USE OF REGULATED FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE READING IN MULTIPLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN

THE EDUCATION OF MULTIPLY HANDICAPPED INFANTS AND TODDLERS IS A CHALLENGING TASK. THE COMBINATION OF A PHYSICAL DISABILITY IN CONJUNCTION WITH COGNITIVE AND/OR SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS SEVERELY RESTRICTS THE YOUNG CHILD'S ACCESS TO THE WORLD AND CONSTRAINS THE TYPES OF INPUTS TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM THAT ENABLE LEARNING. MANY OF THESE CHILDRENCAN BECOME PRODUCTIVE WITH THE AID OF DEVICES THAT IMPROVE MOBILITY, COMMUNICATION, AND ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, THUS PROMOTING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE PROHIBITED. REACHING IS CRITICAL TO MOTORICALLY DISABLED INFANTS WHO MAY BE RELIANT ON TECHNOLOGY TO INTERFACE WITH THEIR WORLD. THE RESEARCH PLANNED IN THIS PROPOSAL INVOLVES THE USE OF BIOMECHANICAL PRINCIPLES TO FACILITATE REACHING IN MOTORICALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN BY MODIFYING THE TRAJECTORY OFTHE ARM. THE GOALS OF IMPROVING REACHING IN THESE CHILDREN ARE TO BETTER PREPARE THEM TO EMPLOY ASSISTIVE AND ADAPTIVE DEVICES, AND TO EFFECT A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT IN ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING SKILLS. THESE GOALS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BYDESIGNING A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM IN WHICH A CHILD CAN PRACTICE REACHING FOR TARGETS PLACED IN THE WORKSPACE OF THEARM AND RECEIVE REGULATED AND SPECIFIC SENSORY FEEDBACK CONCERNING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE REACH. THE SYSTEM WILL CALCULATE THE QUANTITATIVE TRAJECTORY PARAMETER VALUES OF ANACTUAL REACH AND CONVERT THESE INTO A FEEDBACK REWARD IN AN ATTEMPT TO MOVE THESE VALUES TOWARD DESIRED ESTABLISHED NORMS.