Social validation assessment of microswitch-based programs versus interaction/stimulation conditions for persons with multiple disabilities is a practically relevant research issue that was recently addressed (Lancioni et al., 2002, 2005a). The present study extended such validation assessment by involving a new group of students with multiple disabilities and two new groups of raters: one including teacher trainees and the other parents of children with disabilities. One hundred and forty teacher trainees and eighty-four parents watched videotapes showing the use of microswitch-based versus stimulation programs for seven students. All teacher trainees and parents scored the microswitch and the stimulation conditions on a 7-item questionnaire, the same as that used in previous studies. Data showed that both groups of raters rated the microswitch condition as more positive than the stimulation condition. These results strongly support those of the previous studies. Implications for use of microswitches with persons with profound and multiple disabilities seem unequivocal. Even so, caution needs to be used until additional replications across different cultural environments are carried out.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Algozzine, B., Browder, D., Karvonen, M., Test, D. W., and Wood, W. M. (2001). Effects of interventions to promote self-determination in individuals with disabilities. Rev. Educ. Res. 71: 219–277.
Buschbacker, P., Fox, L., and Clarke, S. (2004). Recapturing desired family routines: A parent-professional behavioral collaboration. Res. Pract. Persons Severe Disabil. 29: 25–39.
Campo, S. F., Sharpton, W. R., Thompson, B., and Sexton, D. (1997). Correlates of the quality of life of adults with severe or profound mental retardation. Ment. Retard. 35: 329–337.
Crawford, M. R., and Schuster, J. W. (1993). Using microswitches to teach toy use. J. Dev. Phys. Disabil. 5: 349–368.
Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika 16: 297–334.
Cunningham, J., McDonnell, A., Easton, A., and Sturmey, P. (2003). Social validation data on three methods of physical restraint: Views of consumers, staff and students. Res. Dev. Disabil. 24: 307–316.
Dorman, J. P. (2003). Cross-national validation of the what is happening in the class? (WIHIC) questionnaire using confirmatory factor analysis. Lear. Environ. Res. 6: 231–245.
Favell, J. A., Realon, R. E., and Sutton, K. A. (1996). Measuring and increasing the happiness of people with profound mental retardation and physical handicaps. Behav. Interv. 11: 47–58.
Felce, D., and Perry, J. (1995). Quality of life: Its definition and measurement. Res. Dev. Disabil. 16: 51–74.
Fox, L., Vaughn, B. J., Dunlap, G., and Bucy, M. (1997). Parent-professional partnership in behavioral support: A qualitative analysis of one family's experience. J. Assoc. Persons Severe Handicaps 22: 198–207.
Green, C. W., and Reid, D. H. (1996). Defining, validating, and increasing indices of happiness among people with profound multiple disabilities. J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 29: 67–78.
Green, C. W., and Reid, D. H. (1999). A behavioral approach to identifying sources of happiness and unhappiness among individuals with profound multiple disabilities. Behav. Modif. 23: 280–293.
Gutowski, S. J. (1996). Response acquisition for music or beverages in adults with profound multiple handicaps. J. Dev. Phys. Disabil. 8: 221–231.
Holburn, S., Nguyen, D., and Vietze, P. M. (2004). Computer-assisted learning for adults with profound multiple disabilities. Behav. Interv. 19: 25–37.
Ivancic, M. T., Barrett, G. T., Simonow, A., and Kimberly, A. (1997). A replication to increase happiness indices among some people with profound multiple disabilities. Res. Dev. Disabil. 18: 79–89.
Kinsley, T. C., and Langone, J. (1995). Applications of technology for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities. J. Spec. Educ. Technol. 12: 312–324.
Ko, M. L. B., McConachie, H., and Jolleff, N. (1998). Outcome of recommendations for augmentative communication in children. Child: Care, Health Dev. 24: 195–205.
Lancioni, G. E., and Lems, S. (2001). Using a microswitch for vocalization responses with persons with multiple disabilities. Disabil. Rehabil. 23: 745–748.
Lancioni, G. E., O'Reilly, F. M., Oliva, D., and Coppa, M. M. (2001). Using multiple microswitches to promote different responses in children with multiple disabilities. Res. Dev. Disabil. 22: 309–318.
Lancioni, G. E., O’Reilly, M. F., Sigafoos, J., Singh, N. N., Oliva, D., and Basili, G. (2004). Enabling a person with multiple disabilities and minimal motor behaviour to control environmental stimulation with chin movements. Disabil. Rehabil. 26: 1291– 1294.
Lancioni, G. E., O'Reilly, M. F., Singh, N. N., Oliva, D., Campodonico, F., and Groeneweg, J. (2003). Stimulation and microswitch-based programs for enhancing indices of happiness: A maintenance assessment. Behav. Interv. 18: 53–61.
Lancioni, G. E., O'Reilly, M. F., Singh, N.N., Oliva, D., Marziani, M., and Groeneweg, J. (2002). A social validation assessment of the use of microswitches with persons with multiple disabilities. Res. Dev. Disabil. 23: 309–318.
Lancioni, G. E., Singh, N. N., O’Reilly, M. F., Baccani, S., Pidala, S., Oliva, D., and Groeneweg, J. (2005a). Parents provide social validation of microswitch programs for children and adults with multiple disabilities. J. Child Fam. Stud. 14: 159–165.
Lancioni, G. E., Singh, N. N., O’Reilly, M. F., Oliva, D., and Basili, G. (2005b). An overview of research on increasing indices of happiness of people with severe/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. Disabil. Rehabil. 27: 83–93.
Saunders, M. D., Questad, K. A., Kedziorski, T. L., Boase, B. C., Patterson E. A., and Cullinan, T. B. (2001). Unprompted mechanical switch use in individuals with severe multiple disabilities: An evaluation of the effects of body position. J. Dev. Phys. Disabil. 13: 27–39.
Saunders, M. D., Smagner, J. P., and Saunders, R. R. (2003). Improving methodological and technological analyses of adaptive switch use of individuals with profound multiple impairments. Behav. Interv. 18: 227–243.
Schalock, R., Brown, I., Brown, R., Cummins, R. A., Felce, D., Matikka, L., Keith, K.-D., and Parmenter, T. (2002). Conceptualization, measurement, and application of quality of life for persons with intellectual disabilities: Report of an international panel of experts. Ment. Retard. 40: 457–470.
Schlosser, R. W. (1999). Social validation of interventions in augmentative and alternative communication. AAC: Augmentative Altern. Commun. 15: 234–247.
Siegel, S., and Castellan, N. J. (1988). Nonparametric Statistics (2nd edn.). McGraw-Hill, New York.
Storey, K. (1996). Social validation issues in social skills assessment. Int. J. Disabil., Dev. Educ. 43: 167–174.
Sullivan, M. W., Laverick, D. H., and Lewis, M. (1995). Fostering environmental control in a young child with Rett syndrome: A case study. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 25: 215–221.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The research reported here was part of a project funded by the Italian Research Agency MIUR (No. 2003 111 299). The authors would like to thank all the raters for their participation as well as the parents of the seven students on whom the rating was based for their permission to show the videotapes.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
To whom correspondence should be addressed at Department of Psychology
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lancioni, G.E., O’Reilly, M.F., Singh, N.N. et al. A Social Validation Assessment of Microswitch-Based Programs for Persons with Multiple Disabilities Employing Teacher Trainees and Parents as Raters. J Dev Phys Disabil 18, 383–391 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-006-9024-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-006-9024-6