Assisting Two Children with Multiple Disabilities and Minimal Motor Skills Control Environmental Stimuli with Thumb Poke Through a Trackball

Abstract

Background: Microswitches are the most commonly used input device for people with multiple disabilities to control environmental stimulation. However, little is known about adopting the commercial trackball with a revised trackball driver as a more feasible input device. Aims: To assess whether two children with profound multiple disabilities and minimal motor skills would be able to control environmental stimulation using thumb poke ability through cordless trackballs installed with a newly developed mouse driver (i.e. a new mouse driver replacing a standard mouse driver, turning a trackball mouse into a precise thumb poke detector). Method: An ABAB design and a 2-month post-intervention check were adopted to perform the study. Results: Data showed that the two children improved significantly in their target response (thumb poke) to activate the control system to produce environmental stimuli during the B (intervention) phases. This performance was maintained at the post-intervention check. Conclusions: The use of thumb poke in connection with a trackball allowed the children with multiple disabilities and minimal motor skills to increase their level of response and stimulation control.