Case series of technology-aided interventions to support leisure and communication in extensive disabilities

Abstract

Objectives: This study assessed a new technology-aided program to support independent leisure and communication engagement with people with intellectual and motor or sensory-motor disabilities.

Methods: Six adults participated. The program relied on the use of a Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 LTE tablet with Android 6.0 Operating System, a NANO SIM card, and the WhatsApp Messenger and MacroDroid applications. The participants were presented with leisure and communication (i.e. text messaging) alternatives, and, based on their choices, with series of steps allowing them to access leisure events or send messages.

Results: During baseline, the participants were unable to access leisure events or send messages. During intervention and post-intervention phases, they used the program successfully and spent large percentages of the session time independently engaged in leisure and messaging.

Conclusions: A program based on readily available technology may be functional to support leisure and communication in people like the participants of this study.

Keywords:

• Communication
• leisure
• technology
• tablet
• smartphone
• disabilities

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.