Ge. Lancioni et al., An overview of technological resources used in rehabilitation research with people with severe/profound and multiple disabilities, DISABIL REH, 23(12), 2001, pp. 501-508
Purpose: This paper provides an outline of technological resources used in
rehabilitation research with persons with severe/profound and multiple disa
bilities, and discusses the practicality of such resources.
Method: Research articles published during the last 8 years (1993-2000) are
considered. With regard to each of the technological resources used in the
articles (i.e. microswitches, speech output devices, computer-aided instru
ction systems, audio recording systems, orientation systems, mobile robot,
and SIBIS). accessibility. cost and implementation issues are examined.
Results and Conclusions: Some technological resources are easily accessible
and affordable (i.e. microswitches. speech output devices, audio-recording
systems and SIBIS). Other resources are still at the prototype level (i.e.
computer-aided instruction systems, orientation systems and robot) and are
much more complex and costly. In spite of this, the latter resources might
still have an important role in daily contexts.