ICT for persons with mental challenges

Professor Arun Mehta President, Bidirectional Access Promotion Society (bapsi.org)

Why?

• • • • Persons with mental challenges have primarily communication disabilities, so communication technologies have a role Computers can be easier to work with than human beings -- they are more consistent and patient, while not prone to moods If you cannot communicate, teachers cannot teach you, doctors have a hard time treating you, society ignores you (or worse) The problem: each mentally challenged person has a unique combination of abilities and disabilities

When?

• • With delayed development, you get behavior that is not age appropriate, so if we can get the child to start communicating via the computer when still just a few years old, maybe the child has some chance of obtaining an education Usually, we assume a person is literate, before we teach her computers. A child with mental challenges may need to learn how to use a computer in order to become literate

How?

• • • • • • • The software needs to be highly customizable We created a platform that makes it very easy to add new modules Each module does a small, specific task First step: pick the combination of modules you need for a specific task Two button operation: One button to switch between modules In each module, the software highlights each choice by turn With the other button, you can say "yes" to a choice, by pressing it when the choice you like is highlighted

Module Example: Deleting Text

Low cost two-button input device

• • • • A thin spring in a fat spring: when they touch, a signal goes to the computer Works for children with very little strength in their muscles (e.g. cerebral palsy) Simple physical movements work for children with autism ("Brain Behavior Connections in Autism", Nancy Minshew, Diane Williams)

Free and open source software: addressing the supply side

• • • Depending on the specific needs of individual children, we need to keep adding modules At BAPSI, we encourage students seeking practical training in "agile" software writing to work with us on this We put their names at the bottom of the modules they helped with, which helps them get jobs (software can be used without installing at skid.org.in)

Demonstration of picture browser and recognize modules