The Apple iPod Touch as a vocational support aid for adults with autism: Three case studies | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Gersons,B. P. R., Carlier,I. V. E., Lamberts, R. D., & van der Kolk, B. A.
Year Published	2012
Publication	Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation
Volume	37
Number	2
Pages	75-85
Publisher	Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation
Background	Personal digital assistants (PDAs) offer task management and organizational features that may be utilized to help people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) function more successfully in the workplace. However, most of the focus in autism research is on the identification, assessment and treatment of children; few studies examine interventions and outcomes in adulthood. As a result, evidence-based programs of workplace support are limited.
Purpose	The purpose of the study was to determine if supported employment could improve the cognitive performance of individuals with autism. More specific, the researchers wanted to know what types of employment might have such benefits? Does supported employment also improve non-vocational outcomes?
Setting	The setting included three employment sites in 3 different businesses.
Sample	The three people profiled were adults with autism spectrum disorder who were participants in a 4 year randomized trial examining the use of these devices as job coaching aids in the workplace. The participants were: a 21-year-old man working as a daytime custodian in a fast food restaurant, a woman aged 60 years responsible for processing incoming mail at an office, and a 20-year-old female non-reading hospital worker,
Data Collection	Data was maintained for each study participant on average hours worked per week, average job coach direct verbal/gestural supervision hours per week, and average job coach indirect monitoring hours per week. Date was also maintained on software applications used.
Control	There was no control or comparison condition.
Findings	Participants wore the portable PDAs, clipped to a belt or with a lanyard around their neck, as vocational supports throughout their workday for a period of six months, resulting in improved functional performance and reduced behavioral challenges
Conclusions	PDAs should be considered as an assistive technology for use with people with cognitive-behavioral conditions. The partnership of an Occupational therapist familiar with task analysis, PDAs and applications and an employment specialist onsite at the job site can facilitate successful individualized strategies for vocational support using PDAs.
URL	http://worksupport.com/documents/apple_ipod_touch.pdf
Disabilities	Autism Spectrum Disorder
Populations	Male & Female
Outcomes	Increase in hours worked
NIDILRR Funded	Yes
Research Design	Case reports
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2012

Publication

Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Volume

37

Number

2

Pages

75-85

Publisher

Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation

Background

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) offer task management and organizational features that may be utilized to help people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) function more successfully in the workplace. However, most of the focus in autism research is on the identification, assessment and treatment of children; few studies examine interventions and outcomes in adulthood. As a result, evidence-based programs of workplace support are limited.

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to determine if supported employment could improve the cognitive performance of individuals with autism. More specific, the researchers wanted to know what types of employment might have such benefits? Does supported employment also improve non-vocational outcomes?

Setting

The setting included three employment sites in 3 different businesses.

Sample

The three people profiled were adults with autism spectrum disorder who were participants in a 4 year randomized trial examining the use of these devices as job coaching aids in the workplace. The participants were: a 21-year-old man working as a daytime custodian in a fast food restaurant, a woman aged 60 years responsible for processing incoming mail at an office, and a 20-year-old female non-reading hospital worker,

Data Collection

Data was maintained for each study participant on average hours worked per week, average job coach direct verbal/gestural supervision hours per week, and average job coach indirect monitoring hours per week. Date was also maintained on software applications used.

Control

There was no control or comparison condition.

Findings

Participants wore the portable PDAs, clipped to a belt or with a lanyard around their neck, as vocational supports throughout their workday for a period of six months, resulting in improved functional performance and reduced behavioral challenges

Conclusions

PDAs should be considered as an assistive technology for use with people with cognitive-behavioral conditions. The partnership of an Occupational therapist familiar with task analysis, PDAs and applications and an employment specialist onsite at the job site can facilitate successful individualized strategies for vocational support using PDAs.

URL

http://worksupport.com/documents/apple_ipod_touch.pdf

Disabilities

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Populations

Male & Female

Outcomes

Increase in hours worked

NIDILRR Funded

Yes

Research Design

Case reports

Peer Reviewed

Yes