JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

People with severe or profound intellectual disability and visual impairment tend to have serious problems in orientation and mobility and need assistance for their indoor travel. The use of technology solutions may be critically important to help them curb those problems and achieve a level of independence.

Objective:

This study assessed a new technology system to help people with severe to profound intellectual disability and blindness find room destinations during indoor travel and object transportation.

Methods:

Seven adults were included in the study. The technology system entailed a barcode reader, a series of barcodes marking the room entrances, a smartphone, and a special application that controlled the presentation of different messages (instructions) for the participants. The messages varied depending on whether the participants were (1) in an area without room entrances, (2) in correspondence of a room entrance to bypass, or (3) in correspondence of a room entrance representing the destination to enter for delivering the object transported. The intervention with the technology system was implemented according to a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants. Sessions included seven travels in each of which the participants were to reach and enter a specific room (one of the seven or nine available) to deliver the object transported.

Results:

The participants’ mean frequency of travels carried out correctly was between zero and 2 per session during the baseline (without system). Their mean frequency increased to between about 6 and near 7 per session during the intervention (with the system).

Conclusions:

The findings suggest that the new technology system might be a useful support tool for people with severe to profound intellectual disability and blindness.