (a) remembering<br />
<strong>and</strong> performing steps of a complex task (Riffel<br />
et al., 2005); (b) decisi<strong>on</strong> making (Davies,<br />
Stock, & Wehmeyer, 2003); (c) organizati<strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> time management (Gillette & DePompei,<br />
2008); <strong>and</strong> (d) self-m<strong>on</strong>itoring <strong>and</strong> self-management<br />
of behaviors (Cihak, Wright, & Ayres,<br />
2010).<br />
While these portable electr<strong>on</strong>ic devices are<br />
rapidly increasing in number <strong>and</strong> advancing<br />
in capabilities, research evaluating their applied<br />
use with pers<strong>on</strong>s with disabilities remains<br />
relatively minute. In their meta-analysis<br />
of single-subject design studies which evaluated<br />
use of technology by pers<strong>on</strong>s with intellectual<br />
disabilities, Wehmeyer et al. (2008)<br />
recommended more research with a wider<br />
range of technology devices <strong>and</strong> reported that<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly .9% of the 81 studies they evaluated used<br />
palmtop computers, 2.2% evaluated palmtop<br />
computers with audio vibrators, <strong>and</strong> 4.8%<br />
evaluated electr<strong>on</strong>ic <strong>and</strong> informati<strong>on</strong> technologies<br />
(i.e., cell ph<strong>on</strong>es).<br />
The purpose of this review was to examine<br />
the most current research which has applied<br />
portable electr<strong>on</strong>ic devices to increase the independent<br />
functi<strong>on</strong>ing of pers<strong>on</strong>s with moderate<br />
ID <strong>and</strong> those with a diagnosis of ASD. By<br />
examining the present status of a relatively<br />
Twenty-First Century Portable Electr<strong>on</strong>ic Devices / 479