Abstract

During the last 20 years, a sizeable body of research has focused on persons with severe-profound and multiple disabilities. One area of attention has been the use of technology for promoting independent occupation in these persons. This paper is an attempt to review studies concerning this area and to comment on their findings and the applicability of the reported technology in daily situations. The studies are divided into four groups. The first group concerns the use of reactive objects/tools to present sensory stimulation contingent on interaction; the second the use of microswitches to allow activation of environmental stimuli; the third the use of automatic prompting to enhance activity and orientation; the fourth the use of instruction and reinforcement tools.