The effects of a mobile-based vocational skill building coaching technology intervention for people with cognitive disabilities: A pilot feasibility study

J Rehabil Assist Technol Eng. 2021 May 4:8:20556683211009731. doi: 10.1177/20556683211009731. eCollection 2021 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

We designed a feasibility study to evaluate a mobile-based vocational skill building coaching technology (aka Mobile Coach) intervention by using an ecological design approach. We compared the Mobile Coach to a standard job coach (no Mobile Coach technology) assistance in a facility that employs adults with significant cognitive disabilities (CDs). Twenty working-age adults with CDs were enrolled in this feasibility study and were asked to use the Vocational Mobile Coach Technology (on an iPad) to assist with their daily job functions. Project-specific usability and self-satisfaction survey was used to evaluate the user experience in performing the selected work assembly tasks with the Mobile Coach and without it. This report has the goal to describe our feasibility study design, methods, and results.

Keywords: Mobile technology; assistive technology; cognitive disability; cognitive impairment; ecological design; job coach; vocational; workplace.