Assisting people with multiple disabilities improve their computer-pointing efficiency with hand swing through a standard mouse

This study evaluated whether two people with multiple disabilities would be able to improve their pointing performance using hand swing with a standard mouse through an Extended Dynamic Pointing Assistive Program (EDPAP) and a newly developed mouse driver (i.e., a new mouse driver replaces standard mouse driver, and changes a mouse into a precise two-dimensional motion detector, and intercepts mouse action). Initially, both participants had their baseline sessions. Then intervention started with the first participant. When his performance was consolidated, new baseline and intervention occurred with the second participant. Finally, both participants were exposed to maintenance phase, in which their pointing performance improved significantly. Data indicated that both participants improved their pointing efficiency with the use of EDPAP and remained highly successful through maintenance phase. Implications of the findings are discussed.