Background: The aim is to explore and describe access to the internet and how it is used among adolescents and young adults with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities in their everyday settings. Method: Data were collected through observations of and interviews with 15 participants with intellectual disabilities, aged 13-25, on access and use of the internet in school or work and at home or in their free time. A qualitative content analysis was used. Results: Main findings were categorised into: Access to the internet in different settings, Challenges when using the internet and Strategies to handle the digital environment and take part in internet activities.Conclusions: This study revealed that participants had access to internet connections and to a high number of internet-enabled devices. Participants use the internet through strategies when doing internet activities, for example using pictures and reducing the number of internet-enabled devices used in their everyday settings.

Objective: Activities occur in all people’s lives. This study investigated over a period of time, 15 years, what activities were enjoyed or not enjoyed and what activities parents and staff liked to do with girls/women with Rett syndrome.

Method: A descriptive study was conducted using secondary data from three earlier questionnaires at the Swedish National Rett Center. The first questionnaire provided data on 123 girls/women with Rett syndrome, the second on 52 and the third questionnaire, on 39. Informants were parents and/or staff, in total 365. Open-ended questions were analysed using a content analysis approach.

Results: Three categories appeared: Being in motion, receiving impressions and having contact. Bathing/swimming, listening to music and being outdoors/walking were the most enjoyed activities over the years. Of the few activities that were reported as being unenjoyable, most were daily care activities. The activities that the parents/staff enjoyed doing with the girls/women were similar to those the girls/women themselves liked to do.

Conclusion: A preliminary overview for both liked and disliked activities of girls/women with Rett syndrome was presented. This knowledge could facilitate the choice and use of activities.

Background: Children with acquired brain injury (ABI) often present with functional deficits that influence their societal participation and well-being. Successful reintegration into school calls for individual support to meet each child’s adjustment needs. The adjustment needs of children with ABI in school settings have not previously been explored.

Aim: The objectives of the present study were (a) to describe adjustment needs in school settings for children with ABI and (b) to explore differences and similarities between reports from the children and their teachers.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 20 children with ABI (mean age 12.8 ± 3.4 years; class grade 1–10) and their teachers were interviewed individually, using the School Setting Interview (SSI). Data were analyzed with descriptive and with non-parametric statistics.

Results: (a) In the overall group, children rated that 55.6% of the 16 activities in the SSI needed no adjustment. The corresponding percentage for teachers was 48.4%. (b) In the child-teacher pairs, there was a positive relationship between teachers’ and children’s responses only in 3 out of 16 school activities and agreement varied strongly according to the activity in question.

Conclusions and significance: It is important for occupational therapists and other professionals to specifically consider adjustment needs relating to school activities from various perspectives when aiming to provide individualized interventions.

Objective: Adolescents’ leisure activities are increasingly focusing on Internet activities, and today, these coexist with traditional leisure activities such as sport and meeting friends. The purpose of the present study was to investigate leisure activities, particularly Internet activities, among boys and girls with ADHD, and compare these with boys and girls from the general population. The objective was also to explore how traditional leisure activities and Internet activities interrelate among adolescents with ADHD. 

Method: Adolescents with ADHD (n = 102) were compared with adolescents from the general population on leisure activities and Internet use. 

Results: Leisure activities among adolescents with ADHD tended to focus on Internet activities, particularly online games. Internet activities were broadening leisure activities among adolescents with ADHD, rather than being a substitute for traditional leisure activities. 

Conclusion: Internet activities may provide adolescents with ADHD accessible means of social interaction.

Introduction: Internet is an integral part of everyday life today. In Sweden 98% of adolescents are reported using internet. However, adolescents with intellectual disabilities are often excluded in national surveys, since questions are not adapted for the target group. Statistics remain therefore limited regarding internet-use among adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Objectives: To investigate and describe internet-use among adolescents with intellectual disabilities through an adapted version of a nationwide survey in Sweden. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an adapted version of a survey from the Swedish Media Council on media-use among adolescents. Cognitive adaptations were included and it was accessible through the web and in paper. The sample was drawn from three municipalities using a total-selection of pupils in secondary- and upper secondary special schools. 265 surveys were sent out and the response rate was approximately 32%. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics. Results: The result gives demographic data on the participants and descriptive statistics on the access to devices for internet-connection. Further, data are provided on activities done in leisure time and whether internet is used or not, together with perceptions of doings on internet from the participants. Conclusion: Stepwise adaptations of the survey with different levels of cognitive support enabled the participation of adolescents with intellectual disabilities and the result gives increased knowledge of internet-use among adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Finally, future comparative analysis are possible due to the national survey being used implying the voices of adolescents with intellectual disabilities being heard.

The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to identify factors associated with a high level of accommodation needs in school activities among students with special educational needs (SEN) in regular upper secondary education; and (2) to investigate the extent to which schools have met students’ perceived accommodation needs. Accommodation needs and their provision in school activities were assessed with the School Setting Interview for 484 students with SEN. Students’ mean age was 17.3 years and 50% did not have a diagnosis. A logistic regression analysis revealed that a high level of school absence, studying a vocational programme, and a neuropsychiatric disorder were associated with a high level of accommodation needs. In the majority of school activities, about 50% of students had not received any accommodation despite an experienced need for support. About 30% of students perceived a need for support even though they had been provided with accommodations, and around 25% stated they were satisfied with received accommodations. Regular upper secondary school students with SEN are insufficiently provided with accommodations to satisfactorily participate in education. Specific student characteristics, e.g. high level of school absence, should receive special attention when investigating and accommodating students’ needs for support in school activities.

Cognitive impairment may cause difficulties in planning and initiating daily activities, as well as remembering to do what is scheduled. This study investigates the effectiveness of an interactive web-based mobile reminder calendar that sends text messages to the users mobile phone as support in everyday life, for persons with cognitive impairment due to neurological injury/diagnoses. The study has a randomised controlled trail design with data collection at baseline and at follow-up sessions after two and four months. Data collection started in August 2016 and continues until December 2017. The interactive web-based mobile reminder calendar may give the needed support to remind the person and thus increase the ability to perform activities and to be independence in everyday life. Preliminary results will be presented regarding what effect the interactive web-based mobile reminder calendar have for the participants performance of everyday life activities as well as perceived quality of life.

This session focuses on the latest developments of gaze-based assistive technology (AT) and the impact of gaze-based AT interventions in the home and at school. In particular, for play, communication, assessments and early intervention. The discussion focuses on how research findings can advance future developments.

This is a case study exploring gaze-based AT as early intervention, for a ten-month-old non-verbal child with severe physical impairments. Data was collected repeatedly over time through questionnaires, videos clips, and field observations until the child was three years old.

Objective: To establish the impact of a gaze-based assistive technology (AT) intervention on activity repertoire, autonomous use, and goal attainment in children with severe physical impairments, and to examine parents’ satisfaction with the gaze-based AT and with services related to the gaze-based AT intervention.

Methods: Non-experimental multiple case study with before, after, and follow-up design. Ten children with severe physical impairments without speaking ability (aged 1–15 years) participated in gaze-based AT intervention for 9–10 months, during which period the gaze-based AT was implemented in daily activities.

Results: Repertoire of computer activities increased for seven children. All children had sustained usage of gaze-based AT in daily activities at follow-up, all had attained goals, and parents’ satisfaction with the AT and with services was high.

Discussion: The gaze-based AT intervention was effective in guiding parents and teachers to continue supporting the children to perform activities with the AT after the intervention program.