Dany Lussier-Desrochers

Analysis of How People with Intellectual Disabilities Organize Information Using Computerized Guidance

Abstract Access to residential settings for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) contributes to their social participation, but presents particular challenges. Assistive technologies can help people perform activities of daily living. However, the majority of the computerized solutions offered use guidance modes with a fixed, unchanging sequencing that leaves little room for self-determination to emerge. The objective of the project was to develop a flexible guidance mode and to test it with participants, to describe their information organization methods. This research used a descriptive exploratory design and conducted a comparison between five participants with ID and five participants with no ID. The results showed a difference in the information organization methods for both categories of participants. The people with ID used more diversified organization methods (categorical, schematic, action-directed) than the neurotypical participants (visual, action-directed). These organization methods varied depending on the people, but also on the characteristics of the requested task. Furthermore, several people with ID presented difficulties when switching from virtual to real mode. These results demonstrate the importance of developing flexible guidance modes adapted to the users’ cognitive strategies, to maximize their benefits. Studies using experimental designs will have to be conducted to determine the impacts of more-flexible guidance modes Implications for rehabilitation Intervention approaches favouring, self-determination, decision making, action analysis and results anticipation must be promoted with people with intellectual disabilities. Fixed and rigid technological guidance mode, like those currently favoured in interventions, is appropriate for only some people’s profiles or may depend on the nature of the task. It seems that people with ID use a wide spectrum of organization strategies and that adapting guidance modes to all these strategies is relevant.

Mobile Technologies Used as Communication Support System for People with Intellectual Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

Limited communication abilities are associated with important psychosocial challenges and people with intellectual disability (ID) are no strangers to this reality. Interventions involving specialized high-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems have shown positive outcomes but important difficulties involving access, maintenance and social acceptability are experienced. Mainstream mobile technology has been suggested in response to these issues. This retrospective and exploratory multi-case study reports on the experience of 7 adults with ID who used an iPad® as a AAC. Descriptive analyses showed an increase in use of tablets as AAC, compared to their prior specialized system, as well as gains in expressive and general communication abilities. These results suggest that tablets may be an efficient tool to support communication needs for people with ID and can contribute to their social as well as their digital inclusion.

Digital Inclusion Trajectory of People with Down Syndrome: A Pilot Study

In Quebec (Canada), digital inclusion of people with intellectual disability is a matter of concern. It appears that certain obstacles are jeopardizing most of these people’s access to information and communication technology in their daily lives. The resulting digital divide is impairing recent efforts to promote social inclusion. In 2016, the Montreal, Quebec, Group for trisomy 21 (RT21) (Regroupement pour la Trisomie 21) created a Technology in Support of Autonomy program to promote the digital inclusion of people with intellectual disability. TASA consists of daily activities using iPads. Each activity is adapted to the participants’ own life goals and helps develop their self-determination and autonomy. The study associated with this program has two main objectives: (1) make a project implementation assessment and (2) draw a portrait of participants’ digital inclusion trajectory over nine months. The results suggest that the program improves the participants’ ability to use technology and thus supports certain dimensions of digital inclusion.

Analysis of Interaction Patterns in the Use of High-Tech Prompting Technologies by People with Intellectual Disabilities

Several “high-tech” assistive technologies are currently used in the field of rehabilitation to support the achievement of daily activities. These technologies have proven to be especially effective when used with persons with intellectual disabilities (ID). It is important, however, to consider the interactions between the technology and the people to determine which conditions to set up to optimize the impacts of this intervention method. This case study on using computerized guidance modalities in the performance of a daily living activity will help create a first schematic of the interactions between the users and their environment.

Evaluation of Health Services Received by People with Autism Spectrum Disorders by Means of an Adapted iPad® Questionnaire

Recent studies show that mobile technologies (e.g. tablets and smartphones) have positive effects when used with people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Aware of the potential associated with these mobile technologies, the Mauricie and Centre-du-Quebec—University Institute wanted to evaluate the applicability of the iPad® as part of its service quality assessment for people with ASD. An iPad version of the questionnaire was therefore created for this study. The results indicate that the participants were satisfied with the electronic version. Moreover, participants reported that this tool made it easier for them to understand the questions and express their preferences. These findings show that the iPad may be an efficient tool for gathering information from people with ASD.