Evaluating a GPS-based transportation device to support independent bus travel by people with intellectual disability.

2011

Michael Wehmeyer
[email protected]
785-864-0723

Although people from other disability populations have been benefiting from Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for several years now, minimal work has been done to investigate the potential benefits of this technology for people with intellectual disability. This study reports on the utility of a PDA-based software system with integrated GPS technology for providing location-aware visual and auditory prompts to enable people with intellectual disability to successfully navigate a downtown bus route. Participants using a PDA-based GPS system were significantly more successful at completing a bus route than were people in a control group who used only a map and verbal directions. Further, when using the GPS-based system, 73% of study participants with intellectual disability were able to successfully ring the bell at the proper time and exit the bus at the right stop, as compared to only 8% of the control group subjects.

Technology , Intellectual Disability, Transportation, Community inclusion

Peer-reviewed publications in scholarly journals Published/In Press

Professionals

Electronic (disc, CD, 508 compliant web posting)

[email protected]

N/A