Barcode technology to help people with intellectual disability and blindness engage in functional occupational activity

Background People with intellectual disability and blindness tend to be withdrawn and sedentary and fail to engage in activity. Objective This study assessed a technology system to support five of these people in gathering boxes with objects from a storage room and bringing them to different destination rooms. Methods The technology system involved barcodes, barcode readers, a smartphone, and mini speakers. At the start of a session, the system provided the participants with instructions to take a box from the storage room. Fifteen boxes marked with specific barcodes were available. The system (a) identified the box taken through barcode readers, (b) provided instructions (spatial cues) to guide the participants to the right destination room, and finally (c) delivered preferred stimulation. The same process was repeated for the following boxes. Results During baseline sessions without the system, the mean frequency of boxes managed successfully (collected, transported, and deposited independently) was zero or virtually zero. During the intervention sessions with the system, the participants’ mean frequency of boxes managed successfully increased to between nearly 12.5 and over 14 per session. Conclusions These findings suggest that the technology system might be a valid support for people like the participants of this study.