Improving work performance of individuals with severe cognitive impairment through enabling technology

The over-arching question of this research project was: can technology i.e. the coordinator system, improve the work performance of individuals with severe cognitive impairment to levels required to obtain and maintain employment? This research project consisted of two conditions. In the first condition, two students packaged candy once weekly using matching correspondence for a five session learning phase and a two-session operant phase. They then packaged candy once weekly using the coordinator system for a five session learning phase and a two session operant phase. For condition two, two students packaged candy once every-other week using the coordinator system for a three session learning phase and a two session operant phase. The coordinator system was removed and the students packaged candy using matching correspondence for a three session learning phase and a two session operant phase. Each student was videotaped for half of each 70-90 minute work session and out of that videotape random ten-minute segments were analyzed. Out of the analyzed segments the following data were collected: the proportion of non-value added behavior per cycle of bagged candy, the number of specific type of non-value added behaviors, productivity - as defined by the time to package an individual piece of candy, the number and specific type of errors and the number and type of prompts