Effectiveness of Technology Types in Employment-Related Outcomes for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: an Extension Meta-analysis

The aim of this study was to extend a recently published meta-analysis that explored the impact of technology use to support employment-related outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by focusing on the impact of types of technology and work settings. A further analysis of the same single-subject experimental design studies conducted from 2004 to 2016 was undertaken in this study. Percentage of non-overlapping data (PND) scores measuring the intervention effect was used and compared across types of technology and work settings. The relationships between the types of technology and the presence of universal design features were also examined. Findings revealed significant differences in the effects of the technology use between (a) pictorial prompts and (1) auditory prompting devices, (2) desktop and laptop computers, and (3) palmtops, and (b) real and simulated work setting. Significant relationships between the presence of universal design features and types of technology were also found. Devices using pictorial prompts had a lower frequency of universal design features present while the video-assisted training, palmtops, and desktop and laptop computers group had significantly greater frequency of the use of universal design features. Overall, the effect of the use of technology seemed to differ when viewed by type of technology or by work setting. Further research is required regarding (1) technology use to promote employment-related outcomes in real work settings, (2) the effect of more sophisticated types of technology in real work settings, and (3) the features incorporated into the technology.