STAGE 2:   MOTIVATION AND INTENT 

2.1  AUTONOMY / MOTIVATION / SELF ESTEEM

Accurate switch activation for play, recreation, communication or learning may be one of the first opportunities a physically disabled child has to perform, achieve, ‘make-something-happen’!  The most basic sense of mastery of the environment and ability to achieve is one of the most important prerequisites to the development of :

  1. Autonomy
  2. Sense of independence
  3. Motivation
  4. Willingness to participate
Development of these emotional characteristics is one of the main reasons for the ‘hands-off’ approach in this framework.  Only once we move away, and let children explore the switches, explore the response and reaction to switch hits (be it a communication with another person, requesting something, making something move or make a sound on a computer screen…)  Young disabled children need the opportunity to explore, play and make things happen, and the best way for many of them to do that is by using switches.
 

2.2  INTENT & WILLINGNESS

Once students are set up with a system that they are able to physically control with good levels of accuracy, they are set up to develop a sense of independence and achievement.  Building on that, with motivational activities, the expected outcome and goal would be to see more specific intent, interest and willingness to participate.  These are essential baseline behaviors for successful learning and communication.

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