Self-Determination During Mealtimes Through Microswitch Choice-Making by an Individual with Complex Multiple Disabilities and Profound Mental Retardation

Abstract

The parents of a child with multiple medical and physical disabilities and profound mental retardation wanted her to be able to self-determine when, what, and how much she wanted to eat or drink from the selection presented. Formal assessments showed that the non-verbal child was unable to communicate her needs or choices in any meaningful manner. Using a microswitch technology, we taught her to make an observing response to a single response key. Results showed that although the child was very slow to learn the initial observing response, once this response was established, she rapidly learned the choice responses until she was able to determine the type of nourishment she wanted from the choices presented. Furthermore, her parents reported that the child continued to make food choices following termination of formal training.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Crawford, M.R. , & Schuster, J.W. (1993). Using microswitches to teach toy use. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities , 5, 349—368.

Kauffman, J.M. (1981). Are all children educable? [Special issue]. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 1, 1—108.

Gutowski, S.J. (1996). Response acquisition for music or beverages in adults with profound multiple handicaps. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 8, 221—231.

Holburn, S. , & Vietze, P.M. (2002). Person-centered planning: Research, practice, and future directions. Baltimore: Brookes.

Lancioni, G.E. , O'Reilly, M.F. , & Basili, G. (2001). Use of microswitches and speech output systems with people with severe/profound intellectual or multiple disabilities: A literature review. Research in Developmental Disabilities , 22, 21—40.

Schepis, M.M. , & Reid, D.H. (1995). Effects of a voice output communication aid on interactions between support personnel and an individual with multiple disabilities . Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 28, 73—77.

Schepis, M.M. , Reid, D.H. , Behrmann, M.M. , & Sutton, K.A. (1998). Increasing communicative interactions of young children with autism using a voice output communication aid and naturalistic teaching. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 561—578.

Singh, N.N. (2001). Holistic approaches to working with strengths: A goodness-of-fit wellness model. In A. Bridge , L. J. Gordon , P. Jivanjee , & J. M. King (Eds.), Building on family strengths: Research and services in support of children and their families (pp. 7—16). Portland, OR: Portland State University, Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children's Mental Health.

Singh, N.N. , & Beale, I.L. (1978). Attentional changes during discrimination learning by retarded children. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 29, 527—533.

10.

Wyckoff, L.B., Jr. (1952). The role of observing responses in discrimination learning. Psychological Review, 59, 431—442.