Tuesday, April 12, 2011

How may we assist you?


 البرنامج التعليمي عدد ثمانية  (tutorial number eight)

Language of the week:

Arabic




This week we looked at assistive technology.  I chose to look at two different switches and a PowerLink 2 which help people use those switches.  “The goal of assistive technology is to compensate for absent or impaired abilities and enable occupational performance” (Mary, 2008, p. 511) I think this is saying that assistive technologies allow people to engage in occupations that, without it, they would not have been able to do. 

A switch will allow a student to activate equipment that without this assistive device they would not have been able to use (Schoonover, Argabrite Grove, & Swinth, 2010).  With the aid of the PowerLink 2 (PowerLink 2 control unit) appliances be turned on and off with a single switch.  Students may not be able to reach over and operate a switch on an appliance however if a switch, such as the Jelly Bean Switch (Jelly bean twist) is placed in a way that they can click it then they can operate the device that they could not have before.  The two switches I have selected both have slightly different features which mean they are better suited to people with different abilities (Mary, 2008).  The standard Jelly Bean Twist (Jelly bean twist) has a 64mm application surface, which if you apply 56.7gms of pressure, anywhere on this surface, will be activated.  This switch is made of durable, high impact ABS (Jelly bean twist).  The pillow switch (Pillow Switch) is similar to the Jelly Bean switch (Jelly bean twist) however, it is much softer and can be used, as mentioned above, by a student’s head or face.  Its activating pressure is higher than the Jelly Bean Switch, at 180gms, its plug size is the same, both using a 3.5 mm mono plug which means they could be plugged into the same socket of the PowerLink 2 (PowerLink 2 control unit).

The PowerLink 2 control unit (PowerLink 2 control unit) device allows access to most plug-in electrical appliances, or devices, with a single switch, which is great for students who otherwise may not be able to control them (Schoonover, Argabrite Grove, & Swinth, 2010).  One of its features is that there are four modes of control on the PowerLink 2 (PowerLink 2 control unit).  First up is the Direct Mode (PowerLink 2 control unit), while the switch is activated the appliance will stay on.  Secondly is the Timed Seconds Mode (PowerLink 2 control unit). Whoever is working with the client is able to set an amount of time between one to sixty seconds, once the switch has been activated the appliance will run for that set amount of time.  Thirdly is the timed minutes mode (PowerLink 2 control unit), this has the same idea as the timed Seconds mode (PowerLink 2 control unit), however this one runs between one to sixty minutes.  Lastly is the Latch Mode (PowerLink 2 control unit), one activation of the switch will turn the appliance on, the second activation will turn the appliance off.  These last three are particularly good for students who are not able to hold down the switch.  The other features of this device are that it can be used with most plug-in appliances and it has a remote receiver which means it can be used with a cordless switch, should the need for one arise in the future.  For all three pieces of equipment, there are no reported ethical considerations. 


This is a nice clip of a young girl named Nicole using a pillow switch at home 


References:
AdamWingAbleNet. (2010, 09 15). Nicole with pillow switch and magic tree of lights at home. Retrieved 04 03, 2011, from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUltJLdh0Rw

Jelly bean twist. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 12, 2011, from Star educational Ltd.; special technology and resources: https://www.star-educational.co.nz/view_details.php?detail=true&cat=15&subcat=&id=232

Mary, E. B. (2008). High-technology adaptations to compensate for disability. In M. V. Radomski, & C. A. Trombly Latham (Eds.), Occupational therapy for physical dysfunction (6 ed., pp. 510-541). Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a Wolters Kluwer business.

Pillow Switch. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 12, 2011, from Star educational ltd.; special technology and resources: https://www.star-educational.co.nz/view_details.php?detail=true&cat=18&subcat=&id=26

PowerLink 2 control unit. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 12, 2011, from Star education ltd.; special technology and resources: https://www.star-educational.co.nz/view_details.php?detail=true&cat=69&subcat=&id=137

Schoonover, J., Argabrite Grove, R. E., & Swinth, Y. (2010). Influencing participation through assistive technology. In J. Case-Smith, & J. C. O'Brien (Eds.), Occupatinal therapy for children (6 ed., pp. 583-619). Missouri: Mosby elsevier.


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